Garden Variety: Bug of the Week - Mid-Atlantic gardening: Tips and pictures on flowers, vegetables, public gardens, composting and farmers’ markets

The Baltimore Sun > Life > Home & Garden > Garden Variety

« Ground Hogs I Have Known | Main | Speaking of the garden »

April 27, 2009

Bug of the Week

Our companion out here in the blogosphere, entomologist Michael Raupp of the University of Maryland, features the odorous house ant Monday on his blog, Bug of the Week.

If any of you have seen this little ant make its way into your kitchen this spring, you will want to read his description of its habits and see the video and photos Mike has included, and take his advice on how to get rid of the ants.

And the ant's name? It comes from the bad smell the results from crushing it on the counter. Mike describes it as "fermented coconuts," but I have to say I haven't ever smelled fermented coconuts, so I can't attest to the accuracy of his desciption.

Here's a photo of the ants and their last summer, a sweet but poisonous bait.

Photo credit: M.J. Raupp.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Garden blogs

Comments

Are these the little teensy ones or the bigger variety? I can't tell from the photo.

Little teensy ones!

Posted by: Dahlink | April 27, 2009 5:36 PM

Hmm, I don't have a problem with ants at my place, but I am having a tough time getting the friendly neighborhood rats away from my mint and basil. :( Any suggestions, fellow city dwellers? I have the plants in planters about 3 feet off the ground, but those suckers are still finding a way in.

Posted by: CantonKate | April 28, 2009 12:28 PM

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

Verification (needed to reduce spam):

About Susan Reimer

Susan Reimer has spent 16 years writing about raising kids - among other topics - in her column for The Baltimore Sun. And every time son Joseph or daughter Jessie passed another milestone - driver's license, college, wedding or a move to a new military duty station - she has planted another garden. Now she will be writing about those gardens - and yours - here on Garden Variety.

Susan isn't an expert gardener, but she wasn't an expert mother, either. Both - the kids and the gardens - seem to be doing well in spite of her.

She lives in Annapolis with her husband, Gary Mihoces, who loves to cut his grass but has noticed that there seems to be less of it every time the kids pass another milestone.

Follow @susanreimer on Twitter