Creepy crawlies

[LAWRENCE NEVINS]

“And even in the cool mountain areas, there are plenty of different types of creepy-crawlies”

This is a topic about which I can find precious little. Maybe for some, this is a “make or break” issue. I just want to know what to expect. I assume living in the city, near the beach, or in the mountains all present different pests in the form of bugs and critters. Of course, we all have pests where we live – no matter the country or environment. And most of us understand that you’re not going to live bug/critter-free. It’s just a fact of life.

So, what do new arrivals encounter when setting up house in Panama? What do people do about the bugs/critters?

Facts and stories appreciated! Like the first night in our new house in Texas, but that’s for another forum. 🙂

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Yes Lawrence, you are correct, every country has its critters. Like Texas we have roaches and termites and it’s not uncommon to sight a gecko on your walls now and then (we consider them helpful, as they are bug eaters, and they do not seem to be toxic as my cats often “hunt” them and chew on the poor ones that get caught).

As you know this is the tropics and no matter where you go in the tropics there are bugs. It will vary a little depending on what parts of Panama you visit or live in.

We fumigate mostly to protect the wood from little termites which we never see (but you will see damage to your wood if they get a hold of it). There are also ants and spiders…I often find small harmless ones in the Panama City apartment where I live) and you should always keep things clean and fumigate regularly to ensure you never have a major roach problem. We get the occasional flying roach through the window or crawling up a drain but have never had a nesting problem as we have the fumigators come by every 6 months.

It helps to have cats, they get very excited whenever a bug manages to get in the house…and they are happy to “take care of the problem.” They took care of a little mouse than got in once, you do see rats in Panama City and I am sure everywhere else in the country (and the world!)

Also be aware that cars can get ants or roaches, especially if you leave crumbs in them, so best to just keep it clean.

If you have a yard you need to ensure there’s no stagnant standing water as of course there are mosquitoes here; they tend to be most active from about 6-7pm, we usually sit outdoors before or after the “peak hour” and may on occasion spray ourselves with repellent…varies depending on how close to “jungle areas” you are (there are heavily forested areas right in the city so it depends from one neighborhood to the next…downtown Panama City is so developed you get fewer mosquitoes).

Scorpions like to live in the sand or in places with a lot of rock or brick (like colonial Casco Viejo). We have snakes of course too but I’ve never had a run-in with one, and statistically here you’re more likely to get stung by a scorpion than bitten by a snake. Clinics and hospitals have serums on hand to deal with stings, so thankfully few cases are fatal.

Really it’s not too different from when I lived in Oregon…we had termites, spiders, mosquitoes and other creepy-crawlies there, too. Someone got stung by a wasp or bee every single time I went camping.

Seems no matter where I go…the U.S., India, here…sea level, mountains, valleys…I encounter and make peace with a different set of critters (snakes, scorpions, etc).

Best thing you can do on arrival is talk to your neighbors to see what’s most prevalent in your area. In Casco Viejo, for example, you shake out the bedding before getting in.

See also: https://internationalliving.com/forums/topic/mosquitos-and-biting-bugs-in-boquette/

Hope this helps.

Regards,

[Author]

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