Expat Community > Philippines

danielbaxter
Joined 2013
Posts: 49

Bugs

7 years ago

Great article received from MindanaoBob re bugs. today. Always enjoy his site.

Ants.
Perhaps my worse nemesis. Especially the damned fire ants. One bite and the burn seems to last FOREVER! And there's never just one!
Be careful where you sit, and be careful where you set up your tent! Last May I was beach camping with my mountaineering club in Zambales. I set up our tent near every one elses - on compact moist sand shaded under some trees. You know those little holes in the sand about a cm in diameter? Well they're NOT crab holes all the time! Hiding all day the hordes of red ants come out at night, and my wife can attest that they get REALLY pissed if you set up camp atop their colony!

Bees
In 31 years I've never had a problem with them in the Philippines. Then last June (on another Zambales hike) there was a wasp nest in the ground and the club walked right over it. One person was stung - Me! Through my T shirt on my belly. The burning lasted over a half hour, but more importantly it made me feel dizzy, and I couldn't focus my eyes to ground level, so it was hard walking. And I could hear my heart beat. 15 minutes of misery

Spiders.
They can be HUGE in the Philippines! Well, more the length of the legs. The bodies seem to always be small, at least compared to the tarantulas and black widows we have in California.
In Bicol there is one type that seems to like to build webs in guest bedrooms. Always a conversation piece for friends visting from the States.
Yet I never really hear about people in the Philippines being hurt by spiders. Perhaps there really aren't a lot of poisonous ones here? I don't know.

Roaches
Yeah, get used to them. In America they signify a dirty household, but here its just a fact of life. They FLY here after all, so what can you do? And they're HUGE! Also good for freaking out visitors from the States.
At our Metro Manila townhouse I am bothered by the mess they make (and that subtle odor) in those kitchen cabinets under the sinks, You know, the ones you DONT really store stuff in because of the roaches? All those little gaps around the pipes etc make it impossible to keep them out. It the past year I have been bringing roach poison when I return from the states. Little viscous bottles and you shoot a squirt in corners here and there. It really works wonders! Although for a day or two you have to sweep up those carcasses you find all over the place.
Mosquitos
Yeah, the REALLY lethal little bugs. I don't now why, but it seems in the past couple of years I haven't found them to be a problem, either in Bicol or Metro Manila. I don't know why.
I DO bring a spray bottle of permethrin (bought at REI) every time I return from the states. Spray your clothes and good for 10-20 washes. I also eat A LOT of raw garlic! More breakfasts than not I mince up a clove or two and add it to my morning eggs and fried rice. Even if the family has garlic already cooked into the meal. I also nibble at raw cloves that I carry all day in a pocket. Read about this in many places and don't know the scientific validity of it, but I swear by it. And so far the wife has yet to complain of any garlic odor eminating from my skin!
So thats all I have for bugs. Someday ask me about snakes.....I've had some very interesting encounters over the years with those babies!

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