The Sugar Ants are Here

We've lived in all sorts of places. Surprisingly, battling insects has not been a huge feature of our lives. In Germany... there really aren't any insects--it's too difficult for them to get paperwork into the country! In France, they opted to spend their time around markets and flower shops. In China, interestingly, there also weren't so many, but when there were, they were shocking in appearance. But here in Thailand, there are insects a-plenty. Mosquitos, sure. Butterflies flittering around. Nice giant cockroaches. When we first moved into our new home we were checking things out on the outside. We moved a broom and a huge spider came dashing out. A huntsman, as big and broad as my hand. The ones that have commanded my attention the most are the sugar ants.

The sugar ants. At first, you don't see them. Then, you see one or two. They are tiny. They move quickly. But then you look a little closer and realize that there are TONS of them all over your counter! Your outside chair. The gate at the front. Just so many.

I made a major mistake the first few weeks. I would squish them as I found them. I didn't really think much of it. But a strange thing started happening. My fingertip, and then my finger, and ultimately the entire forefinger, thumb and palm area of my left hand started feeling numb, and tingly. At first, I thought it was the scooter I had rented. But even though I changed it, the numbness increased, and it got so bad I couldn't straighten my thumb without force, and a snapping sound and sensation. And once straight, it took force and pain to then bend it. What was going on?! Not once, initially, did I think it was the ants. But then one day, as I was pondering the localized pain and how it didn't fully add up to "motorbike thumb", and why was my right hand now experiencing the same, I realized that I was at that same moment squishing ants with my right finger and thumb. WhAt>? Could it be related? So I looked up, "what defence do ants employ?" One answer: formic acid. And some people do have allergic reactions to formic acid that are similar to the pains and joint swelling I was experiencing.

To test, I stopped mushing the ants with my bare fingers. Instead, I swept them up in a damp cloth. I also became patient and watched to see where they were coming from: FROM INSIDE THE EXTERIOR WALLS. Next, I bought spray and squirted that into the small entry holes the ants were using. After about 2 weeks, I noticed the pain in my thumbs had decreased; I could easily bend them without any stiffness or cracking, and my palms were not sore. I had found the source of the problem!

Or have I?