There are *ants* in my cocoa.

[Randolf]

This might seem a bit random, but it's happened twice now and I'm starting to have my suspicions.

Okay, so there're ants in my cocoa. They're all dead-- either were already dead inside the pack of instant cocoa I opened, or died horribly in the microwave. Either way, my cup of instant hot chocolate has dead ants floating in it. Which, alas, I did not notice until I took a big mouthful-- just as I was going to swallow, I felt something weird on my tongue. I moved it around a bit and with some finesse, spit it out. It's a dead ant. A big one. So, I spit out the rest and there's like half a dozen or so in it, plus plenty more in the portion I didn't drink.

Now, I'm gonna throw out this whole damn mug of crappy-tasting discount store instant cocoa, go haul my weary arthritic ass out of my comfy chair to the kitchen and fix myself another one, this time using a different method and a totally different brand of instant cocoa that doesn't fall out of the pack like a sun-dried mud brick. And I'm totally picking it apart for ants first either way.

I guess it's time to start investing in the good cocoa.

[R. Daniel 01]

Yeah they must've gotten into the mix from before. There's no way they can smell it from outside the sealed pack, and no reason they wouldn't be able to walk out of the pack after chewing their way in. Also you'd probably know if you had an infestation, considering that you must spend much of your time at home. Shitty, shitty brand!

I'm partial to Swiss Miss, myself. Variety pack. Keeps it interesting.

[The Final Negotiator]

Yeah they must've gotten into the mix from before. There's no way they can smell it from outside the sealed pack, and no reason they wouldn't be able to walk out of the pack after chewing their way in. Also you'd probably know if you had an infestation, considering that you must spend much of your time at home. Shitty, shitty brand!

I'm partial to Swiss Miss, myself. Variety pack. Keeps it interesting.

I buy generic & Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix, but I once bought the cheap stuff from my favorite dollar store. I didn't find any ants in the packets, but now glad I don't buy them anymore. I once returned soda (a name brand, too) that had a potato bug-type insect floating just under the bottle cap. I've also had stuff fly into my drink and die, and that sucks, since I still have to pour it out and get another.

It probably doesn't have to do with plant cleanliness, as much they handle/prevent an insect infestations. Cleanliness is part of it, but I once killed a line of ants walking across my clean kitchen floor, so maybe they don't inspect plants/equipment enough. Yuck, I probably wouldn't buy tea from them either...

[Sharpshooter005]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7k-KjE8wI

[The Final Negotiator]

OK, so now we're well into winter. Why am I still finding Asian stink bugs in my house?!? In the summer, with so many of them outside, I would expect the occasional one inside every couple days, and sometimes we've found three inside in a summertime day. However, now it's winter, but I'm still seeing 1 or 2 bugs every few days. On the bathroom ceiling, on the walls, on the window sills, strolling across the kitchen floor, and even a couple in the cat's water dish. Our cat has become an excellent spotter, too, since every bug he finds nets him treats (otherwise he might want to eat the bug). At this rate, I hope and pray one doesn't get into my morning cup of Joe...

UPDATE 12/30/2010: Found one more on my work shoes this morning, in the laundry, next to the cat's food dish. A big one, too. Fortunately, our laundry has a toilet in it, so that's where it went. Ba-woosh! Honestly, will it ever end?

UPDATE 12/31/2010: After I left for work yesterday, my wife found two live ones, and one dead one. last night around 10, my wife found a live one upstairs, and later around 11, I found two live ones. This morning she found one more dead one on the laundry floor, and I found a dead one on the laundry window sill. So that's a total of 9 since yesterday. What the hell?!? I hope our sewage bill isn't alot from flushing them...

[EyeOfPain]

I don't know if I could stand it if there were bugs all over my apartment. I know it might be a bit difficult for Randolf, but have you considered fumigating, Final?