Death to the Fire Ants

This is actually OLD news, but I realized while sorting through some pictures that I never posted anything about my encounter with the fire ants last fall. John and I had done some landscaping, and I was measuring around our sidewalk for our solar lights. As I did some calculations in my head, I stepped back of the sidewalk to look at our landscaping. After a few seconds, I felt a sting. I looked down to find my entire foot was COVERED. I had stepped on a fire ant hill! I had on Crocs, so the little monsters had access to my foot (I suppose they thought I was the monster, but whatever). I immediately kicked my shoes off and ran into the house, slapping the ants off my feet. I headed toward the bathroom and stuck my feet in the tub, drowning them in cold water.

I ended up with quite a few stings (bites?) on my foot and ankle, as well as two on my pinkie finger from where I had slapped at the ants. I can't find the picture of my finger, but I'd rather not share it anyway. Let's just say I essentially had two thumbs on one hand, but only one was opposable.

I do, however, have the picture of my foot and ankle.

Mmm... hope you weren't eating. Anyway, it itched like nobody's business and I ended up scratching it so much that I think I'm going to have a scar.

Epilogue to this story? I had my revenge on the ants, 'cause unless they had an ark built inside that mound of dirt, they all went to a watery grave. Yeah, yeah, I know. They attacked because I stepped on them. But I wasn't leaving them there for one of the kids to step in.

I do plan on having my yard sprayed SPECIFICALLY for fire ants this year. This was a TERRIBLE experience.