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Killing Bugs

MACDRIVE

MACDRIVE

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 17, 2006
1,695
3
Clovis, California
I don't like killing bugs; I feel guilty every time I have to kill one. Where I live, there are ants everywhere. Ants like to travel in straight lines, so they use whatever they can find that's straight for navigation; whether it be the edge of a side walk or the bottom of a fence. That's where I come in: I like to stretch my garden hoses out straight across the lawn; they either have to be coiled up neatly, or completely straight; nothing in between. Well, the ants see my nice straight garden hoses and use them as the ultimate high speed freeway.

Later on in the evening when I go outside to water the front and back yards, the ant's freeway is interrupted by my hands holding onto the hose, so they subsequently start crawling all over me. I don't mind them crawling on me, but when they get caught between my T-shirt collar and my neck, they get upset and commence biting; that's when I instinctively kill them. :(
 
I'm a vegetarian, so I usually don't kill stuff.

But there's like a brazillion bugs, so I don't feel bad about smushing all the ones I can.

Bugs are creepy. I'm a girl. Ew.
 
If you want to be more human about it spread out talc power around their nest they don't like the feel of it
 
mikeyredk said:
If you want to be more human about it spread out talc power around their nest they don't like the feel of it
Click to expand...

OOO! That reminds me, whatever you do, don't take a high-powered hose, spray it into the mound, and then pour soap on the mound. It doesn't work. It makes all the ants coem out and start biting you like there's no tomorrow. Then, they search for higher ground--the PORCH. They'll come inside the house.

I had to tuck my pants into my socks and wear gloves to finish eradicating them. I finally washed them all down the sidewalk to the street.

But for a while, it was like the ants were gonna win. You're bigger than they are!! YOU invented the automobile and lightbulb, NOT THE ANT! Humans ftw!
 
When I come inside from watering the yards, they'll still be crawling on me even then. I'll be writing on my PowerBook like I am now, and they'll be walking down my arms onto the palm rest and then start walking back and forth across the screen. I can't kill them while they're on the screen because it would leave a smudge; I have to wait until they get back on the palm rest or track pad before I kill them.
 
Whenever there's a spider or other bug in the office I take it upon myself to capture it and release it safely outside. I've even captured and set free wasps.
 
Iscariot said:
Whenever there's a spider or other bug in the office I take it upon myself to capture it and release it safely outside. I've even captured and set free wasps.
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I do the exact same thing whenever possible. I have this Skippy peanut butter jar that's short with a wide opening; perfect for rescuing bugs for the purpose of taking them outside and setting them free. I always feel good after rescuing a bug. :)
 
I'm a little bit (aka very) evil with bugs :eek:

I don't like killing them but at the same time I like my house bug free. Which is barring the summer tidal wave of (aka 6) spiders. I get out the bug spray, but if it's gone walkies then it's time to whip out the ol' contact lens cleaning solution, deoderant, hair gel/shampoo. yea. :eek: sorry bugs :eek:

Doesn't help that I'm godly scared of spiders still! Not too scared of bee's or wasps. At least not as much as Caroline - we were having lunch outside the town library once and a big mofo bee the size of my fist takes a fancy to her sandwich. Startled, she jumps back and smacks me in the face with her elbow knocking my dinner onto the ground! Yea. cheers for that bee.
 
I think ants are really in a different category from other animals, even other insects. An ant isn't an independent organism -- it's more like a blood cell in a human. The organism is the whole colony. Killing one ant is going to have absolutely no effect on the colony.

If you kill a spider, that's different -- the spider acts independently, while ants only act in service of the group.

That said, neither one of them has anything remotely approaching human "consciousness." I doubt they even feel pain. The reason you don't like killing them is because you assign human consciousness to them, not because they have it.
 
katie ta achoo said:
OOO! That reminds me, whatever you do, don't take a high-powered hose, spray it into the mound, and then pour soap on the mound. It doesn't work. It makes all the ants coem out and start biting you like there's no tomorrow. Then, they search for higher ground--the PORCH. They'll come inside the house.
Click to expand...

:D never!

katie ta achoo said:
I had to tuck my pants into my socks and wear gloves to finish eradicating them. I finally washed them all down the sidewalk to the street.
Click to expand...
Pics, or it never happened!

Of course now I realise you're talking about American "pants" not British "pants" - or that really would have been impressive :D :p
 
Only 14 posts before the thread turned to innuendo :D

I try not to kill bugs, but it's a bit unavoidable at times. Especially ones that insist on flying around in front of speeding vehicles.

BTW, MACDRIVE. That's a bit OCD on the hose front. Roll 'em up I say.
 
wordmunger said:
I think ants are really in a different category from other animals, even other insects. An ant isn't an independent organism -- it's more like a blood cell in a human. The organism is the whole colony. Killing one ant is going to have absolutely no effect on the colony.

If you kill a spider, that's different -- the spider acts independently, while ants only act in service of the group.

That said, neither one of them has anything remotely approaching human "consciousness." I doubt they even feel pain. The reason you don't like killing them is because you assign human consciousness to them, not because they have it.
Click to expand...

And that is why communism is so damn good !!
 
bartelby said:
I do my very best not to kill bugs.
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ditto. not always possible to do though.

they're a living organism, and while they might not have the consciousness that we do... that doesnt mean we should just kill them at will. they serve a purpose.
 
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