Bugs Bugs Bugs

People in developing regions or rural areas are sometimes described as “living close to the Earth.” To some, this invokes romantic images of a more authentic existence, without many of the stresses and cares of modern urban life. Being “close to the Earth” does have its drawbacks and minor irritants, however.

Prior to departing for Guinea, we spent a lot of time preparing for the mosquitoes here. We got malaria tablets, bought mosquito repellent and long sleeves, and some of us even got mosquito nets for our beds. We certainly want to avoid malaria, dengue, or other mosquito-transmitted diseases, and the mosquitoes have been somewhat bothersome to some, mostly at around 4 am. A few of us have awaken to many bites on our arms and legs. But for the most part, the mosquitoes have not been a big problem.

What we didn’t prepare for, and what has turned out to be a much bigger pest, is the common housefly. Flies seem to be pervasive in Guinea. They say of New Zealand that it has 2 million people and 20 million sheep. For Guinea, it would have to be 10 million people and 10 billion flies. At times it seems the flies are everywhere – and they always are landing on any exposed skin, causing a minor but very persistent irritation. After lunch, in the heat of day, a nice nap seems in order, but it is very difficult to do so with all the flies around.

Guineans adapt to the number of flies. For example, they always bring food on a tray, with another tray covering it so the flies won’t swarm the food. They also are very adept at finding places to sit that are strategically located where they will get a breeze, to keep cool but also to discourage flies. Why there are so many flies in this country is hard to say – they certainly do not have regular garbage pick up, and there is a lot of trash strewn around the streets and vacant lots. But there are not many animals around, except for the occasional goat and a few stray dogs. Interestingly, there are no horses, oxen or mules on the streets; Guineans do not use them to pull carts or for farming, from what we have seen.

We haven’t seen too many other insects, at least around our house. Perhaps this is because we have seen some rather large spiders, and there also are lizards around, including one species that crawls around the thatched covering over the patio where we take drumming class. It is a large lizard species, with a reddish-orange neck and blue on its back. We also have had frogs in the house when it has rained – good hoppers, too. These animals may keep the insects down, but have had little effect on the flies, which seem to be multiplying.