Ortho Home Defense Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer Pull-N-Spray

As a long-time resident of the South Florida area, I have long been aware that the almost year-round warmth and humidity of the region help create a very bug-friendly environment. I've had more than my share of "close encounters of the worst kind" with "no see 'ums," mosquitoes, fleas (when I've owned pets), fire ants, and various species of cockroaches. Yes, I know they are part of nature and that insects far outnumber humans (and will probably inherit the Earth if we are stupid enough to have a Third World War with nukes and other weapons of mass destruction), but I still have nightmares about being chased out of a pool at the age of nine by a palmetto bug the size of a Nimitz- class aircraft carrier....or the time a German cockroach crawled up my leg during my third period English class in ninth grade.

Until recently, we relied heavily on the services of a professional pest control guy named Armando, who had been coming to our humble Miami-area house every two months since 1988, but when he started living up to the old adage that familiarity breeds contempt and started showing up at whatever time he felt like rather than the time agreed upon, my mom decided to discontinue his services.

At first we considered hiring another professional pest control company (Sears, supposedly, has a good extermination service, while Truly Nolen and Orkin have good reputations), but after we saw a television commercial for the Ortho Home Defense Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer Pull-N-Spray, we decided to try doing the job ourselves. Not only would it be a bit more economical (at least that's what we hope), but we wouldn't have to worry about the "bug man" missing an appointed visit or showing up whenever he felt like it.