"R" Value of Desiccated Mosquito Corpses

[Madelaine McMasters]

Hi, Kids!!!

A few days ago, I painted the stairwell that goes from my basement to my garage with stinky basement waterproofing paint. I went to bed happy with the results, but awoke to discover that about a kabillion mosquitoes apparently found the odor to be either an aphrodisiac or the equivalent of that smell that makes me hungry whenever I ride my bicycle downwind of a chinese restaurant. Now my pristine basement wall is covered with crispy li'l corpses, all firmly stuck in the paint, some of them in compromising positions.

This wall sweats in the summertime because the below-grade wall is cooler than the dew point on hot muggy days. I had thought about insulating it to minimize the condensation, but I ultimately decided to just paint it. Now I'm wondering if I might be able to use the bug bodies as insulation!

I've Googled things like...

insect insulation
mosquito R value
Michelle Pfeiffer (images)
accidental paint additives

...and found nothing helpful.

I'd have asked this question here earlier in the week, but I recall that Friday was the best time to get cogent, helpful answers. So, what do you think? Do I scrub the wall clean before applying the finish coat, or do I paint right over them? I'll check back for answers after I've finished sorting my Pfeiffer image collection into decades.

Thanks in advance!!!

Maddy

 

 

[Celestiall Nightfire]

Paint over them.  Won't hurt, and who knows...it could help. 

[Perrie Juran]

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

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If the narrator of that video is one of the skeeters stuck in my paint, I'm gonna smoosh him before I paint over him, just to make sure he's dead.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Celestiall Nightfire wrote:

Paint over them.  Won't hurt, and who knows...it

could

help. 

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...marks Celestiall down for "Paint Over". I must say I like this solution, as it involves less work. Years from now, archaeologists might find my wall and declare it Pompeii II!

[Perrie Juran]

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

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If that thing is stuck in my paint, I'm gonna need your help.

 

 

[Amethyst Jetaime]

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

[Kenbro Utu]

I would paint over with a clear coat and call it Art Nouveau.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Kenbro Utu wrote:

I would paint over with a clear coat and call it Art Nouveau.

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Who gets credit as "Artist", me or the bugs?

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

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Ooooh, I love leaving warnings.

[Kenbro Utu]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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Kenbro Utu wrote:

I would paint over with a clear coat and call it Art Nouveau.

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Who gets credit as "Artist", me or the bugs?

---

It's a collaboration, obviously...

[Dresden Ceriano]

Paint over them... somehow, the thought of you having corpses in your basement just seems rather appropriate.

...Dres (Either that or scrape them off and fix them for breakfast.)

[Dillon Levenque]

I think you could combine a couple of ideas already presented. Could you possibly touch it up with some sooty spots, giving the appearance that the carnage may have been the result of some fiery holocaust? After that definitely the clear coat. You'd have created an art object, left a dire warning, and even left little hints about your personality.

You did get the one with her stretched out on the piano, I hope?

[Trinity Yazimoto]

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

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 LMAO !!! i vote for this proposition ! With one stone you make 2 shots, insulation and warning ! You couldnt expect better ! :smileyvery-happy:

 

 

 

[Teagan Tobias]

I would say paint over them. This could be a never ending story. Paint over them, more get caught in the fresh paint, paint over them, more get caught in the fresh paint...

[Perrie Juran]

 

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

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But what if one of those skeeters had bit her? 

Would we wish Maddy on a future generation?

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Teagan Tobias wrote:

I would say paint over them. This could be a never ending story. Paint over them, more get caught in the fresh paint, paint over them, more get caught in the fresh paint...

---

Okay, I guess I'll need more paint! The story has to end sometime though, the stairwell is only three feet wide. I'm small, but eventually it'll be too narrow to use.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Dresden Ceriano wrote:

Paint over them... somehow, the thought of you having corpses in your basement just seems rather appropriate.

...Dres (Either that or scrape them off and fix them for breakfast.)

---

There are lots of corpses on the floor the bottom of the stairwell, some of them from worms! Until I get around to painting the floor, I can use those for breakfast. Thanks for the idea, Dres!

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Dillon Levenque wrote:

I think you could combine a couple of ideas already presented. Could you possibly touch it up with some sooty spots, giving the appearance that the carnage may have been the result of some fiery holocaust? After that definitely the clear coat. You'd have created an art object, left a dire warning, and even left little hints about your personality.

You did get the one with her stretched out on the piano, I hope?

---

Oooh, I do like your mash-up of ideas.

Do you mean this picture?...

Do you think Mr. Bridges maybe just got bit by a Mosquito? I don't think I'd have noticed under the circumstances.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Kenbro Utu wrote:

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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Kenbro Utu wrote:

I would paint over with a clear coat and call it Art Nouveau.

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Who gets credit as "Artist", me or the bugs?

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It's a collaboration, obviously...

---

Grrr, I hate sharing credit, though the value of artwork does often increases after the death of the artist(s). Maybe I'll give them all the credit and take all the profit!

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Trinity Yazimoto wrote:

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

---

 LMAO !!! i vote for this proposition ! With one stone you make 2 shots, insulation and warning ! You couldnt expect better ! :smileyvery-happy:

---

Now I'm tempted to paint over the neighbor kid.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

 

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

---

But what if one of those skeeters had bit her? 

 

 

Would we wish Maddy on a future generation?

---

Ahem, I've got just enough paint left to cover a Martian.

[Perrie Juran]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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Perrie Juran wrote:

 

 

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

---

But what if one of those skeeters had bit her? 

 

 

Would we wish Maddy on a future generation?

---

Ahem, I've got just enough paint left to cover a Martian.

---

Are you sure about that?

I thought I saw Snugs sneaking off with the paint can. 

[Snugs McMasters]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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Perrie Juran wrote:

 

 

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Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

I'd paint over it, thus incasing the little critters for eternity in their positions.  Not only might it provide insulatoin value, but it may serve as a warning to other mosiquitoes who venture in that their kind is not tolerated there and they'll turn tail and run.

 

---

But what if one of those skeeters had bit her? 

 

 

Would we wish Maddy on a future generation?

---

Ahem, I've got just enough paint left to cover a Martian.

---

Are you sure about that?

I thought I saw Snugs sneaking off with the paint can. 

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I've got the can in my left hand, she's got the brush in her right. There's only so much I can do to protect you, Perrie.