[Tom W]

I hear people are so afraid of this they cover the drains in the house when they go away. I think it is bunk.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Tom W

I hear people are so afraid of this they cover the drains in the house when they go away. I think it is bunk.

Which is bunk? That bugs come up through the drain? Or that people are so afraid of it they cover the drains when they go away?

Here's some info for ya:

1. Bugs come up through the drain.
2. Some people really do cover their drains when they go away to prevent bugs from coming up through the drain.
3. Sometimes, small critters will find their way up the drain as well - frogs in particular.
4. Often, bugs will come in through open doors and spaces between screen windows and the windowsill, and use drains as their nesting location. They lay eggs under the flap of the kitchen sink drain and one day you'll notice upon rinsing the dishes that there are a dozen tiny little flies hopping around the sink. Congrats - you now have a household of adorable baby fruit flies.

It happens.

[Garywt]

Not sure what bunk is but…

I cover things when gone. After 6 months water in traps and toilets can evaporate so I add Plastic wrap over the toilets and tape the sinks and showers. If only going to be gone a few weeks to a month I don’t do any of it. Not sure why you might have an issue with it.

[Bjeanj]

You are quite welcome to not do it when you go away.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Tom W

I think it is bunk.

Aren't we lucky we have the ability for free thought, bunk or otherwise?

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Tom W

I hear people are so afraid of this they cover the drains in the house when they go away. I think it is bunk.

I have a second bathroom for guests that rarely gets used and I do find small bugs and spiders in that bathtub. I use boiling water to help them on their way and then I cover the drainage hole.

[Michael G.]

Anyone get those "ghost ants" in the house?
Any idea how to get rid of them?

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Anyone get those "ghost ants" in the house?
Any idea how to get rid of them?

Ghostbusters! (cue the theme song) Do a search. There's probably 50 topics about them!

[mtdjed]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Anyone get those "ghost ants" in the house?
Any idea how to get rid of them?

We get small ants periodically which Massey called Pharoah Ants. They usually follow a path to a food source. If you see one, there will be more. We use a product named Terro which you buy from Ace, Lowes etc for a few dollars. If you place a drop on a small piece of cardboard, you can attract more (Lots More). They feed off the drop and take some of food back home to feed the family. Don't stop them as they will become the missiles to destroy the nest.

This works inside and outside.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Tom W

I hear people are so afraid of this they cover the drains in the house when they go away. I think it is bunk.

Freedom of choice. All probably have something to use. All of your water drains have a trap to block sewer gas. You do not want it to evaporate. Cocker roaches are called water bugs in Florida. A rose by any other name would ......... Call them whatever you wish-they are great swimmers and do not care who owns the property. On top of that they are happy to work nights.

[retiredguy123]

The water in the trap will prevent most bugs from coming into the house. Sometimes, people will see the critters near the drain and will incorrectly assume that is where they entered. But, any bug or other critter will seek out water in a drain regardless of where they entered the house.

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

I have a second bathroom for guests that rarely gets used and I do find small bugs and spiders in that bathtub. I use boiling water to help them on their way and then I cover the drainage hole.

there are bugs in Florida

like you the tub in the second bathroom is only used when we have overnight guests, which due to covid has been few and far between

a few months back I went in to that bathroom at night, turned on the lights and there was a good size roach in the tub.....smacked that little critter and flushed him/her down the toilet

next night I went in again....found another and saw him run down the drain

poured boiling water down the drain and closed it, we haven't had any further roaches in the tub

I posted something about this a while back and a few 'contributors'' jumped all over me saying there's no way they could come up through the drain...there's traps, etc, etc.

well, they do, and they did

[Rose Ann Vinci Igoe]

Originally Posted by Tom W

I hear people are so afraid of this they cover the drains in the house when they go away. I think it is bunk.

it is real you are in Florida, lots of bugs, and let us not forget the toilets ... close the cover, it's been known that snakes, and other things that crawl /swim will come up through there too. My girlfriend got frogs, some got geckos, I've seen snakes... soooo

[Number 10 GI]

Some years back I remember seeing a news story about rats in New York City. Rats were everywhere. It showed a toilet bowl in this apartment and a rat that lived in the sewer system traveled up the toilet drain pipe and up through the toilet trap into the toilet bowl. The tenants of the apartment said it happened all the time. I shudder to think about setting on that toilet and feel a cold nose poking my posterior.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Rose Ann Vinci Igoe

it is real you are in Florida, lots of bugs, and let us not forget the toilets ... close the cover, it's been known that snakes, and other things that crawl /swim will come up through there too. My girlfriend got frogs, some got geckos, I've seen snakes... soooo

Was she at a campsite? We have never had anything in the toilet in TV. Once there was A cockroach 3 years ago on the shower floor. Hubby immediately had the carpets steamed, the bathrooms and kitchen scrubbed, and Lysoled all garbage cans. Nothing since.