Living with insects in Kauai

[Dave998]

Do you have a big problem with mosquitos or night insects that a camper in a tent would need to be aware of there in Kawaii

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Dave998

Do you have a big problem with mosquitos or night insects that a camper in a tent would need to be aware of there in Kawaii

Some parts of Hawai'i are kawaii*, some are not so kawaii.

*kawaii = Japanese for "cute"

Mosquitoes are a nuisance in many areas, and they come in two flavahs... daytime, and night time. The night time are more numerous and more of a nuisance, and are the reason mosquito nets were invented for sleeping with the windows open.

The day time mosquitoes aren't as numerous, but can be more worrisome because they can carry Dengue fever, which has become a public health issue in recent years.

When camping, best to use mosquito repellent and 'squito nets.

Other than that, the main thing I watch for is centipedes, which have a bite like a hornet. If you leave shoes outside your tent, centipedes can crawl in. Learn to knock your shoes out in the morning and check inside before putting 'em on.

[KauaiHiker]

I've camped all over Kaua'i and mosquitoes and insects are NOT a problem. The reason is that all campgrounds with the exception of Koke'e are beach parks, and most of the time there is a breeze off the ocean (trades or other). Actually the wind can be really strong sometimes, especially at Salt Pond and Anini.

In the rare cases there is no wind, you'll have probably have the same amount of nuisance as on the rest of the island, which is to say not much. They come out mostly in the afternoon-evenings and they're usually small. In the end, we don't bother zipping up the tent to keep them out, unless we're inside sleeping.

As for centipedes, well, that's why we appreciate the chickens that run free all over, including the beach parks. I've never seen a centipede while camping. Also, we usually have slippahs (flip-flops) for camping at the beach (and I suggest visitors get some), so nowhere for them to hide. But yes, if you do have your mainland shoes sitting out, it's always a good idea to shake them out before sticking your feet in them.

I'd never heard of dengue in Hawaii, but apparently there are occasional outbreaks. The last was in 2001, mostly on Maui, a little on Oahu, and only 3-4 cases on Kaua'i. Dengue was in the news recently with the death of Kaua'i surfer Andy Irons: Doctor says recurring bouts of Dengue fever typically

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by KauaiHiker

I'd never heard of dengue in Hawaii, but apparently there are occasional outbreaks. The last was in 2001, mostly on Maui, a little on Oahu, and only 3-4 cases on Kaua'i. Dengue was in the news recently with the death of Kaua'i surfer Andy Irons: Doctor says recurring bouts of Dengue fever typically

Dengue fever is endemic in Puerto Rico and Parts of Florida, pops up periodically in Hawai'i, and seems to be on the rise, so it's something to stay informed about.
Here's some info... Health officials say dengue fever a threat to Hawaii | KHON2 Hawaii's News Leader

The reason for the increase can probably be found in this sentence: "Due to severe budget cuts the DOH Vector Control Branch is unable to treat mosquito infestations, but can provide information and recommendations over the phone."

Yep, mosquito control by phone... that's gonna work!