Offender #1: Drosophila melanogaster, A.K.A the common fruit fly.
There are TONS of fruit flies here. You can't leave anything out on the counter for more than a minute before it is absolutely covered with fruit flies, and when I say anything, I mean anything. These fruit flies are not picky. Our trash can has a lid, and every time you lift it to throw something away, a swarm of fruit flies escape. My worst experience with fruit flies involves half a banana left over from Alec's breakfast. I was pretty surprised that it appeared to be untouched when I came across it at lunch time, so I thought I would eat the banana as I decided what else I wanted to eat. As I pulled back the peel hundreds of little gnats flew out at me. Needless to say I lost my appetite.
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| The grand total is well over 40. |
"The chemical DEET repels some mosquitoes and other insects."
Notice the word "some"
Enough said.
Warning!!!
The following entry may be too disturbing for some of readers. Do not proceed if you have any insect-related phobias.
Offender #3: Blattella asahinai A.K.A. The Asian Cockroach.
I should explain that I had never seen a cockroach until I moved to Taiwan. The first week we were here, I remained oblivious to their existence, but then one fateful night I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water; I switched on the light and a two inch long cockroach ran across the counter behind the dish drainer and out of sight. I was so shocked and let's be honest freaked out that I couldn't bring myself to go back in the kitchen until the next morning when it was light outside.
My second encounter with a cockroach went a little better. I attentively watched where the pest disappeared to, and very bravely and calmly remained in the kitchen, my eye fixed on the stack of bowls the roach chose as its lair, and called to Nick to come get it. Nick comes in, grabs a fork from the sink and claimed his first victim...my hero!
A few similar experiences have since ensued, but the most recent one has the most-unlikely of victors. I awake to the sound of Alec's whining, but turn over hoping he will fall back asleep until I hear a large thud followed by a loud cry. Alec had rolled off his mattress onto the floor, so I too roll out of bed and go to grab him for a late night nursing session. He's still pretty sleepy, and so his body's pretty floppy. I grab him at the waist and gently lift. First his feet follow, than his head only to reveal a thumb-sized, reddish-brown pest lying flat on it's back, it's legs still slightly twitching and it's entrails oozing from one end. I quickly scoop Alec up and dash to the perceived safety of the bed, clamoring to get both feet up and out of the insects cootie range. I rouse Nick, and ask him to make sure that the beast has truly been defeated. He slips out of bed, grabs a pair of chopsticks, stabs the roach, picks him up and throws him in the trash. Just like that.
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