It is amazing what a year, or 3 can do! I now venture out without shakey hands to the rains that are coming with full force. I realize that it sounds A LOT worse inside my house than it actually is outside, thanks to the metal roofs. Sure, the torrential downpours are not my friends. I sit and hide on the side of the road until they leave so I can see enough to drive home. But really, its a few minutes, and I just don’t plan on doing big trips in the early morning or late afternoon. I can get just about anywhere in Costa Rica if I leave at 9am- there by 3. N, S, W, E, Pacific, Atlantic, Panama border, Nicaragua border. And with the kids in school, really the worst thing is having to drive home at 3:30. NOT that big of a deal…
Right now my stint is the scorpions. Big and small, apparently its their time of year and I have found 4 in the house curled up inside dirty laundry on the floor, the dog’s blanket, under the door mat and one just cruising through the kitchen. They stop and play dead, and then I make them dead. My daughter says the bug spray does not kill them, so I explained that is what the can is for. Just spray ‘em to stun them and hit ‘em! I’m not so against killing/mutilating things in my home like scorpions. Sorry. That zen side of me goes right out the window.
It is also the time of year for June bugs. They are insatiable. I realize its may, but they are what we call June bugs up north. They love the light and come in full force every night. But its funny – we call them the dumb bugs too. They literally fly into you like a ball and fall to the ground. Sure, they freak you out, bit they are harmless as far as I can tell, and we just sweep them up in the morning and throw them down the hill.
What else for the time of year? Fire flies. DO NOT leave a light on outside at night or they will be ALL over your outside ceiling and wall. And these are not cute little fireflies like we have at home. I always wondered why we had fireflies and lightning bugs. Let me tell you – if there is a difference- these are the lightning bugs – they are about 3/4 inch long, thick and dumb too. In the morning, you can sweep them off the wall and they actually fall onto the floor! I am sure someone may give me some scientific insight into this, I am just happy they fall and I can sweep them because being swarmed by 1000 of them from my roof (I did NOT heed my own advice about the light one night) is not my idea of a good time! Or my guests’. “Welcome to Costa Rica!” I sarcastically say as they ventured onto the front porch that ‘whoops’ of a morning. Nothing like a delicious breakfast of Costa Rica and American fair, complete with a wall of creepy crawlies! Haha yes, the bug free world so many of you are used to is NOT the world of the mountains in Costa Rica.
But why do we have so many? And really, for the most part, it’s just this first month of the rainy season. The rest of the eyar has its own big seasons, but they are not as abundant as right now. Perhaps it’s because of the 170 different bird species that have reportedly been seen in San Ramon alone, the 27 difference varieties of orchids and little finca we have here at Vista Valverde, or the beautiful mix of sun, rain, clouds and fresh mountain air that everyone enjoys, even all those creepy crawlies. The circle of life is big my fiends, and when you get this high up, you cannot take all the good without the insects. This is their home as well. And we need them for the cycle. So freak out a little, sure, but then realize that most of them are big and dumb – admire their beauty, from the hammer head ants, to the jaguar beetles – (these are the officially named bugs of VV compliments our 4 and 6 year old). Come see what beautiful bugs we have in store for you – and if you have a name that fits, perhaps you too can have an official bug here at VV! 4000 feet above sea level can be a pretty awesome place – and its different every day. Don’t take your eyes off the view, they can change in a minute – Rains, sun, land, sea, clouds, bugs, birds, flowers, palm trees, ferns, butterflies, sloths…. Just be careful coming up the drive – it can be a little foggy this time of year too 😉
Pura vida,
Kim
A Mom's Guide to Costa Rica - Life and Travel 