Pests

Just wanted to show that "paradise" isn't just for humans! We have many pests around, most of which are exotic species accidentally introduced to the island.

I did my homework well before I arrived here, so nothing really surprised me. Upper right is Giant African Land Snail. They eat plants and do substantial damage for farmers/nurseries. They're also known to host a parasite that can cause meningitis. Avoid direct contact with them at all cost. I throw them out on the street, and the sun takes care of them.

Another one is a recent arrival from Asia called "Stinging nettle caterpillar". As the name suggests, they sting you on contact and I hear it's very painful. They're notorious for their voracious appetite. The day I found two of them on my yard, I was a little shocked and started wearing gloves and long sleeve-shirt when pulling weeds in the bushy area. I actually reported the sighting to the department of agriculture, and learned that they'd be soon releasing predatory wasp that should kill the caterpillars. Hopefully it'll work.

We also have centipedes. They're very fast so I haven't been able to take pictures of them in one piece (who would want to see their pictures anyway?). I already sent two of them to the Neitherland...