Comments on: Red’s TOP 10 Aussie Pests (and where I found them)!

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 06:34:33 +0000

In reply to Grumpy.

Right on both counts, Grumpy – actually, ANY of my pests are pests only when you’re in their territory – including leeches! Like spiders, leeches didn’t make it onto MY top 10 because while I’ve experienced them, they haven’t been a real problem – YET!!! But if I found one in my mouth, they would IMMEDIATELY go to #1 – and probably stay there ’til the end of time 😀

PS There’s still time to enter the giveaway – assuming you have an OZ/NZ mailing address, just need to make a comment with the word ‘Vermin’ in it before midnight, 8 April!!

By: Grumpy

Grumpy — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 06:10:00 +0000

Some of the pests you mention are not a nuisance, unless you specifically invade their territory (snakes, crocodiles, jellyfish).
I would have thought that leeches, whether the Tasmanian variety, or from Queensland would have easily made it to the top 10. I have had numerous encounters in both states, but probably the most memorable one was after I took my two sons, then 8 and 10, down the side of a waterfall in northern Queensland, through some dense and damp foliage, to get a view from the bottom up. When back up top at the carpark, during the routine leech check, we dealt with a number of leeches in between fingers and toes, but the cracker was when my younger son said something, revealing that he had one inside his mouth!

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:29:37 +0000

In reply to river.

Thank you River!! I WAS going to mention spiders – but (touch wood) they haven’t really been a problem for us! Am I one of the few Australians who HASN’T seen a redback on the toilet seat?? I put the photos in to show it really IS worth the trip – even if there ARE vermin about!

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:26:20 +0000

In reply to M.

Sounds like a FAAAAAABULOUS trip, M! Not sure where we will be for winter – anywhere north is a good bet!! Not so fabulous is the snake – I think I would die with my boots in the air if one crawled over my toe!!

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:14:48 +0000

In reply to Iris.

Haha, it sounds like I’m bringing back some not-so-nice memories, Iris!! Can’t wait to check out your loo – makes me realise it’s been awhile since I posted one myself 😀

PS LOVED the loo! Hope you’ve got more!!

By: river

river — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 04:45:30 +0000

Well done. An entire VERMIN post without mentioning spiders. The locations are all so gorgeous, it’s hard to imagine anything so lowly as vermin there. But forewarned is forearmed and if I ever go traveling, there’ll be insect repellant aplenty.

By: M

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:10:19 +0000

In reply to Red Nomad OZ.

There is plenty of Vermin out there in ones travels.
I’m not fond of snakes either, one went over my big toe once and it took me a few years to touch a snake in our travels. We are travelling again in winter up the middle, out to the rock, then Darwin, back down across to Broome (3rd time to Broome) then down the West Coast again, across the Nullabor to the ship and back home…..3 months.

By: Iris

Iris — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 12:53:10 +0000

In reply to Red Nomad OZ.

Against some, yes, but not all…. eww, just thinking back to those beetles that very softly land on your t-shirt, make their way to your neck and bite, eww. Felt like coffee-beans. Or grasshoppers. OMG… Aw, well, that´s life, right? I got a loo-pic in todays post, btw 🙂

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 08:05:14 +0000

In reply to Life Images by Jill.

Thanx for the tip, Jill! I’m always looking for sandfly bite antidotes – I found a local concoction in a Far Nth QLD chemist many years ago that worked a treat. I think it had liberal quantities of lemon myrtle, amongst other things – but sadly it’s long gone, so I’ll be stocking up on your remedy next time we head out. So far (touch wood) mosquitoes have bothered us more than flies – and at least you can see the crocs coming!!

By: Red Nomad OZ

Red Nomad OZ — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 08:01:29 +0000

In reply to Vicki.

Vicki – the day a snake ‘dry bites’ me is the day you know my ‘snake-dar’ stopped working!!! I once saw a vague scaly movement in our compost heap and before I knew what was happening OR how, I was about 5 metres away! And that was just a friendly blue-tongue lizard!!! I lived in PNG for a year where we had a python living in the ceiling – I found the noise of its slithering strangely comforting after awhile because the pest control thing was EXACTLY what it meant! Hope your weekend has been awesome!