Creepy creatures.

Creepy?

If by creepy you mean dangerous, don't worry. All the animals in the island are harmless. Even scary-looking Cacata (tarantula) is not really dangerous, it just looks so.

But if you dislike any of such critters then you have to know that they are fairly common outside, it is not the case in hotels, where fumigation and pest control eliminate most of their chance to get food. There's little to no chance that you will encounter them if you stay inside your hotel room. Not a nice prospect, I think.

I've been there several times and have not encountered any creepy creatures... I saw one little tree lizard last time. The only problem I had was the occasional mosquito or bug bite if I forgot to wear my bug repellent. I saw far "creepier" bugs and bizarre creatures when I lived in Miami. You don't have anything to worry about in the DR. Bring some bugspay and you'll be fine.

No matter where you go on your vacation, if the weather is warm (summertime or in the tropics) there will be insects. I hope your dislike doesn't immobilize you so that you spend all of your time inside your hotel and room. That won't be much of a vacation. You can find a hotel room closer to home that costs less to get to than Punta Cana.

I have lived in the DR for more than 15 years and have never felt there was a problem with "creepy creatures" (except maybe cockroaches in the hotel/restaurant storerooms where food supplies are kept--but that is true of hotels and restaurants everywhere).

Come and enjoy all that the DR has to offer. No need to get yourself psyched up over the creepy creatures. Just step on any that bother you.

Lizards are so cute. I tried to take pictures of one but it was more afraid of me then me of it. On my last trip it was mosquito the that attached me. But other than that the rest of the creatures are harmless. Like Pib said the hotels use pest control

not trying to scare you here, but Ive seen all kinds of interesting and unusual creatures in the DR. However, I tend to seek them out rather than avoid them.

My favorite is the glow in the dark click beetle. We had a 6 inch gecko lizard living in the bath room for years. The cute little green lizards are always running about eating flys and mosquitos. There are plenty of large spiders around, but they arent our to get you and just sit on thier web and eat flies. Last time we were down we did find a baby tarantula (cacata), but thats the only time i've seen one.

Then again, I don't go to the resorts where they use lots of pesticides.... I doubt you will see much "wildlife" there... Maybe some mosquitos and a little lizard or two.

Just stay away from the creepy sankipanki and you'll be alright.

spiders

I had the same fear when I went to the DR in March. I have a pretty severe spider phobia, and I was concerned what I might encounter. I am happy to report that I only saw two very small spiders...no bigger than they are here at home in the U.S. I can't imagine what would happen if I encountered a spider the size of a tarantula. We did not travel outside the resort at all. In fact, on another website, I read a review of an excursion that someone took where they visited a local dominican family as part of their tour. They said that inside the home, they saw a "large, hairy spider". I'm so frightened by them that I couldn't even consider taking that tour--I forget which one it was now. Thank gawd I was very happy to lie on the beach for a week without leaving our resort! I know...I need therapy

bring lots of high SPF sunscreen!! a bad sunburn will ruin your vacation more than seeing a cockroach or two. HAVE FUN!!!

I can't understand this fear of spiders. They are very useful creatures. They eat other bugs and I don't think most breeds bite do they?

Buy 2 things before you come.

A good mosquito repellent,for sitting by the pool at night to watch the Variety Shows,and a can of insect "killer" in case a bug or mosquito makes it into your room at 2 am,and you can't sleep.CRISCO

fear

If you don't have a fear of spiders, you will never understand it. There is no rationalization whatsoever. Believe me...I've had this conversation NUMEROUS times over my 38 years! I have a friend at work with the same fear, just as intense, and we discuss it often. It has nothing to do with being afraid of spiders because I think they will bite me. It never even occurs to me if they are poisonous or not. And I know how good they are, they eat mosquitos, etc. It's just like any other phobia...no rationality. It's like being afraid of elevators...an elevator isn't going to hurt you...but you can still refuse to enter one. Or being afraid of heights...if you don't jump, a high place cannot hurt you...get my point? I'll just have to stay away from places where I may encounter one! My fear is getting a little better though. I've figured out that if I wear a pair of my husband's shoes, and rubber kitchen gloves, I can actually go in our laundry room and clean the cat litter. That's where you'll find spiders in our house. I know...like I said, I could probably use some therapy

Re CC's post on buying bug spray before you come. No need. A variety of bug-killing sprays are available in all supermarkets and department stores and are more powerful than those sold in the US and Canada. Also available is a device that you plug into an electric outlet. They consume a small plastic wafer, sufficient to last through the night. The device and boxes of the wafers can also be purchased in the above mentioned stores. The coils that you light with the match can also be purchased here.

Not to worry

I seriously doubt that youwill encounter any of our more "interesting" creepy crawley creatures.

On resort property they spray to keep the mosquito populations down...also the flies. This, in turn deprives the little lizards of their prime food.

DR spiders are mostly rural creatures, so I seriously doubt that you will meet any of them.

I once saw the battle between the tarantula wasp and a tarantula, in real life! It was facinating, and the wasp won...

Oh yes, I do understand your phobia of spiders, my wife has one about cockroaches. she says she has stayed married to me all these years because I can squish them real good!

HB