Making Friends in Hawaii...The 4 to 6 Legged Kind

Because of Hawaii's tropical weather, bugs and lizards are unavoidable. You will find surprises such as cockroaches, ants, centipedes, termites, geckos etc. everywhere even in your hotel rooms, and I definitely guarantee you're going to find some in the beach house. The cockroaches in Hawaii are bigger than the ones in the mainland, and they fly. You can try to minimize these interactions by not leaving food out. If you do see a cockroach here's what I would do:

1) Scream
2) Look for a big slipper (one that has a flat bottom)
3) Aim carefully (They are really fast and smart)
4) Wack the bugga with enough pressure to kill it
5) Wipe up the mess
6) Congratulate myself for overcoming yet another one of my fears

Also, please be aware of red ants. They like to make their homes in the ground, and sometimes you could be stepping on them without noticing until it is too late. Their bites really hurt. Just please look before you sit or stand still in the dirt. You have been warned...

Geckos are really interesting lizards. They're about 4 inches long, and they can make a clicking sound. There's nothing to fear about the gecko. They just mind their own business, and are most likely afraid of you.

Centipedes are long with lots and lots of legs. They do have a painful bite. Centipedes mostly stay outdoors, but once in a while, they'll venture indoors especially when it rains a lot. When you see one, don't touch it. Find something that you can use to smash it's head. They keep moving if you miss or hit any other part.

Okay, now I hope I didn't scare you. These insects and lizards and more are just a part of Hawaii life. We deal with it as best we could as a price of living in a tropical region. At least we don't have snakes...