Bugs, gnats & nasty flying things?

[Beancounter]

As an elederly virgin to Burning Man, I have read with great interest about all the perils from Playa Foot to dehydration to severe sunbrun. No where have I seen a mention of bugs - like flies, mosguitos, no-see-ums, and Homeland Security watchers.

Am I to beleive that the environment is so hostile that even these pests stay away?

[phil]

You are, indeed, to believe that.

[Dork]

For the most part, yes. There's an occasional horse fly and dragon fly blown in from the hills. I've seen moths, spiders and other household insects that were carried in with peoples' stuff. The numbers are rather small though, and rarely anything to be concerned with.

[MrMullen]

The Playa is more or less bug free. I don't even think that lanterns attract moths at night.

I saw a Dragon Fly this year and I think that is all I have seen at Burningman in two years (A total of 14 days).

[AntiM]

I saw a bee and two wasps last year, but they had hitchhiked in.

[Chai Guy]

I saw a petite beagle and a chinchilla last year. One year I saw a praying mantis too, but nope, no bugs (except the kind that crawl all over you after drinking the "special" kool-aid).

[diane o'thirst]

I've seen lots of mantises out there, in 2002 they were all over the place and turned from green to sand-coloured over the course of the week. They're usually very well-behaved, though; they fold up their paws and patiently watch you put up camp, then guard it for you.

[PlayaPetal]

yup - we had a Mantis live with us last year for a while too...

[Bob]

Usually more bugs & stuff blow onto the playa after wet winters, and I think this was a wet winter.

Being the desert, you might find some unusual species -- eg wasps that predate on scorpions.

[theCryptofishist]

I hear that there will be a gigantic mantis on the playa this year.

[Tiara]

I bring bug spray if I'm going camping in or near the vegetation at the edges of the playa. But not for Burning Man. Black Rock City isn't close enough to the edges that I've ever had issues with mosquitos, etc.

[spectabillis]

wasps eat scorpions out there? and what do scorpions and mantis eat on the open playa?

[Bob]

Couple years ago we had two-inch jet black wasps hanging out at the Man a week or two before the ticketholders showed up. They'll paralyze a scorpion, lay an egg, bury it, and the wasp larva will dine on the scorpion when it hatches. Seen smaller wasp species do this at the ranch.

Jumping mice have been known to blow onto the playa, too.

[calsur]

Beancounter,

If you encounter a bug, list it as a miracle. Worry about the wind that will rearrange your camp in a heart beat or blow for a couple of days.

[spectabillis]

poetic justice for the frog i guess. surprised at that, would think they would leave each other alone out of professional curtesy.

but on the realistic side, i think its an interesting play between two predators. cant be too much life to feed off so i guess its competitive.

[RedHeaven]

Last year I saw what I really think MIGHT be an actual PLAYA BUG....what do you guys think: It was a huge black beatle the size of an almond in the shell. I think it was a playa beatle cuz it burrowed itself in the playa. I saw about 4 more during the week, all by the tee pee at my camp. They al buried them selves in the ground. Freakin creepy, reminded me of armageddon or something. Other than that you dont even really see birds fly over let alone any bugs.

[Bob]

Everyone starts looking like Beatles eventually.