Saturday, September 20, 2014

Attack of the faux-squitoes

I was alarmed the first night at Bluewater Lake when it looked like swarms of mosquitoes had invaded my van. It turned out they were a harmless insect that only looked a lot like mosquitoes. But even though they didn't bite, they were annoying, flying around my eyes and nose. They also coated the ceiling of the Rolling Steel Tent, attracted by the light from my laptop.

I'd spray insecticide and hundreds would fall to the floor, only to be replaced by hundreds more. I closed the doors and windows, but it got stuffy.

Well, if they're attracted to light, I reasoned, I'll put one of my battery powered touch lights over on the dash, out of my way. Let them do their buggy thing over there instead of in my face. That worked. But when I'd turn the light off to go to sleep, the bugs were still in the van.

"What if you put the light outside?" suggested Lesa.

"Good idea! I could put it on the roof where the light can't shine into the van, and just keep it on all night."

And so I did. And so it worked. Another victory for the large human brain.

1 comment: