Secrets to Living in the Tropics #1

sakumabali

I had the black bugs too...isn't it complimentary protein? Maybe the bucks are Italian pasta lovers?

AuroraB

Put the infested food in the freezer 24h to kill the bugs, larva and eggs... Keep all food in airtight containers as mentioned above as particularly tiny ants pickup smell from far away...

Balifrog

Markit wrote Supermarkets OK, but French bakery - I bake my own bread.

Mmm, baguette, croissant, raisin danish, apple turnover, pain au chocolat... All necessary for breakfast !

gtrken

Balifrog wrote Mmm, baguette, croissant, raisin danish, apple turnover, pain au chocolat... All necessary for breakfast !

If I ate all that for breakfast I wouldn't fit through the door ! Cheers Weetbix Kid Ken ( It's an Aussie thing...)

Balifrog

gtrken wrote If I ate all that for breakfast I wouldn't fit through the door ! Cheers Weetbix Kid Ken ( It's an Aussie thing...)

Not all the same day ! And I forgot to add the pancakes and soft eggs with soldiers ! The Weedbix, you flush it down with a large Bintang in real Aussie style ?j Joking (although I am sure some do it !)

Markit

#2 had some serious issues with mozzies in bathrooms (closed) and kitchens, also closed off until we discovered they were flying into the ventilation piping on the septic tank and having families down in our shit then flying back out the drains (somehow even bypassing the ubend) to eat us. Solved this by putting some iron wool inside the ventilation pipes so stopping them getting in in the first place.

Markit

AuroraB wrote Put the infested food in the freezer 24h to kill the bugs, larva and eggs... Keep all food in airtight containers as mentioned above as particularly tiny ants pickup smell from far away...

I'm going to be doing this will all pasta that I buy in future - first in the freezer overnight and then sealed in a separate container Many thanks

mugwump

Imagine a carnivore lizard invading your septic tank, and then the pipeline to your commode! Fortunately was able to discover his presence before presenting mine dangling above.

harryopal

mugwump wrote Imagine a carnivore lizard invading your septic tank, and then the pipeline to your commode! Fortunately was able to discover his presence before presenting mine dangling above.

Hence the expression, "nipped in the bud".

Shadrach

Well a lizard might not as bad as a python, green snake, or a red belly black snake, or a Komodo! I was always told to never put grease down the drain. It clogs up the pipes.

harryopal

A good reason not to live in Florida. Today's news. Iguana in toilet. Ouch! ![](https://balipod.com/uploads/attachments/3721-65d58dd1353ce414cad7759ce2976bb7.png

Shadrach

harryopal wrote A good reason not to live in Florida. Today's news. Iguana in toilet. Ouch! [ATTACH type="full" alt="1684993937211.png"]3721[/ATTACH]

Shadrach

Funny as hell, but I hear they taste great prepared right, and so many it's open for all you can. I'd give it a try.

Markit

I realized a while ago there are a number of things I've learned to do since moving to Bali that would never have occurred to the old Western me and the direct follow on was to wonder what other shit I fight daily that you gentle people may have already solved and that we might compare and contrast for the general good?! I'll start of with a couple that I find indispensable: 1) store all your herbs and spices in the freezer other wise they will go moldy within a few weeks and become unusable. 2) violent barking dogs will run away if you bend down pretending to pick up a stone (you can always do it and chuck a rock at them too just for fun). 3) 2 or 3 weeks after buying a new floor fan they will start to buzz in a really annoying manor, just put one foot of the fan on one of your rubber sandals (thongs?) to get it to stop. [B][I]My problem[/I][/B] is that living far from DPS I have to buy my noodles in bulk. I used to by 3 packs of spaghetti that lasted a couple of months and then I had to stock up again. Last trip I spent a small fortune (Indo) on a shed-load of different pasta shapes and since I've changed my reading glasses I've noticed to my horror that there are legions of small black bugs that have taken up residence inside my CLOSED bags of pasta and seem to be living their best lives there. I am not willing to share so what can I do to keep the feckers out and remove the residents living there already. I am not willing to chuck them all away and there isn't enough room in my freezer for everything that may get infested. I may just have to use my old glasses when eating pasta.

Balifrog

Had the black bugs a few times, twice straight from the store. Remedy : - check closely in the store - arriving at home transfer them directly in a plastic container (Tupperware style) For your noodles with already bugs (proteine) inside, you can relatively easily shake them out. Same for rice, wash them out before use. Of course you won't get rid of the eggs incrusted IN the noodles... For flour just sift it before use (like you do anyway should ...) No problem with spices, but I have A/C on all day, so it lowers the humidity rate. No fan, can't stand their noice. Even the "super silent" ones. To note that I have worked / lived in Asia for 27 years, so I am a bit "hardcore". BTW, [USER=1532]@Markit[/USER], no way I would live far away from the supermarket and French bakery !

Markit

Balifrog wrote Had the black bugs a few times, twice straight from the store. Remedy : - check closely in the store - arriving at home transfer them directly in a plastic container (Tupperware style) For your noodles with already bugs (proteine) inside, you can relatively easily shake them out. Same for rice, wash them out before use. Of course you won't get rid of the eggs incrusted IN the noodles... For flour just sift it before use (like you do anyway should ...) No problem with spices, but I have A/C on all day, so it lowers the humidity rate. No fan, can't stand their noice. Even the "super silent" ones. To note that I have worked / lived in Asia for 27 years, so I am a bit "hardcore". BTW, [USER=1532]@Markit[/USER], no way I would live far away from the supermarket and French bakery !

Supermarkets OK, but French bakery - I bake my own bread.

AuroraB

Last week I had enough of the tiny flies lurking around the kitchen sink and trash bin area. Using macro lens and google I identified these to be scuttle flies that are very fond of damp areas like kitchen sink and drain. Attempting to find the breeding spot I lifted up a stainless steel cover I found on the ground outside the kitchen window (that is usually open). Turned out this brand new villa comes with a grease trap I was not aware of -- and after one year since we moved in -- the grease trap was full! After full cleanup of the grease trap and flushing the drain the tiny flies seems to be gone. The grease trap cover was not fully sealed allowing insects to access. I have not been aware of grease traps installed in other villas I rented. That said it seems to be a good idea to prevent grease build up in the septic system. ![](https://balipod.com/uploads/attachments/3718-e8db97dd0e68bd799716beaae96ceb6a.png ![](https://balipod.com/uploads/attachments/3719-95d379b13a43b94baf4eb597dc61ab0b.png