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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Flying Ants - UGH!

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by LAJ_FETT , Jul 25, 2009.

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  1. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    May 25, 2002
    So there I was, sitting out in the sun reading Paul of Dune. My reading was interrupted by a flying ant landing on me. I brushed it off and then noticed that the area was infested with them - both large ones and small. After killing off about 20 of them, I gave up and came inside. Are these peculiar to the London area or do other areas get infested as well?
     
  2. chrisfree

    chrisfree Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 28, 2006
    I'm not sure but we too recently found a heap of them in the garden. Some anti-ant powder drove them underground but I have my doubts about the long-term effectiveness. So I put some syrup in a small bowl under one of the garden chairs and am hoping that a considerable amount of ants will go and drown in them. If not, then onto new pastures. Talcum powder only helped until the rain came and garlic was amazingly effective but extremely smelly.
     
  3. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    May 25, 2002
    I was out in the same area for a bit today and didn't see a single one. I guess they have dispersed. It's raining here now so I hope that takes care of any that are left.
     
  4. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

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    Oct 3, 2003
    They shouldn't remain for too long in one place, their job is to find new nests so they must move quickly. Most insects don't have a long lifespan either.
     
  5. Chewgumma

    Chewgumma Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 14, 2009
    I have seen an over abundance of snails, spiders and moths this year but I haven't seen much of anything else other than a wasp. I think the relatively wet Summer has been keeping most bugs at bay. I wouldn't mind but it's the spiders and moths that really need killing.
     
  6. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

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    Oct 3, 2003
    Spiders have their uses. Moths I dislike with a passion, but since Bats eat them I suppose I have to tolerate their presence.
     
  7. Chewgumma

    Chewgumma Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 14, 2009
    Not if you see the spider that was in my bath today and the moth that flew into my room an hour ago. The spider was about the size of my palm, and I have pretty big hands, and the moth looked like it flew out of the amazon. Wet weather is making mutant bugs![face_worried]
     
  8. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    May 25, 2002
    I haven't seen a lot of wasps this year - knock on wood. I have been seeing a lot of bumblebees though. I have a few shrubs in flower and they seem to like them. So that's a good thing considering all the news items there are about less bees around.
     
  9. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

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    Oct 3, 2003
    We get big insects in this country, a lot of people seem to forget that.
    The Privet Hawkmoth (our largest resident species) is a monstrous great thing, and Giant House Spiders are common.
     
  10. Stormtrooper_fan

    Stormtrooper_fan Jedi Master star 5

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    Aug 23, 2003
    Sadly it's Honey bees though and not Bumble bees that are being wiped out :(
     
  11. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2003
    Bees in general are declining. Bumble bees still collect pollen for honey making and if they decline a lot too then plant fertilisation will become a problem.

    I read somewhere that a world without bees would die in 3 years.
     
  12. CloneUncleOwen

    CloneUncleOwen Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2009
    In the Redwood forests (near San Francisco) we get Banana Slugs. About 9" long and and over an inch thick, bright yellow.
    Some of the local schools make them their mascots. In the hills we get Rattle Snakes. Got bit, once. The snake died.

    (Aren't you the 'Good Man'?)
    Roy Baty, BLADE RUNNER

     
  13. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    May 25, 2002
    Banana slugs would beat winged ants in Ugh factor. Ii bet they don't move as fast as the ants though.
     
  14. CloneUncleOwen

    CloneUncleOwen Jedi Master star 4

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    Jul 30, 2009
    Got me there! We also have Black Widow spiders that can [face_skull] you. They have a red hourglass marking on them to warn
    you they're toxic, but wouldn't you know, it's on the under side. And who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?

    On balance, though, we've got LUCASFILM at the Presidio (south of the GG Bridge), INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC (half-hour north)
    and ELECTRONIC ARTS and the entire Silicon Valley (half-hour south). So if you survive the Banana slugs, Rattlers and Black
    Widows and a general population of peolpe driving SUV's while talking on their cellphones, it's not half-bad.

     
  15. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I know about Black Widow spiders - I used to live in the US (eastern US though). No Banana Slugs there!
     
  16. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2003
    Can't be any worse then Australia where they have 20 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world, including The Fierce Snake which is the most venomous land snake in the world.

    Fotunately here in the UK our only poisonous snake, The Adder, is unlikely to kill anyone unless they have allergic reaction to a bite.
    Wolf Spiders hurt but their venom does nothing.
     
  17. CloneUncleOwen

    CloneUncleOwen Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2009
    Australia, my GOD! Is there anything down there that doesn't come out of an H.P.Lovecraft story!?
    Saltwater Crocodiles? Box Jellyfish? Blue-ring Octopus? Cthulu on acid and steroids...

    Funny thing in the U.S. is that most Rattlesnake bites happen in the Southwest when these ramped
    yahoos try to impress their girlfriends by picking them up. Guess who wins that argument? 90% of
    the bites are to the hands and (ewwww) face.

    MOST IMPRESSIVE
    - Darth Vader
     
  18. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2003
    That's why you grab them by the face, not the tail :p
     
  19. AmberStarbright

    AmberStarbright Jedi Grand Master star 7

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    Dec 20, 2002
    lol Richie, one thing that's being forgotten is stupidity of people ;)

    Edit: I've been bitten by a spider (think wolf spider) in Canada and the bite became infected with the venom. That was a nice way to spend my summer last year with for about a month daily trips to the doctor to get the wound cleaned, then every other day and two sets of antibiotics [face_plain]
     
  20. CloneUncleOwen

    CloneUncleOwen Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2009
    [image=http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/toxicboy29/Roy-Scheider.gif]


    Hello, this is Roy Scheider on behalf of the Australian Tourist Bureau asking you to consider
    The Great Barrier Reef on your next holiday getaway.








    (Note: this image is from Picture Scavenger Hunt courtesy TTW)
     
  21. elbertino

    elbertino Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 2, 2006
    i have seen them here[face_thinking]
    where is here?:-B
    it could be anywhere=P~
    it could even BE london[face_whistling]
    it could be next door[face_monkey]
     
  22. darth_frared

    darth_frared Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 2005
    in germany flying ants were mating ants, so they would only fly for a short season and then go back to walking ants.
     
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