Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Old Wives Tale or Genius: Bug Eyed Flying Insect Repeller

Jack in Dreads
Jack Vermie is the kinda foster dad/grandpa every kid, regardless of age, should have in their lives: wickedly funny, irreverent, with a garden variety theatricality.  He is the children's movie that appeals equally to adults.  Jack weighed in on my fly control issues with his usual brand of common lunacy and told me to hang a baggie filled with water and several pennies above the door or in a window to deter flies.

I usually proceed with caution in Jack's advice because usually the joke is on me, which naturally leads to copious merriment of family and friends.  But this idea sounded crazy enough to work [even though Jack told me he would try it, but he didn't have enough money to spare to put in the bags].

I have ghettos of wasps under the eaves of my house and spraying chemicals into them is akin to being a soldier in Fallujha.  The proximity of the house to the barn is like a fly nightclub in Santorini.  Lucy hates it when I use the fly swatter and her seasonal Beagle allergies contraindicate the use of sprays to kill the pests.
Fly Away And Ye Shall Not Be Harmed
 or
Michelle Blackler Really Is A Nutter, Isn't She?


So I go to the drawer, pull out a plastic zip baggie, fill with water, five pennies, and hang it above the door.  I wait.  I tell no one.  I test the device by eating lunch al fresco.  Not that many flies, but there is a lovely breeze.  I am not convinced.

This morning I enjoy my coffee out of doors; I count two wasps.  One of whom, flies up to the baggie and buzzes off immediately.  Gone. The other one also flies off in search of a home with a better school district?  Building activity on Wasp Condos seems to have halted.  Perhaps it is Wasp Memorial Day.  Normally I spill more coffee on myself swatting at these infernal flying devils than I drink.  There are no flies on the door awaiting it to open so they may rape and pillage the imagined treasure within.  HMMMMM.

The results are still preliminary, but I am going to hang some in the windows of the horse's stalls and see if it also works in the barn.  However, I think I will polish the pennies first.  And that is the carriage driving link for the blog.

Maybe it is just my imagination, a panacea, so if it doesn't work, you can all have a jolly good chuckle with Jack.  At my expense and with my pleasure.  Oh, and if everyone who reads this could send Jack a penny, he will make some and test them, too.  He promises.

Kind Regards,
Michelle Blackler
Serendipity
www.hossbiz.com
Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your way with words. And, yes. Those pennies in a bag work. I was told that because of how flies eyes function, they see MONSTERS in those bags.

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  2. Yes, an old and proven trick. New pennies seem to work best, maybe due to their increased reflective ability.

    Grandpa Jack is spot on, I think it best behooves you to listen to his advice!

    (well....I guess it's only as old as plastic bags are!)

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