Bug Party At Mine
It all started with one bug bite. We were all none the wiser that this would spawn into a full out invasion of our home. I wish I was talking about regular bugs, like cockroaches, spiders or beetles (heck I think I’d even prefer termites). The bug that has decided to invade our home is almost invisible to the naked eye. Except for the red marks my whole family is suddenly waking up with, we’d have no idea they even existed. They’re tiny red or brown specks which can be mistaken for a freckle, not harmful enough to be called a parasite but stubborn enough to cause unfathomable discomfort. Referred to as a Berry Mite, they’ve been the bane of our existence for 4 days. Don’t ask me about the genesis, but apparently they live on birds. And no I haven’t been living out any Disney Princess fantasies and frolicking with the wild bird population, so that’s not how we got here. Now, I’m paranoid and critical of every dot on my body and checking my baby over non-stop. Freckles that I didn’t know existed are suddenly scrutinised and scanned.
The regular bugs are manageable. They just require a bit of courage and maybe a shoe. These bugs are so tiny and persistent that we’ve had to call the big guns. The Pest Controllers have been called and commissioned.
It escalated so quickly. I have no idea how we got entangled with them, especially in the midst of this dreadful heatwave in Sydney (maybe it contributed?). Why is it that seeing bugs makes you question everything? Is my house dirty? Is this an omen? Have I been living in denial, thinking we have control, and actually this is a bugs world; we just live here? Will I have to cohabitate with these little dots who secrete enzymes on my flesh forever?
We deep clean twice a month, vacuum on the weekly and wipe on the daily. Rubbish is taken out every day. So what’s the dealio!? The worst part? Not knowing where they are and not being able to avoid them. It makes your skin crawl being so on guard. The hair on my forearms have been standing on end for the last 4 days we’ve had this microscopic but very major problem. Suddenly, the whole house feels tainted. Every speck, every shadow in my peripheral vision is suspect.
I don’t know what it is about bugs, but they have an uncanny ability to make you feel completely uneasy. I can handle traffic jams, public speaking, and awkward small talk—but bugs? They reduce me to a jumpy, unsettled mess.
In an attempt to reclaim our home in the first few days, we armed ourselves with insect repellents, cleaning products and a whole lotta hope. I’ve been fleeting around like a deranged warrior with a vacuum in one hand and a spray bottle in the other, washing clothes and bedsheets on the daily to no avail.
After a few days of intense cleaning and side-eying every surface, I fell asleep each day feeling victorious. Was it over? The next day we’d wake up with fresh red marks, so no. That’s when we called the Professionals. Through this, I learned something:
Bugs are like life’s little reminder that we aren’t really in control.
We can have the cleanest houses, the most organised to-do lists, and yet… a little pest will sneak in and humble us. Maybe it’s a literal bug. Maybe it’s a metaphorical one. Either way, we have two choices:
Move out and live in denial forever.
Clean up, take a deep breath, and keep going.
So here I am, post treatment in my supposedly bug-free home, a little shaken but a lot wiser. The house feels clean, and I feel grounded again—until I spot a suspicious speck on my arm.
If you need me, I’ll be sleeping with one eye open and researching “best pest controller Sydney” like it’s my full-time job.
