Are there bugs in the desert?

[mooserider]

Just a curious burgin, wondering if I need to seal my sleeping quarters against bloodsucking critters. Other places I go camping, the tent and RV are kept sealed at all times due to gnats, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums, and we have to burn tea candles in the sink all night to incinerate the no-see-ums that still get through. The most common statement is, "Close the #%#$#!!! door!!!!"

Is this sort of thing an issue at BM? Or do we only have to deal with inanimate dust and not extremely animated (and hungry) insects?

[VultureChow]

Nope. No bugs except what you bring with you.

[FIGJAM]

VC is right!!!

One of the greatest things about the playa is that it's so desolate there are no bugs AT ALL, except what hitch hike in with the burners.

[Captain Goddammit]

Snakes, as big as you've ever seen. But bugs, no.

[FlyingMonkey]

I got hit in the head by a big flying bug one night last year & have seen praying mantis, small lizards & other critters too. But as stated above they are mostly hitchhikers & not locals. I think the alkaline dust makes the Playa less habitable than other deserts.

Really people, we need to work a little harder on our insect LNT plans.

But....since the weather has been so gentle the last few years I think we are due for a wind swept spider apocalypse like this.

[media]

[lucky420]

Nasty ass Walker lake!

[Melonblue]

Spider apocalypse would have tickets flooding into STEP, mine included...

Blargh...there isn't enough fire for that many spiders...
Now I'm itchy...

[maladroit]

Anything that makes an Aussie queasy is to be avoided.

[VultureChow]

Yeah. Stupid spiders. They think it's just a big desert rave.

[maladroit]

[Lonesomebri]

Not many bugs out there, but then, spiders and scorpions aren't really bugs.

[TT120]

High desert jumping spider. These guys eat the scorpions out there.

[mooserider]

Not many bugs out there, but then, spiders and scorpions aren't really bugs.

Yeah, but they're too big to fit through the holes in the screen windows.

[Drawingablank]

Have seen 2 scorpions there - they like to crawl into your nice warm possessions at night so always shake out your shoes before putting them on.

[Savannah]

Just a curious burgin, wondering if I need to seal my sleeping quarters against bloodsucking critters. Other places I go camping, the tent and RV are kept sealed at all times due to gnats, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums, and we have to burn tea candles in the sink all night to incinerate the no-see-ums that still get through. The most common statement is, "Close the #%#$#!!! door!!!!"

Your habit of closing the door will continue to serve you well, even though there are not really any bugs to speak of. For if you do not zip your windows and doors all the way (or if you have a tent with an unsealed rainfly--horrors) you may come back to a fine coat of dust on top of everything . . .

[ygmir]

playa leaches, but only if there is standing water..................brine shrimp as well.........watch your orifices.

[mudpuppy000]

I hate those port-o-spiders. Make sure to slam the lid a few times before you sit down.

[VultureChow]

[krly]

I've heard of tsetse flies but that was my first titsie spider (although not nearly as scary as a teste spider).
Krly

[lucky420]

the scorpions in n. nv aren't really dangerous to humans unless youre allergic...

There cousins down south are real bastards though

[Zubeneschamali]

Bugs, hippies, sparkleponies, shirtcockers, DPW, we got 'em all. No screen will keep them out. Only solution is to stay incredibly drunk all week and yell out random quadratic equations in French.

[Lonesomebri]

Yeah, thank VultureChow for reminding me, not only are spiders not bugs, but even at the Burn they get more action than me. And "arachnid" doesn't mean that they are too big and can't get thru screens, it means they have enough legs to open your flimsy tent zipper that's gonna be blown out on day 2 due to dust and walk right in. And isn't the correct latin term for playa leaches "hippie"? And no screen is gonna keep them out, unless it's a task that needs doing. I'm figuring that for every person out there, the gear they hauled out of storage/the basement/garage/etc is carrying about a dozen spiders. Add in the porto-spiders and we are looking at a population approaching a quarter million. It might be better if there were alot of bugs out there to feed that hoard. Anyway, at night sometimes the lone dragonfly will buzz in, looking for the Nile virus carrying mosquito....

[Drawingablank]

That is the sexiest video of your chest I have ever seen VC.

[fernley1]

A couple of weeks ago we camped on the playa and there were lots of gnats flying around. This was near 3 mile.

[Jovankat]

Anything that makes an Aussie queasy is to be avoided.

I can't work out which post you're referring to as being from an Aussie.

That said though, FUCK THIS THREAD! I'm going to be looking over my shoulder (and between my boobs) all day like a crazy paranoid person.

*whole body shiver*

[VultureChow]

I had a Chilean Rose Hair tarantula as a pet when I was a kid. Her name was Sally. Sweet thing.

[Dr. Pyro]

I'm going to be looking over my shoulder (and between my boobs) all day like a crazy paranoid person.

You won't be the only one.

[ygmir]

I'm going to be looking over my shoulder (and between my boobs) all day like a crazy paranoid person.

You won't be the only one.

*gets in line behind Doc as usual*

[maladroit]

Anything that makes an Aussie queasy is to be avoided.

I can't work out which post you're referring to as being from an Aussie.

That said though, FUCK THIS THREAD! I'm going to be looking over my shoulder (and between my boobs) all day like a crazy paranoid person.

*whole body shiver*

I thought the video of Walker Lake included a mention of heading back to Australia.

The playa nudists have the right idea!

[remi]

My buddy bought a new trailer for the burn, and it just so happened to have a family of mice living in there. After a couple days on the playa, we started finding dead mice under his trailer. There ended up being almost a dozen.