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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
 Posted - 01/18/2008 : 8:19:12 PM
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Ah, but insects are part of life in the tropics, no? I remember a particularly handsome, impressive cockroach in my Hilo hotel bathroom, several nights before I drove down to Puna for the first ever Aloha Music Camp. I was scared!!!!!
Not of the cockroach, although I did move to a different hotel, but of the unknown that was waiting for me in Puna. I've never been the same since....
Julie |
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Ben
Lokahi
USA
122 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 03:04:54 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Julie H
Ah, but insects are part of life in the tropics, no?
Oh, yes, definitely part of the charm. We've met quite a number of big and nasties in our travels. Giant flying cockroaches in Taiwan (never sure whether they were attacking or just flying to somewhere, anywhere when a light suddenly came on), a 2-foot praying mantis which followed my every move in the Australian outback, spiders the size of a hand in Japan, a centipede which covered a 14-inch kitchen floor tile edge-to-edge in Waikele, Oahu. They have their place in grand scheme of things, and they do make for good stories for the more sheltered of our friends. 
I wasn't so much referring to giant roaches and centipedes as the little biting ones mentioned on the AMC site. Who wants to need Deet to run VR?
Wow, only two weeks left. I should maybe do something to get ready. Nancy, are you close to melt-down in your excitement? Is DH documenting it? Can I buy a video? This is gonna be so much fun.
See you all there. |
MÄlama pono
Ben |
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Kaiulani
Akahai
77 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 06:17:38 AM
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Aloha Kakou,
The mana and beauty of Kaupoa takes my breath away...and OH the BUGS.
We stayed in the "tents" for one night...NEVER again!
I allowed no food inside.
Weeeell...when we woke up:
>we had a swarm of bees welcome us in the bathroom (at least 5 hives)
>Roaches in our tissue holder and night table in our sleeping area
>tiny ants ALL over our bed
>my suitcase (which we zipped closed and with no food in it) and the closed chest were both completely filled with the same ants
After all that...I didn't look for the big black centipedes in the grass.
The lodge is wonderful!!
A Hui Hou,
Ka'iulani
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Me Ke Aloha,
Ka'iulani
www.GalleryKauai.com |
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suelou
Aloha
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 07:53:31 AM
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I don't want anyone afraid to sleep in the "tents" with all these bug stories! My entire week last year I saw ONE (only one) large cockroach who thought if he curled up in my suitcase I might take him back to the mainland with me (he wouldn't like our winters!)
Susan |
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PuaLynn
Lokahi
USA
120 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 09:05:11 AM
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| I'm with Susan. After five years at camp, four of them at Kaupoa, very few bugs and none in my tentalow. And, with the arrival of the wild turkeys, I've seen no more centipedes. I'm not fond of those 'pedes, but I still have a very fond memory of sitting next to Byran Yasui at a concert and, when he raised his legs up in the air and squealed (?), I followed suit and watched the rest of the row do the same like rockettes in NYC as a fated centipede made it's way down the row, only to be grabbed by Kaliko (after Moana screamed), with the brave Kaliko dispatching the poor pede from this planet. In my humble opinion, the tentolow is THE place to be. I'm a night person and love to unzip all my window flaps and let ka makani Moloka'i race around me while I watch the moon travel across the sky and think about what might have transpired on this spot many many moons ago. |
Me ke aloha,
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 09:13:37 AM
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Sarah and I *never* saw a bug in tent or bathroom in our entire stay. Outside, the only bug was the occasional bluebottle fly; not even mosquitos.
Just probabilities, I guess.
I have seen many more and bigger bugs in Florida than in the Islands, more vicious mosquitos and deer flies and shad flies here in New England. Palmetto bugs, indeed. Let me tell you about the house eating ants we have (cost me about $1k), and the Carpenter Bees! And my right leg was paralyzed by a Wolf Spider, in our garden, for a week, and all the skin peeled off - after medical attention, too. Life exists all over.
...Reid
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Edited by - Reid on 01/19/2008 09:14:17 AM |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 09:19:19 AM
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Sheesh, sorry I brought this up.
Yes, bugs live in the tropics. Puna, where it is hot and wet, breeds huge cockroaches. Our former site, Kalani Honua, seemed to have a special affinity for the buggahs. Mosquitos & flies, too.
Which is one of the reasons we moved to Kapoa. Sure there are insects, but nothing like the swarms we saw in Puna. Compared to Hilo, or most other places I've been in Hawaii, Kaupoa is remarkably pest-free. (Unlike Cleveland, say )
No mosquitos... though your mileage may vary. If you want to bring repellant, do so. I've never cracked open the bottle.
I'll take a few ants over roaches & mosquitos any day. In six weeks of camps, plus numerous other trips where I've stayed in the tents, I've never experienced an ant problem. But then, maybe its my salty personality...
Centepedes-- yep, like everywhere in Hawaii, there are centipedes in the grass, particularly near the bushy areas. Tho' the turkeys tend to keep 'em in check. Best not to walk around barefoot.
Perhaps I should mention the Moloka`i bats--- striking, large moths that seem quite tame and enjoy a sip of your wine.
Cute little things- maybe Neeej will do Moloka'i bat a quilt one of these years..
quote:
What about The Cockroach That Ate Cincinatti?
I thought that was the Eggplant That Ate Chicago. Oh, different band.
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 10:32:47 AM
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| At least in winter time, bugs die in Cleveland. I do NOT LIKE any kine bug. Well, maybe butterflies. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Larry Goldstein
Lokahi
267 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 11:33:34 AM
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On the other hand...
A few more species of insects might attract a few more species of birds. There is a real paucity of birds on that end of the island.
No mattah, lots of fish!
Larry |
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islandboo
Lokahi
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 11:50:39 AM
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| I never had much of a "problem" with the bugs at either Kalani or Kaupoa, but did want to mention just as a heads up that I got my second ever bee sting (well, yellowjacket) at the rinse shower by the beach at Kaupoa. Apparently there were a number of them sipping delicately off the water droplets on the grass and one of them was most put off by the giant foot that invaded its party. It could just be that I was an ignorant landlocked flatlander who was not well versed in the "watch for thirsty yellowjackets" rule of beach shower use, but just in case there are others who are similarly ignorant, now you know (and knowing is half the battle...) |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 12:37:50 PM
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I lied. We did see one kind of bug that Mark mentioned. The gorgeous blue and brownish moths that sip your wine. Sarah got a great pic of one *inside* her wine glass (which we should post)- and, unfortunately for the moth, it did not realize that alcohol vapor from chardonnay is lethal to critters like it was. You should really hope to see them. They seem unafraid, and are as elegant as any butterfly I've seen.
...Reid |
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Momi
Lokahi
402 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 1:26:50 PM
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quote:
Posted by Mark:
Cute little things- maybe Neeej will do Moloka'i bat a quilt one of these years..
I've never been to Moloka`i and thus never been to Kaupoa, but I have heard Neeej's (and Susie's) Kakaroach Hula. Get her (them) to do it - it's very good.
Re kakaroaches in general - I call da big ones "B-52s." The thing I hate most about 'em is dey fly right at me. However, I have yet to find one that can withstand a good whack wit' da slippah.
Travel safely, you guys. Have fun. |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 2:06:23 PM
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Before my knees got so bad, I used to backpack in Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny Mts. Only thing worse than seeing a rattlesnake is when you hear one rattle, but can't see where it's hiding in the ferns & such. Or maybe when a bear comes to camp, but I never had that happen.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 4:09:50 PM
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Paul, I was once a through-hiker on the AT (until very recently). Hearing a rattlesnake buzz was a *good* thing because it meant that they were just warming up on the trail and were upset by your presence. Then, you could stomp on the ground and they would go away. Once, without any noise at all, I stepped into a teenage nest, under a tree, of about thirty or forty, with NO buzz at all and, even though it was on a 45 deg. pitch, I rose up about 5 feet off the ground and cleared the nest running and scrambling up rocks. I think I was elevated by ET. And, I had the usual heavy duty leather/Vibram hiking boots that weigh about 10 lbs each. So, don't worry about thye buzz, worry about where you step.
Then there was the time in New Mexico when Sarah and I were accosted by a herd of sidewinders..............
...Reid |
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neeej
`Olu`olu
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 8:32:11 PM
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| Maybe we better sing our other Kaupoa critter song...nah, we gots something else up our nonexistent sleeves <EG>. Ya gotta be a bit careful playing at night, though---some of those durn `okinas start motatin' around all over da page (& one incoming roach did send Susy straight up in the air). But just talk nice to the critters...they're mostly very interesting folk & fun to watch :-) |
--Jean S |
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2008 Winter Aloha Camp
