Panama Blog #4 - Biting Bugs & Shivering - My Experiences and Perspective here...

Biting bugs & Shivering are my last 2 pet peeves (I like to say), Can I put them both to bed ?

• Biting bugs, When I was blessed enough to live in Victoria, British Columbia were non existent shivering could happen.

But now I live in Panama, Were Life flourishes like mine, but also many different biting bugs. (a cuss word or 3 !).
I covered ants in my last blog, but forgot about THE NASTIEST, I'll need a picture for reference (soon I hope) remind me in a reply maybe ?

• Mosquitoes - I bet you are familiar with them. Few if any were I live (extremely dry). But if you go to a forest or Mountain range (cooler and moister) be prepared in your own fashion for a potential onslaught of ( cuss word ) mosquitoes. In fact, if you venture to the central Caribbean coast its called the mosquito coast for good reason !
  All City's have eradication programs, plus little foliage for them to live in, so not a issue.
  There is plenty of material a search away, if your troubled by these ( you know ) or the potential disease they can carry.
  I'm of the mind set something is going to end my life some day BUT Its going to happen while I'm living ( not hiding or waiting ).
• Chitras - you may know them as no see um's or as a dear departed sailor friend called them Flying Teeth.
  Easy to avoid if you stay away from coastal areas that have mangrove forests (mangara or manglar), but mostly just around dusk or dawn unless you are in the thick of it, were they are active all day.
  If there is a best part of them, The bites are Sharp & Fast but no real lasting effects unlike a irritated mosquito bite, But if you find yourself there, cover all your skin the best you can yes its hot here, sweating won't kill you, especially the back of your neck (seems to be their target zone). But as far as I know chitra's won't kill you either just annoy and sting for a few seconds.
• Can All Bugs Bite ? - Probably more than I can chew off ( pun intended ) in this section LOL.
  But my wife would say most I'm guessing. As every time she see's 1 on me, I get the Matar (Kill it) speach, Pica (bite) she screams.
  And while I'm a kind of live and let live person (usually), read my ant blog :-). I have no interest in killing anything.
  If its particularly Big & or Ugly I will sweep it away, but usually mashed to pulp by my wife anyway ?
• Scorpions & Spiders - Can they bite & sting ( yes ), have they bothered me ? ( No ). I know where they like to hang out and you should too. they are shy critters and will always shy away ( given the chance), so give it to them :-)!.
  Same deal goes for Snakes or Lions and tigers and bears Oh MY - LOL
  In short, anything loosely stacked may have a little friend in it, so move it around a bit, shake it out. Use as much caution as you feel is necessary (within reason). My Wife always pulls the sheets back, shakes the pillows out and uses 1 to slap the crap out of the mattress cover with it, Claims she found a Scorpion once doing it. I never do, with no ill effects other than, if I got to bed first,and she asks if I did ? (always the same answer Doh...) I along with the bed get the crap slapped out of me with a pillow. (married life, go figure) ?

That's about all I can muster in this edition, farm chores are calling

Oh I forgot about shivering Doh...Just a couple times here, in the high mountains & riding my motorcycle at night in the pouring rain, the cure is...Warmer & Waterproof clothes, Easy fix (if you have them with you ?)
Thanks for reading, IHope you enjoyed, more to follow.....