Hey All,

I'm thinking about going to Costa Rica in June with a few friends. My problem is that I sort of have issues with big bugs. Have any bug-a-phobs on here gone to Costa Rica and enjoyed themselves?

dont worry about the bugs, the spiders and snakes eat most of them!

i don't mind snakes...well...i don't think I do...I've never actually met one. But I think I'd do better with them than with some gigantic spider.
I'm a new york city gal...but I go camping upstate every year. I'm ok with flys, moths, caterpillars, and small bugs...even ok with grasshoppers and such...but those freaky bugs called cranes (a mosquito but the size of a quarter) totally wig me out. It's size that's the real issue. if the moths are the size of my palm...i dunno if i could deal with that...

I'm a city girl and survived a trip to Costa Rica. Bring plenty of deet in all sizes, shapes and forms (sprays, lotions, wrist bands, etc.) The buggers seek me out. I left my hotel room for meals and would douse myself in deet. I forgot a small area behind my knees, and was rewarded with huge bug bites. Saw scorpians, and bugs a city girl never imagined. oh, and guanacaste, don't forget the bats who eat most of the bugs! All in all, it was worth the beauty and adventure. Just remember, they were there first. You are a visitor. You ARE in the middle of a jungle!

In eleven visits to Costa Rica and a total of close to 6 months in lots of little nooks and crannies, we've seen hardly any "big old" bugs. Last summer we had a real treat in finding a golden scarab beetle (medium size) at Savegre. I was fascinated. It was beautiful. We have seen some huge spiders, but mostly the golden orb spiders which I think are really pretty. They have a rosebud on their tummies. Quite harmless and tend not to leave their webs. . .

My daughter gets freaked out by bugs as much as you, or more. All the way back to baby days. She's spent lots of time in CR as well and it's been just fine. Don't worry about it--doubt you'll see anything too earth shattering! You are going to be in awe!

I honestly had very few run-ins with bugs in my trips to CR except.....Ok, I guess I should tell you a story to make you feel better but this isn't one of those

One night we had a huge table a Bosque del Cabo and after dinner Jose, the bartneder, sang many songs for us. (He's very good btw) A few songs in a moth - I swear - the size of a dinner plate crashed into one of the diners at the table. We were all bug-eyed but tried to keep quiet as Jose was singing. A couple minutes later, someone else got whacked upside the head. I was about the 7th or so to get hit, despite keeping my eyes peeled.

Truly, you have no idea how hard it was keeping my giggle fit under control while avoiding the dive-bombing moth while listening to "Feelings" sung in Spanish. Eh, I don't really have a point here but I guess even bugs can have their fun moments

Have I heard that before, Tully? Hilarious! LOL!

Thanks for the replies! I actually feel quite a bit better about going. Knowing that there are other bug-a-phobes who've gone and enjoyed it makes it much less scary. Although the huge moth story was a bit freakish

i forgot about the bats!!
and heres my bat story, in Guanacaste i awoke in the middle of the night needing to 'answer natures call' but the light in my bathroom didnt work, so there was a toilet out by the swimming pool.
i get in close the door get my **** out at which poiunt a vampire bat stirs from the celing and makes a beeline for my ????
so any guests unfortunate to be awake at the time would have seen me running out oif the toilet faster than a Ferrari with my shorts around my ankles with a look of total fear on my face.
my girlfriend who was with me at the time said that the bat wouldnt have been interested in such a 'small morsel'

haha,it was no laughing matter i tell you!

We're about to go on our third trip to CR (and twice to Belize), and I am not huge on bugs, and quite phobic about tarantulas (doing better with lesser spiders). But happily have had few run-ins with the creepy crawlies, none of which were huge and scary. Go and enjoy CR!

Guanacaste--LOL! I'm practically rolling! You and Tully have missed your calling whatever you are doing--you should be standups! Or perhaps you just right it down really well. . .what a hilarious story. I'm very visual, so got the full effect! And your girlfriend's comment--what a hoot! I'll smile about that all evening! Thanks!

it WASNT fuuny!!

LOL--well, it is now. . .