Share? Tarantulas, scorpions and flying termites? No. I do not care to share.

Thank you, Sherri, for helping to feel a bit more content here in the cold Midwest. I guess it's not ALL paradise there!!

Seriously, I have not encountered any of these lovely creatures. Just noseeums and iguanas. However, those that occupy villas in lesser populated areas have mentioned both scorpions and taratulas many times. Not heard mentioned of flying termites, though.

Hate those flying termites !!!!!!!!!!

As Sherri said, just turn off all lights, and the TV ,and go to bed early 🙂 all will be well by morning as they only live a very short time (ie: dead by morning, thank goodness 🙂 )

Only happens after alot of rain and it dosen't always happen - only happened at our home 3 times in the last year so don't be too worried but it's good to know what to do. And as far as the other things (not going to say what as it will jinx me for sure) I have yet to see any 🙂

Pia

To get rid of ants my husband makes a great concoction that works like a charm!

Mix together: Jelly, peanut butter, Cat food and Boric Acid

Roll it into a ball about the size of a pea and put it where the ants tend to walk or near the entrance to their "home". They LOVE this stuff and will carry it back to their nest and feed it to their Queen, and VOILA! Ants are gone!

I swear by this stuff!

Sherri, I can't wait to get to St. Thomas on the 19th and see all the little creatures you wrote about. Here in Illinois, we have pests that bother us in the summers but when the days get cooler they disappear until the next spring. I'm curious, have you finished the work on Stone Cottage, i.e., new tile, etc? See you in 17 days.

Thanx for the tip, we will be sure to try it! I knew Boric Acid worked for Cock Roaches which I failed to mention in my little report, but didn't know it worked for ants! Am trying Terro at the current moment!

Pia is right, flying termites do not happen often, BUT the truth is most people who frequent the islands are not aware of them, this is why I wanted to write about them! I had promised my guests that they would be only temporary for that night and that they wouldn't see them again, they left the villa anyway. 15 yrs renting that villa with a perfect track record, never an unhappy guest! Pretty Good, but sad to loose them for something that we have no control over!

Hi Che'!
Yes, we re-tiled Stone Cottage, put in the new kitchen cabinets and also re did the shower! Looks Great and now need to have another photo shoot for all to see! Looking forward to meeting you, not long now!!!!! 🙂

Wow, this is spooky. Scorpions, Jack Spaniel Wasp, Centipedes, TARANTULAS, Flying termites, and (whatever this is)-Noseems!!!

What color are the scorpions, centipedes? From what I read on an earlier post on a different topic, someone made the flying termites appear to look like cockroaches? Do these creatures enter some condos, or is it just the villas?
Thanks

Hope no one think I was being sarcastic about my above post.

I was born and raised in Southern California so I really don't know of the things mentioned above.

Thanks

Anjell, probably less in the condos since they have less windows and doors - but you still may encounter something. Depends on which condo and how well it is sealed.

Sherri - dare I ask what brought this on? Did you have a guest who thought that your villas were vacuum or hermetically sealed so that not one bug could get in? Weren't you going to make up some little "if you see an ant - here is what to do" cards for your guests? LOL The people who complain that they didn't know about bugs in the VI are on my same list as the people who complain that they didn't know that there are so many black people in the VI. Yes, I have heard that people have complained about both - seriously. These must be the same people who arrive and ask you how you handle all the St Thomas the hills in the "winter". LOL - Ok, I'll stop. (wiping tears of laughter from my eyes) - Not that people should LOVE the bugs - some people are afraid and that has ot be respected and considered...but to not KNOW that you may encounter bugs in the tropics...well....

Yes, I have seen most of what you have mentioned. My son found a scorpion in the shower of the last villa - alive and snapping his claws. Unfortunately, he met a death that I don't wish on anyone - suffocation by being buried alive under a pile of shampoo. Yes, it would have been nice to just scoop him up and put him outside. I didn't know about him until after he had been Pantene-ized- poor thing.

I didn't meet the flying cockroaches (palmettos) on this recent visit - but have in other villas. The centipedes are always around at villas - outside the door, usually. They look like huge dark-black worms.

I have never stayed in a villa that I considered to have a bug problem. Just an ordinary level of "guests". The lizards are always around. I like them.

Of course, there was one villa where I was walking in the dark and something jumped onto my shoulder - something heavy enough to have me feel it land and it felt a little heavy. My instinct was to jump and flick it with my hand, which knocked it off and I heard it hit the floor. I never did find what it was. I am guessing it was a very small lizard that jumped off of the wall - at least, that is what I WANT to believe. That still creeps me out to think about. I was alone in that villa with my daughter and that was in the middle of the night- so that was NOT funny! I think I slept with the lights on that night.

If you experience a swarm, Yes, turn out the light and turn on the fans or AC. Light a citronella candle and open a bottle of something that TomB recommends (see the Thanksgiving thread for advice from our resident sommelier)- and have a romantic evening. The bugs will be gone in the morning.

Thanks Bluwater for your response. However, you didn't mention what color the scorpions are. I am hoping these are not the big black ones that are found in Italy. By the way, I know you are probably cracking up on this one, but what is a Noseem? LOL.

I also hear in Belize, there are monkeys that likes to jump on people's heads - I can't verify this. But, in Puerto Rico, San Juan Condado, I don't remember seeing anything.

I do understand that in tropical places there are things that people from the states-big cities don't see. But Yes!!! I am horrified of bugs.

OK Anjell, You got me - Noseeums! lol Which took up a nice little thread of its own.
Bluwater- yes, what brought this on......guests leaving due to the flying termites getting into the villa plus simply wanting people who come to the islands to realize some of those wonderful critters we have! McLaughlin Anderson has lost a few rentals due to those flying termites (not flying cockroaches) and even Nancy feels that she is going to have to address this issue in her literature! Many villas and locals, plus myself, experienced the flying termites on the night I am referring to, you came down right after that Blu and I remember talking to you about it!!! When a guests leaves for a reason such as this the question is do you refund their money? Not my decision to make, but McLaughlin Anderson's. Just think if all of our guests left their villas. Quite a few guests called about them, but only ours actually left, tho I know of other villas that lost rentals from a different swarm. People need to know, don't you all think?
Those huge dark black worms you are referring to are not centipedes, but Milli-pedes! They hang out on trees, on houses, in your laundry drying outside 🙁 , they move very slow and are stinky, but are really not a problem. Centipedes on the other hand move fast, are segmented and flat with not as many legs as a Milli-pede, but still alot! They have 2 pincher's on the front of them and hurt!!!!! Not sure on exactly how dangerous they can be, but I know I do not want to mess with them!!!! They hide under wood piles, under rocks, etc., much the same as a Scorpion does!!!!!! I am not trying to scare anyone, just want you to know that they exist and that they CAN get into a villa!
Love your story about your son finding a scorpion in the shower, I seem to find them in the shower alot too! And yes, I would have done what your son did!!! Go Dude!!! lol I saved my first scorpion that got me.....he fought the battle, but I won the war!!!! 🙂 Put him in a little bottle with rubbing alcohol and took him up to show my family!!! Call me demented!!! 🙂 Finally threw him away when I moved to the shack! Scorpions here, are light in color here, whitish to grayish, I have seen some a little darker, but nothing like the ones you are referring to Anjell. They are approx. 1 to 1 1/2 inches long at best or smaller if younger.
I have an excellent picture of a centipede which I will send to Blu if you would be willing to post it and will get a picture of a Scorpion as soon as I can! Not sure why I hadn't done that alooong time ago, I sure have had the opportunities!
I don't know of any villas with bug problems either, just that occasional straggler coming thru! My little place on the other hand is a wood structure which makes us more susceptible to the out of doors critters! I have caulked high and low, but there is no way you can seal all of those cracks!!!!! 🙂

Hi Anjell

Noseeums are little things you cant see (hence the name) and will bite and make you itch like crazy. Just use your bug spray and you will be fine. They come out late afternoon - 4pm is when they start on me - and they tend to be on the beaches so that's the perfect time to leave the beach and head to Woody's happy hour 🙂

Can't help on the scorpions as I've never seen one, so don't panic as the chances are, you won't either.

Pia

Anjell,

The scorpion my son found in the shower was covered in shampoo when I saw him...but he looked like he might have been grayish - kind of clear looking. He also has a nice sheen and smelled very fresh - LOL. He was small - maybe 2 inches...nothing like what you see on TV. He really didn't look scary - I wish we would have put him outside. My city-raised children have no compassion for creatures.

You are likely to experience the no-seeums on the beach if you stay out later - as Pia said. You'll start to feel stings or itchy. Don't try to deal with it - the bite stings will intensify - worse than mosquitoes. I like Pia's idea of letting that be your signal for happy hour!

Sherri, I remember the flight of the guests over the swarm. I wondered if it had happened again. I know such things are very rare. I agree about warning everyone and telling them how to handle it (lights out). If anyone has ever read "Desiring Paradise" about the couple of relocated to St John, they talk about it in that book and how they handled it - Lights Out! My friend is an avid traveler to tropical locations and she said that it is worse in Mexico. She also says the reason it happens is that the heavy rains wash the bugs form their nesting places in the mountains - so, after the rain, they all fly back up to try to get home...and if your villa is in their path, they just fly right through...plus, they are attracted to the light. She was in a villa that could seal up completely and they got in anyway. (She is a serious bug-o-phobic). She claims the only thing that works is lights out and A/C on full blast until it ends.

Funny about how you saved the scorpion in a jar. Yep, I would say you won that war! Scorpions get no respect - poor things.

We had scorpians in the bathroom already. My mom handled it surprisingly well, making that comment that they (STJ variety) were not nearly as bad as the Texa kind.

I actually think a bug education waiver would be a good thing, here is why - when renting a house with another couple, the wife completely spazzed about the ants. She went on and on "why don't they exterminate" blah blah blah. Her outdoorsy hubby finally freaked and set her straight about the tropics and critters. It sounds silly but we really should have given her an education on the plane ride down.

about the flying "termites" - surely these are not regular termites that feed on wood like in the states? I don't think those things die in one day. About 20 years ago while at work (I'm a dental hygienist) some termites swarmed in our office. I think they had just all hatched or something. Anyway, they swarmed from the waiting area back to an operatory with a patient sitting in the chair! They completely covered him and the unit, tray of instruments etc. It was scary and embarrassing too! Yuck! was about all I could say, I was stunned! Anyway, we quickly moved him to another operatory and called an exterminator. These were the kind that chew on wood, they had apparantly just hatched I guess.

I'm glad to learn of all these creepy things that we could encounter. I'll be on the lookout when I'm there now.

Blu - If that had happened to me - I'm sure I'd have to change my underwear afterwards!

Can't be any worse than being on the 17th floor in Oahu to find ~Duke~ (the LARGEST cockroach we had ever seen) had planned to share our room with us...he even came with his own luggage!!! The front desk was so apologetic, & kept saying it usually doesn't happen on the upper floors. Well....here in Wisconsin we just don't see many insect that large! But, we also step back & realize WHERE we are & that it is common to have bugs in tropical vacations!

So....camping out at Cinnamon Beach next month.....what kinds of critters should we be aware of!??!

Will try to explain what the flying termites look like! Small bodies, maybe a quarter of an inch with wings that are about 3 times the length of their bodies! Nothing like what you had mentioned Mountain Girl. I know they live in the ground and are chased out by the rain drenching the ground. Again, only happens a very few times a year, but all who live in homes get them and they cannot be avoided. I Wish! Sometimes they don't get in and you will find them outside on your porch screens or floating in the pool (dead of course, and I didn't do it)! Those are the times that there wasn't many that came out. November is rainy season here...........:) Raining as I write!
Blu, Haven't had any more experiences than the one you knew about, but have been wanting to take the time since, to let people know about them. I feel it is important! Actually, I like the unique bugs we have for the most part, tho I have to admit, I DON'T LIKE THEM IN MY BED!!!! 🙂 I have never gotten accustom to cock roaches either! I had never even seen one 'til I moved here! Poor bugs, poor me!!!! lol :0
You are right tho, I will TRY to be a little nicer to them!

Cleo,
Thanks for your support! Your story, I am sure, happens often! Education is the key and this is why I wrote! Believe me, I don't want to scare anyone, don't want to discourage anyone from coming, by any means!!!! Just want people to know!!!!!

It is unfortunate that people have become so far removed from the natural environment that bugs would ruin their vacation.

While vacationing on Provo in the T & C, we had so many baby lizards (tiny - like they would fit on the top of a pencil eraser) outside the house that one couldn't help but to step on them once in a while. It was sort of sad to see their dried little bodies on the bottom of your shoes or, once the bodies had fallen off, on the tile inside the house.