https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/ Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:58:31 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2002 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:58:31 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2002 OK, I can understand the desire to control active parasites, but I really don’t get this irrational hatred of arthropods. Especially the ants – what have they ever done to deserve this treatment? Why do people feel the need to exterminate them on sight?

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2001 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:51:54 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2001 “They scout for food.”Damn straight! Intelligence is expensive!

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2000 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:41:03 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-2000 “It was amazing they could sense such a small and distant source.”I don’t think that ants sense distant food. They scout for food. Once they find it, they bring their friends.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1999 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:34:13 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1999 You can spray insecticide onto a cotton ball and then suck that into the vacuum. Then seal off the hose and let it sit all night. The vapors will kill anything left inside. At least that’s the advice I got a few years ago from a pest control expert.Carpenter ants are large and live in large multi-centered colonies. They’re harder to get rid of than other ants. This was one of the techniques.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1998 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:34:02 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1998 I’ve got a nice Hoover bagless and it does indeed kill all sorts of nasties that get into it. It’s really effective at picking up cat hair and dust too, with HEPA filters on the output too.I don’t think much survives that baby.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1997 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:01:01 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1997 Most if not all vacuums use universal motors and it is possible that the combustable propellant from the spray may get ignited by the brushes.Yea, but wouldn’t that be the point? Blow the buggers to Flea Kingdom Come?

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1996 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:46:04 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1996 Simple problem, simple solution: Before you put the vacuum cleaner away, give it a smidgeon of moth crystals to suck down its maw.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1995 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:45:16 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1995 Just a note, if you decide to use a spray pesticide, DON’T spray it up the hose with the vacuum running. Most if not all vacuums use universal motors and it is possible that the combustable propellant from the spray may get ignited by the brushes.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1994 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:45:54 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1994 It works on ants too! I once had an apartment where sugar ants would occasionally trail in to gorge on a leftover morsel of sweet left on a counter. It was amazing they could sense such a small and distant source. Anyway, I set up a chair at the place in the wall they were coming in and put on the TV. Every minute or so I would vacuum up the trail of ants. Almost an hour later they stopped coming in. I am not sure if I vacuumed the whole colony, but I was curious if they would come out of the vacuum later. So I let it sit out and no ants ever emerged from the machine. It was immensely satisfying sucking up all of those critters.

]]> https://gregladen.com/blog/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1993 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:36:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2007/12/18/where-the-cooties-go-to-die/#comment-1993 I have a central vacuum, with the collector in the garage. So, at this time of year at least, any creepy crawlies that survive high speed transportation through 25 ft of hose (and about the same amount of pipe) then get to be frozen, hopefully to death. (Actually, when not vacuuming, I’m kind to spiders, usually relocating them outdoors instead of killing them.

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