Critters/Insects of the world
Things That Go Squish in the Night
Have you ever found a hairy tarantula under the toilet seat? Or a cane toad behind the refrigerator? Or a palmetto bug inside your bathing suit? These are just a few of the creepy critters that the experienced traveler might encounter while out on the road.
Tarantulas are very common in warmer climates, particularly in Central American countries like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. Although a very docile and non-aggressive spider, it is still an unpleasant experience to find one nestled between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl when one is just inches away. Regardless of the general shock of such run-in, a tarantula bite is not something one would want to have on the posterior!
The cane toad (also known by his Latin name, Bufo Marinus) is another global citizen to be aware of. The cane toad is a gregarious chap who delights in entering houses, carports, garages, and making himself at home. The cane toad, while quite stout and sturdy in appearance, can apparently flatten himself and squeeze quite easily through small gaps and cracks. Once inside your living space, he poses a threat to pets, children and any who come in contact with him. A word to the wise: never lick a cane toad! The cane toad excretes a vile milky substance which is toxic to humans and animals if ingested. It can cause mild hallucinations in small doses and can be fatal in large doses. In Australia, licking a cane toad is illegal and is considered, along with marijuana and heroin, a Class 1 drug offense.
Another crowd-pleaser is the giant cockroach, sometimes called a palmetto bug. These are found in warm weather areas, including the southern United States (Florida is famous for them) as well as Central America. The creepy thing about the palmetto bug is that they fly. If you are used to normal cockroaches running around on the floor, you will have the shock of your life coming when a palmetto bug flies across the room and lodges it self in your hair, or worse yet, your underwear. These bugs have some kind of freaky sixth sense about launching themselves into your undergarments that cannot be explained.
A lesser known yet more sinister crawling thing, is the babosa (slug) that inhabits countries from Costa Rica to Argentina as well as parts of the Caribbean. These slugs themselves are relatively inoffensive, but the problem is that the slug carries a parasite (called Angiostrongylus costaricensis ) that can be quite dangerous. And you don’t have to fondle, eat, or even see the slug to have a problem. These slugs are capable of depositing the parasite on fruits and vegetables via their slime trail. Another reason to wash those fruits and veggies well when you are on the road!
To learn the secrets to detecting an affair, click here!
Subscribe to this comment's feed
