Corgie

Okay, so how bad is it there? I've been doing some reading on this site and have heard things like "our trunk was filled with cockroaches" or that a 4 star resort was "roach infested".....Yikes!!! I have travelled a lot and can handle little creepy crawlies and Australian spiders the size of my fist but I have a real aversion to cockroaches. I've been to both Ohau and Maui a few times and only saw a cockroach once and it was on the beach! ...what can I expect and if it is bad what cockroach survival advice can you offer...?

kmg

Visited the BI in October 2002 and rented a roach infested Jeep Cherokee from the Hilo airport. Noticed it on the 2nd day of our stay when coming back to the car at night. They were all over the dash and console. Had to return to the airport the next day and exchange the car. The agent acted like it was no big deal and said they just fumigate the car and re-rent it. They gave us a free tank of gas for our trouble.

I have heard of this happening and never thought it would happen to us, but it did. I have to admit, however that we left an empty soda cup in the car, so maybe that drew them out. We did not have open food in any of our cars on Hawaii after this and did not have any problems on Maui, Kauai or a return trip to BI.

I have heard of some people taking a pre-emptive strike and fumigating the car themselves and having the rental agency reimbursing them for it. I have not done this.

kikahead

The cockroaches in Hawaii are cool. They are bigger then your standard roach so it didn't bother us as much at the little shiny ones. We only had one in our car which was gross since the car was moving and we had to pull over to kill it. All in all they were not a problem.

Kal

Alooohaaa, Believe it or not, we had never seen one while staying at our fave little 1.5* hotel until last year.

We were there for about a week already and had no problem.
One day during an afternoon "siesta" we saw some new comers and it sounded like they moved in next door.

We heard all sorts of banging around coming from their room and thought "Oh boy-loud neighbors". After about 30mins of slamming, bumping, banging, we see them rolling their luggage to another wing???

That night, we got back to the room and any food left open on the wet bar, pretzels, cookies, etc had a few of our little buddies crawling around on it!

Appears the room they got had them and the noise we heard was them doing the "La Cukaracha". Looks like they were driven into our room!?

We killed the ones we could see, put any open food into our tupperware/sealable baggies and into the fridge or micro and didn't have a prob. again.
Ants, on the other hand....

bettyk

Never had a roach problem on the Big Island or Maui. However, one time we had a bunch of ants in our trunk. We returned the car the next day for a new one. But it's a tropical climate and bugs are just part of it. Just remember not to leave food laying around and you should be OK.

Corgie

Okay, I feel sooooooooooooo much better now.

Kal, I am staying at that very same hotel next month!!! I don't want the cockroach room!!! I already requested a room on a non-smoking upper floor room. Should I also request a "roach" free room?

On the Big Island we are staying at the Royal Kona Resort. Does it have mega roaches? Should it be re-named Royal Roach Resort?

islandmom

The small ones who get in your food are gross. There are also huge flying ones and huge ones that stay around water and come up your pipes. I pour bleach around the drains.

Keep all food sealed up or in your fridge so as not to attract them. Keep the screen doors closed too.

JohnD

On our first trip to Kauai in March 2001, every convertible we tried to rent had critters under the floor mats. >-) After repeatedly complaining to the rental car manager, they upgraded us to a new hard top Cadillac (luxury car)at no additional cost. Since then, our subsequent visits to Kauai in 2002 and 2003, we have not had a problem but we always check under the floor mats.

RichinPA

DB, funny you should mention the centipede in the shorts issue. Somewhere around 1995 or so, we were in a first floor unit at the Cliffs in Princeville. I sleep "au natural" and laid my shorts on the floor next to the bed. Next morning......HELLO, big surprise!!! about a 6 inch centipede dropped out just as I was getting ready to put them on. nasty little devils to try to kill also. Have seen several since out and away from the condo, but that was a unique experience. But, it is the tropiccs and bugs abound.

JohnD

Thanks RichinPA, your account reminded me of other creatures that we encountered in the Princeville locale including a mouse in one of our drawers and numerous Gecko's (they prefer to hangout on the ceiling).

Kal

Rich,
I bet it was just a 4" centipede. :-"

Corgs, As I mentioned, this was the first time we experienced them.
They weren't the kind that "jump in bed and lay their legs over yours big", tho.

Take some sealable baggies or buy some cheap tupperware type stuff up at Wal-Kmart to keep any munchies, coffee, etc.

"Is that a gecko in your drawers or are ya just happy to see me?"
...Mrs Kal...circa 1989
Mahalo,
Kal

islandmom

They travel with a mate so if you see one you better search for the other. They come inside during the rains. Bleach in drains works well for them too. Seen some HUGE ones in my room during heavy rains. I'm not sure if you will see any though.

islandmom

Never had them in my room at the Royal Kona. Ants were a big problem in the Kona Makai last month. I sprayed them with vinegar cleaner.

Postal

When I was stationed on Oahu with the Army and we would train out in the Kahukus (above Waianae), we always saw plenty of big centipedes. And those suckers would really bite you if given the chance.

My husband once had a 12 inch centipede in his car as he drove from Waikiki to Ewa Beach. I didn't believe his story until I saw it in his car with my own eyes. Then I realized how lucky he was to not have an accident trying to avoid it!

Kal

Islandmom, You talkin' about me and
Mrs Kal?

DB

What I've heard is that you should pick 'em up with a pair of tongs (like those metal tongs for cooking), hold 'em over the toilet, slice them into bits with a big knife, then flush 'em.

Maybe we'll make a K-mart stop for some tongs.

Corgie

Great stories and some good advice. Thanks.

My biggest problem is that I hate killing anything. If a spider comes in the house I will take it outside in stead of killing it...not because I am particularly kind but because I hate the idea of "squishing" things. Especially beatle like creatures with a hard shell...ugggh!

Anyway, I can probably take it as long as I don't see any in my bed! Frankly, I am more worried about the Royal Kona Resort than the Islander...even the Big Island Revealed guide says that this property is "hit and miss" it just depends on what room you get...which is probably why it has such reasonable rates. I better X my fingers and hope for the best. We will celebrate our wedding anniversary while on the BI and I mentioned that when I booked so maybe they will upgrade us.

al

Dear God, if I had read this post BEFORE I went to Kauai I would've gone somewhere else! Honestly, I've only been there once, for a week, and I didn't see one cockroach, centipede or any type of offensive creature. Plenty of chickens though.

JohnD

~gt; Lots of chickens because they like to eat those creepy crawlies. ~gt;