Monday, June 18, 2007

Newest Members of the Buckland Family

First off, let me settle any hysteria by saying that I am NOT pregnant again. And no, we didn't pick up any stray dogs...or cats...or bunnies. Or any other conventional pet for that matter. About a week ago, I noticed these very tiny, almost microscopic gray-brown bugs crawling around in my sink. Several of them. They're about the size of a grain of sand. I cleaned out the sink with bleach, washed them down the drain...and they were back the next morning. I started to freak out, but, as always, thanks to Google, I am now an expert...on Springtails. Apparently, they're quite common, especially in warm, humid areas. They are about the same size as a flea, and they jump when you try to touch them. So far, they just seem to like my sink. I've also read that it's probably the drought that has forced them to come inside. They like wet places. I've cleaned my sink out several times, and they just keep coming back. They're either coming up through the drain or the window sill. They carry no diseases, don't bite, and pose no threats to humans whatsoever. They're just taking up residence in my sink. The bug man is coming on Friday, so hopefully he'll have an answer for my growing Springtail colony. But for now, I am kind of getting used to them. I think of it as a sink full of free sea monkeys. I'm in the process of naming them one by one. They're not bothering any other area of the house. Hopefully it will stay that way. I've never even heard of these bugs before now. Anyone else ever had this problem? If so, please contact me for all your Springtail questions and concerns. I'll be here all week. Seriously. Then I'll be going to the beach. For more Springtail info, this is probably the most detailed site there is on the subject.