ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9610010093
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NICK HARDER KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
WHO kills the bugs in your home? The man or woman of the house?
A survey by Orkin pest control found that most men and women responding to its nationwide survey - 60 percent - think killing bugs is everyone's job. For one-third of the men surveyed though, this is a man's job.
Most of us are afraid of at least one type of bug. Bees and wasps were at the top of that list, especially for men. Spiders, feared most by women, followed, along with ticks and roaches, according to the survey.
The most interesting insect? Butterflies.
A few other highlights from the survey:
Twenty percent of those surveyed, including more men than women, would rather release bugs to nature than kill them. Killing a bug at first sight is the most common reaction in the north central states but less likely in the West or Northeast.
As for the most embarrassing bug a guest could find in their homes? Cockroaches.
And the gross-out effect? Women were twice as likely to report this reaction to those dreaded bugs.
Respondents ages 18-24 are less likely to catch a bug and kill it than respondents older than 65.
More men than women said they would rather visit in-laws than touch a bug.
What the survey didn't address is our ongoing battle with ants. And it can involve more than the pests invading your home.
``Honey, you didn't clean your plate. You just put it on the counter for the ants, so you can clean up not only your plate, but the ants as well.''
``It's not my job in this house to clean plates or ants.''
Sound familiar? Life in your home doesn't have to turn into a battle. To help put a lid on the ant problem, keep plates, counters, sinks and pet eating areas extra clean.
Don't leave dishes caked with food in the sink. If ants have been invading your dishwasher, rinse items before putting them into the dishwasher. Also, rinse juice and sugary soda from glasses.
Dried juice on countertops is a prime ant attraction, and sometimes, you can't even see it. Lemonade is a prime culprit. To eliminate the problem, wash the counter with a mild cleanser rather than wiping with water only.
Ant traps can be useful, but make sure they're not in areas where pets might be attracted to them.
Garbage also attracts ants, so consider taking out the garbage more frequently.
Take a good look at where you store your garbage. Maybe the container needs a thorough cleaning.
Remember that equal time on the battle line against invading insects can play into your relationship at home.
Otherwise, as a consequence, you might have to visit your in-laws.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB