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I’ve got big problems in my yard. But forget the lightsaber—I’ve got an even better weapon. Ortho Bug B Gon.
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Some guys see their yard as a place to socialize. Some see it as a place to show off their perfectly manicured bushes and lawn. Others see their yard as a sports complex where they play catch, wiffle ball and football.
Me, I see it as a battlefield where an untold number of enemies wait to destroy me. Remember the big finale from the first Star Wars movie, when Luke Skywalker does a trench run? He’s trying to outrun and outmaneuver a bunch of tie fighters and Darth himself, all with the goal of sending a blast down the shaft to destroy the Death Star?
Then all of a sudden, Obi Wan Kenobi appears and tells Luke to use the Force. Luke was a good pilot and all, no doubt about that. But the thing is, Luke wouldn’t have been able to deal with his enemies and get the job done without some major help from the Force.
When it comes to dealing with all the bugs in my yard, sometimes I feel like Luke Skywalker battling an army of Storm-Troopers.
How big a problem have bugs been in my life? Pull up a tree stump and I’ll tell you some stories.
Wasps
I’ve always had a phobia about wasps. When I was a kid, I was playing at my cousin’s house and a wasp flew out of a clothesline pole and stung me. That made an impression on me, and it wasn’t a positive one.
A couple of summers ago I was mowing the lawn and noticed a wasp coming out of a loose piece of wood molding near our front door. I thought that was curious, so I waited until the wasp went back into hiding, then sprayed it with insecticide. A few seconds later, dozens of wasps starting pouring out. And boy, were they angry at me.
Fleas
Then there was the time our dog got into a patch of fleas in the back yard. She was an indoor dog—and promptly invited all of her newfound flea friends back inside with her. The happy fleas then decided to play with our cat. The next thing I knew, fleas were jumping out the carpet. And I was playing Whack-a-Flea.
Ants
Although I will reiterate that I don’t like bugs, I admit that I’m kind of fascinated with ants. Many times, when I’m working outside, I’ve noticed how they will form a straight line that can go for dozens of feet around the house. But somehow, that line always heads for the kitchen. That’s when the ants become a nuisance faster than you can say “Paul Rudd” (that’s a reference for all the Marvel fans out there).
Spiders
Spiders are the worst. As a Missouri resident, I have the privilege of regular encounters with brown recluse spiders. Not only are they scary, fast-moving and potentially poisonous—they’re also flat-out creepy, with their spindly brown legs and fiddle marking. I keep a small stash of lumber in my garage, and occasionally I’ll run into one of these little brown demons. Last summer, I was working on a small building project and grabbed a half-sheet of plywood. A brown recluse was an inch away from my hand. I screamed like a little girl, and no, I’m not ashamed to admit that.
Enter the Hero: Ortho
As you can see, my problem with bugs appears larger than life. Luckily, there is a simple, down-to-earth solution.
The answer: use the force. But it’s not the fictional Force of Star Wars, it’s the force of Ortho Bug B Gon. This is a problem you cannot handle on your own—you gotta call in reinforcements. And thankfully, the awesome folks at Ortho have saved the day.
I’ve learned the hard way—never underestimate the little critters. They can make your life miserable through bites, stings, home invasion, and generally being a nuisance. Protecting your home turf is especially critical if you have kids.
Bug B Gon is guaranteed to rid your yard of over 100 types of listed insects and keep them away for up to 3 months. That’s pretty amazing! And it’s so simple to use. One 10 pound bag will cover 10,000 square feet. So I can apply it once, and have peace of mind for the rest of the summer.
On my list of most hated bugs, Bug B Gon works for the ants, the fleas and the spiders. As for the flying insects—well, Ortho has a solution for that too: Home Defense MAX Insect Killer. And while I’m out protecting my turf, I can also make my lawn look great by keeping weeds out with Weed B Gon.
Big problems require big solutions. Bug B Gon was mine.
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All photos courtesy of author.