Bugs, bugs, bugs – did I mention BUGS?

A reader describes distress about recurring insects at home and an increasing amount of checking before sleep.

This is a reader’s personal account, edited for readability. Ages and circumstances refer to the time of submission. It is not a clinical assessment.

A reader’s account

Hello! I live in the country. A few years ago I noticed something on the rug… only because I had to make sure there were no bugs in my room before going to sleep. Well.. this bug was on the rug and I went to smash it and it moved. I thought I was seeing things. I did it again and it jumped. No… it’s not a flea, thank GOD but it was a springtail! Not sure if anyone has ever heard of these creepy things. They are very tiny and people can’t believe that I see them.

Now, I look for them ALL the time. The first year I saw them, they were EVERYWHERE! Everywhere I looked, there they were! Apparently they are soil bugs. We live on a farm, right there in the middle of two cornfields. Well.. no wonder we have these little pests!

Another reason I found out WHY we got these was because we bought about 10 bags of mulch from Walmart! These bugs were in every bag! I only know this because I put the dirt in my house plants and after reading on the computer about these bugs found out that they love dirt and houseplants! I took the one plant outside and put water in it and lo and behold.. bugs came out.

Now we have these things every year. Every yr around spring time they are here and they are in my house until August! I don’t know what to do about them.

I really don’t care if they are on the walls or sink or wherever BUT PLEASE NOT ON MY BED AND PILLOW!

When I saw a few on my bed and blankets and gee whiz.. my pillow.. I could have had a STROKE! Now I worry myself to death hoping and praying they are not on me while I’m sleeping. OR crawling in my ears or in my mouth. I am in total torment each and every year now.

Now last night I saw a Larder beetle. Well apparently these are beetles that like grain and corn and pet food. We live near a corn silo. Are you kidding me? I think we should move.

And the room where I found this my husband has his deer mounts which they also love to feed upon. I checked the mounts and did not see any but I am so stressed out about this. Now this is something else to freak out about.

I just want to live insect free. I did read something today that brings me hope. I was hoping to find an approach that would keep the bugs away.

We do usually get the exterminator every year and that keeps some of the bugs at bay but eventually they come back.

This is so upsetting to me. No one understands the torment all this inflicts upon me every year. I dread the spring and summer because that’s when all these nuisances come back.

I should be able to enjoy the nice weather and lay my head down and sleep at night but I just can’t!