Not only Bed Bugs. What about flees?

[annakappa]

So much has been written about the Dreaded Bed Bug! Poor thing, it gets blamed for every bite. But what about the other crawlies that abound? There are mosquitoes, biting ants and flees. Just to mention a few.
We are so pampered nowadays. Have you thought how it was in the not too distant past?

Do you remember an inn, Miranda?
Do you remember an inn?
And the tedding and spreading of straw for a bedding
And the FLEES that tease in the high Pyrenees
And the wine that tasted of tar............

Food for thought! Anne

 

[gerardcarey]

Tarantella....again.
After so long.
How good is that.
Thanks Anne

 

[vicrev]

O My God !! we are going to have endless discussion about Flea.z..zz...zzz.........How high they can jump/can endure sub-zero temps/can shut down for 2 years etc. etc.............Vicrev

 

[Annie Little]

Well may I add ... although not specifically Camino related BUT then who knows...... in days gone past it was not unheard of that MAGGOTS infested wounds .. cleaned them out and then aloud them to heal just wanted to throw that in there ... hahahaha. Today people shudder at sight of maggots .... poor things they were doing a good job

 

[David]

In the uk some hospitals use maggots to clean wounds such as ulcers that resist anti-biotics - they only eat corrupted flesh.

The French aristocrats, way back when, used to take a young pig with them when they travelled. At their night halts their servants would place the pig in the bed for an hour or so then remove it before the aristo went to bed. The fleas and bugs, well dined, slept the night away as well.
Funny thing is, we have three types of fleas that infest us and the only other animal that they inhabit isn't any of the primates or monkeys, it is the pig, so we are close relations after all!

 

[Annie Little]

In the uk some hospitals use maggots to clean wounds such as ulcers that resist anti-biotics - they only eat corrupted flesh.

The French aristocrats, way back when, used to take a young pig with them when they travelled. At their night halts their servants would place the pig in the bed for an hour or so then remove it before the aristo went to bed. The fleas and bugs, well dined, slept the night away as well.
Funny thing is, we have three types of fleas that infest us and the only other animal that they inhabit isn't any of the primates or monkeys, it is the pig, so we are close relations after all!

The VERY reason why some religions do not subscribe to the ingestion of pork products .. true ..

 

[Annie Little]

I may like to suggest that if one is particularly concerned about Bugs on the Camino.. they take a pig rahter than a dog with them

 

[Susannafromsweden]

David, I think you may have solved my problem trying to find an environmental friendly alternative to permethrin.
Thank you very much.
I'm hoping I can smuggle it into the albergue. I'm sure nobody will notice the smell.
Ok, it may do some oink oink sounds. But then I will just say its someone else who is snoring.

 

[David]

ahahahaha - dress it as a pilgrim!

 

[Pattii]

I know we are to be tough pilgrims. But I can't believe for one minute if there was a chance even in the 1100's to rid ourselves of these nasty insects they would have used it too. I agree that we should be thankful for the rooms available and we should be trying to be "bigger" than bed bugs issue but I think that its ridiculous personally to put up with a bug one doesn't need to. Now bedbugs don't spread disease but they can cause incredible discomfort and in situations less than sterile at the best of times bites can become infected and cause serious problems. But that is not the worst of it. They spread like wild fire. They can lay dormant for up to 2 years and they can be taken everywhere else you go with you because they hide in the liners of blankets and the edges of sleeping bags and backpacks. If you stay at one place with bedbugs you can be SURE you are going to be spreading it to other Albergues along the way unless you follow the rules to killing them They are very disruptive and extremely hard to get rid of. And then it goes to the subject of hygiene. I understand that the Albergues are not rolling in cash but even a few days in freezing cold weather...which most places must get to if its snowing in these places...or a very hot dryer kills these things...so why is that not being done regularly? ((I'm probably going to get blasted for this post but what ever)) They do say cleanliness is next to Godliness...smiles.

Mosquitos if you are in the wrong places do cause disease...and I'm sure there are some people that get bad infections from those bites and flea bites. I would never go into the deep woods in Canada and not take a mosquito and black fly repellent of some sort. You can't even go to the bathroom without getting attacked by them. Thats just asking for agony. When I lived in Jamaica before I decided to be smart my legs and arms were one large bite...it was horrible and very very difficult to heal up. And I most definitely don't need to subject myself to bedbugs...I have been through that even bringing them home with me from holidays...having to fumigate and replace my mattresses etc... Call me prissy...I don't care....if God is calling you to sleep with bedbugs... so be it...but that is NOT why I am being called to the Camino...lol