Tonight we're watching K Street (holy cow, what a show) and noticed our Macaw
was acting weird. I looked around and for the first time in ten years, living
in Texas, we had fire ants walking in near the fire place. I got so flustered I
immediately got the vacuum out and my husband found how they were getting in,
but they were up on our birds gym area. They were taking the food and making
their way up to her. Either she was bitten, or was acting strange because they
were there, we don't know. She showed no swelling and I always groom the
feather sheaths on her head so she lets me examine her under the magnifying
light.

Anyway, that's my fire ant story. They are the only insect I cannot tolerate in
or out. They are very bad, I'm allergic to them. Needless to say, there is a
bead of boric acid around the patio up near the rock on the house and I used a
relatively new product which uses a powerful mint concoction, but is organically
okay. Tomorrow I'll buy some bait and that will be that.

I did want to warn people about Amdro. They used to sell a toxic bait, but now
they are selling something else, still calling it Amdro, but I believe it is not
what you buy in those pound containers for 9 dollars. This new Amdro has a neuro
toxin, or some type organophosphate, not good.

If you want to be as toxic free (to the environment) as possible, labels must be
read. The pesticide industry is never to be trusted.
And I mean NEVER. Not the organic products, nothing should be assumed. They
sell pyrethrum, but if there is PBO (pipernol butoxide) in it, it's a relatively
dangerous synergist...the beat goes on.

Victoria