Learning a new culture, having new experiences, seeing brand new sights- these are among the joys of traveling, but in the excitement of planning a trip nearby or abroad, vacationers can sometimes forget that every new experience can have its downsides. Imagine waking up in a beautiful, seaside hotel in Florida... with a palmetto bug sharing the view from your pillow!
There are at least one million known species of insects in the world, and entomologists estimate that there might be as many as ten million- there's no vacation on earth that won't be shared by a few multi-legged friends. There's nowhere that insects don't call home; there are even a few hardy species that make their abode in Antarctica, so if you're going to be traveling, here are a few of the species you might meet.
Mosquitoes live anywhere there's heat and water, so if you're planning on a trip to Florida, the Congo, or Belize, you need to be prepared for the mosquitoes. Because mosquitoes like to feed on anything permeable and warm-blooded, they can carry any number of diseases, including malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. These are all serious illnesses, and they all have life-threatening implications if untreated.
To prevent the mere annoyance of the bites or the much more serious possibilities of illness, the CDC recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and full pants, staying indoors at dusk when mosquitoes are most active, applying a bug repellant that contains DEET as its active ingredient, sleeping under mosquito netting whenever possible, and visiting your doctor before you travel to get a prescription of preventative anti-malarials, if possible.
On the less toxic, but still frightening front, the tropics encourage growth, and growth means larger than usual bugs! Palmetto bugs- the oversized cousins of cockroaches- can grow to more than three inches long, and what's worse is they can fly! Your best bet is to avoid them, because they're virtually indestructible- fortunately, they're also mostly harmless!
Every fourth animal on the planet is a beetle, and if you're visiting South America, you might want to watch out for the Titanus giganteus, a long-horned beetle that can grow larger than a human hand. Large, colorful scarab beetles will share northeastern Africa and the Middle East with you, and in Egypt, they're considered ancient representatives of the god Ra. The Goliath scarab beetle is especially impressive, the largest coming in at four inches long and four ounces. Fortunately, these beetles are more interested in snacking on plants and feces than in bothering you.
A more dangerous stranger to meet on vacation would be any one of the thousands of species of spiders. Though not technically insects (they're arachnids, like scorpions,) ounce for ounce, they're the most poisonous creatures on earth. There are so many varieties of spiders in a myriad of sizes, from microscopic to the size of a family cat, that it's better just to avoid them entirely. Australia is especially rich in venomous spiders, though for sheer terror factor, the six-inch long, furry Camel Spiders found in the Middle East could send even the heartiest soul screaming in the other direction.
Generally, insects just want to be left alone, and giant millipedes- found in South America, especially the Amazon- are no different. They will fight back if frightened, however, by dousing anyone foolish enough to harass them with foul-smelling and sometimes toxic substances from their repugnatorial glands. Nature was kind enough to offer warnings, however- toxic millipedes tend to be the most brightly colored.
On the upside, all this insect supersizing means that occasionally you can see gorgeous, oversized species of butterflies, such as the South American Blue Morpho Butterfly, the Australian Ulysses Butterfly, and the South Asian Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfy. The Queen Alexandra's, when mature, can have a wingspan of more than one foot wide, and it can be found in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. Careful, though- they're endangered (and poisonous,) so look, but don't touch!
Though the monster species are enough to give a traveler nightmares, the smaller species deserve special attention, too. Deer ticks, no bigger than a pea, can carry lyme disease and encephalitis, and animal-borne fleas are responsible for some of the most devastating plagues in history. The CDC recommends the same DEET insect repellants, long sleeves, and sleep netting to avoid these nuisances as well.
For insects, anywhere is home, so when you're planning a trip, it's important to remember you won't be going there alone. Insects don't have to ruin a trip, however. Just take the CDC's travelers' warnings seriously and keep your distance, and both you- and the local arthropods- will enjoy your stay.
