Casa Fenice Wildlife & Insects

Flying, Biting Insects

The bane of summer holidays around the world, biting insects can quickly turn a blissful holiday into an itchy nightmare. In Abruzzo there are 3 main flying, biting insects:

1. Tiger mosquito. This is a big one, you cant miss it. It is quieter than the small mosquito- despite its size, it seems to fly in Stealth Mode. You will feel a slight sting after it has bitten you, and you will be surprised by the size of the swelling… it can be as big and raised as a Euro coin! It is surprisingly not that itchy, and if you ignore it the swelling often disappears quite quickly, often in less than an hour.
2. Small mosquito. About half the size of the Tiger, it is noisy…. The bzzzz in your ear at night could drive you crazy. Its bite makes a smaller, harder, itchier lump about the size of half a pea. If you ignore the bite it will also disappear in an hour or two.
3. No-see-ums/Midges. Mosquitos often get blamed for the bites caused by this silent and tiny insect. Only 1-3mm in length, and small enough to fit through most mosquito screens, the midge is usually long gone by the time you feel the effects of its bite… sometimes up to a day later! The itchiness of a midge bite is due to an allergic reaction, and the lumps can be surprisingly hard and often bright red. The red mark may remain a week or more, long after the itchiness has subsided.

The good news is that forewarned is most definitely forearmed. The following steps will help you to reduce bites and their after affects:

1. At Casa Fenice we provide an unlimited quantity of poison free repellent. Made only of water and essential oils (lavender and citronella), you can safely spray this on your body, clothes, hair and face. You should reapply after a swim. All biting insects are repelled by the smell, and making sure you are always smelling of these essential oils is your best defence.
2. Biting insects cannot fly in a breeze. This is one of the reasons we have chosen powerful ceiling fans instead of air conditioning at Casa Fenice. The fans are so powerful, you can sleep with your door/window open (shutters closed, vents open) to circulate the cool evening air.
3. Try to avoid being outside at dawn and dusk when these insects are most active. If you enjoy being outside at this time, spray on repellent and try wearing loose clothing.
4. Bug Zappers will attract and kill flying insects. Put the paddle zapper provided in its stand on the table for extra protection.
5. Anti histamines, both tablets and ointments, are the best treatment for midge bites.
6. We have provided a zapping device (attached to one repellent spray). Press one side against your skin and pull the trigger two or three times to reduce itch and swelling.

Annoying (but non-biting) insects

1. Daddy-long-legs: these harmless spiders are well known the world over. In the countryside they are not only numerous, they are also tenacious. No sooner have all the new webs been cleared, another one will discover the vacant spot and start constructing anew. If a new web is constructed during your stay, please let us know and we’ll remove it for you.
2. Stink Bugs: the look like a small, flat brown or green leaf with longish legs. They are completely harmless and can be flicked outside. Beware if you crush one though… they smell strongly of coriander or even urine.
3. Garden spiders: brown, with a flattened spindle shape body, their thick legs can span as big as a €2 coin when they are big, but most are about half that size. Totally harmless and generally only found outside.
4. Flies: more irritating than a mosquito with a voracious appetite, flies are an inevitable summer companion. We have found the flies to be few and far between below 30° and/or at low humidity, but when the temperature and moisture climb, the flies begin to seek refuge inside. We have installed insect nets on the windows that are often open, and regular emptying of dustbins and washing of dishes definitely reduces the problem. However, some days they will slip into the house when you do and positively drive you crazy. To help you in reducing their numbers (and even provide an entertaining game for the competitive among you) we have provided a paddle zapper. Shaped like a tennis racket it is extremely effective at killing flies. Some tips: it is not a swatter, banging it on anything will break it; flies need 2-3 zaps to die- don’t think you have won until you see their lifeless body on the floor (these devils will fly with 2 legs and half a wing if they can!), lastly patience is key. Bring the paddle in slow and steady for success. Easiest spot to kill them? A window. For meals outside we have provided 2 Shoo Fly propellers- switch on and place between your serving dishes on the table. Luckily they disappear when the sun goes down.
5. House Caterpillar: this household helper looks terrifying…. Flat, fuzzy, with lots of protruding hairs and long legs. Adults can be 4cm long and half as wide. They are very fast! Our first instinct was to remove them all, until we learnt that they keep an area clear of spiders, silver fish etc. They are not dangerous to humans though, and are mostly nocturnal, so its best to ignore them and let these miniature hunters get on with the job. As Casa Fenice isn’t damp, there aren’t many in Summer, but the warmth draws them inside during winter.

Flying, stinging insects

1. Wasps: these look like large bees, ranging from 15mm to 35mm and some can be extremely dangerous as repeated stings from the larger ones can cause an extreme allergic reaction. If undisturbed they will generally fly away. They tend to be attracted to fruit trees so please exercise caution when picking fruit. While we avoid poisons if we can, we have spray especially for wasps, so if you spot a big one near the house, or a nest, please let us know so that we can remove it. We do not have a problem with wasps, but it is best that guests are aware. Fun fact: Vespa means Wasp in Italian
2. Bees: we don’t have many around the house as there is much to keep them busy in the surrounding fields. If ignored they generally fly away. Fun Fact: Ape means Bee in Italian, and is the name of the tiny 3 wheeled pick up truck.

Crawling stinging/biting insects

1. Spiders: the same spiders found the world over such as black widow and violin spiders can be found at Casa Fenice. We havent seen any yet, but please take the same precautions as you ordinarily would.
2. Scorpions: these little critters look very ferocious and certainly have an attitude if you stumble across one. They are black and about 3cm long. They avoid people at all costs, and generally would only be found in the wood pile. We have only seen 3 in 3 years. Their sting is similar to that of a bee sting, and only a concern if you are allergy prone.

Reptiles and Amphibians

1. Lizards. We have lots of lizards. They are extremely quick and completely harmless. They eat all of the insects we don’t like so we leave them alone.
2. Frogs. The occasional frog from the nearby river or well has been known to hop around our garden at night. They are harmless.
3. Snakes. There are few snakes in our area because of the farming activity. However one that seems to tolerate it is the black Whip Snake. It is scary looking, but harmless, and keeps the rodents in the area in check. The only one we have seen in our 3 years here was dead. They tend to avoid humans, but if you are going for a walk in the fields please be vigilant.

Interesting Insects

Keep your eyes open for these fascinating insects, rare but exciting to see!

1. Rhinocerous Beetle. Massive (5cm plus) with a curved front horn.
2. Stick insect. Easy to miss, you may be lucky enough to see one clinging to a door or window.
3. Fireflies. Only around from mid to end May, and only found in unmown or wild areas. We keep our front field unmown until their mating is over. It is an hour of absolute magic about an hour after the sun goes down. Becoming increasingly rare the world over, we are proud to host them.
4. 9 spotted moth. A beautiful black and white spotted body with elegant orange wings.

If you see any other interesting ones, please let us know and we’ll add them to our list.

Mammals

There is an abundance of wildlife in our area, mostly nocturnal. Foxes, Wild Boar, Deer etc have been known to cross through our olive grove and bottom field. They are more prolific down by the river, so please be aware if you are walking or driving in that area.

Birds

1. Owls. The tiny Abruzzesi owl is a frequent visitor at Casa Fenice. A favorite perch is on the front balcony facing the olive grove. An interesting thing about the owl droppings is, when crushed, they sparkle in the sunlight as if they are glitter filled. This is because of the iridescent carapaces of the bugs they eat.
2. Buzzards. We have a mating pair in the olive grove above Casa Fenice. They can often be seen surfing the thermals high in the sky, and you can hear them calling to each other.
3. Starlings. Most spectacular in Autumn when hundreds of them travel in flocks together across the countryside.
4. Pheasant. Mostly hidden in the woods, in Autumn they have been seen scavenging in our garden.