Roatan is an island that has plenty of lush tropical jungle. It’s beautiful, but it’s also home to some creepy crawlies! Now, I can get down with these creatures, but I know some of you can’t, so for each of them I’ll let you know what your chance is of seeing one outside of the bush. I used to live in the jungle, so these are all my pics from ones I’ve seen around.
1. Snakes
Everyone’s favorite! Snakes on a plane! No, wait – snakes in the jungle! The majority of snakes on Roatan are boa constrictors, and what the islanders like to call “Captain Sawyers”. Nearly all are constrictor-type snakes, and the only venomous snake is the coral snake, which hardly anyone has seen and there are no recorded bites on Roatan. (I guess I was lucky to see a juvenile one slither across my path while walking home one evening?)
A snakeskin from a boa constrictor that I found under my house… but couldn’t find the snake that went with it!
Your chance of seeing one outside of the jungle: like 6%. They don’t dig the beach, so unless you’re bushwacking you probably won’t see a snake here.
2. Ants
You’re laughing right? Ants? You know ants, ants are super harmless. OR ARE THEY?!?
There are two kinds of ants here that are downright nasty: 1) leafcutter ants, which you can recognize by them carrying little pieces of green leaves on their backs – watch out, they bite! and 2) army ants, which completely invade your house by the millions (non-exaggeration), eat all the crumbs, spiders and cockroaches they can find, and then leave after a few hours of everything inside your home being covered in them. Oh, and they bite too, and the bites itch for days afterward.
These are not the bad ants. I have no pictures of them, because I ran out of my house when they poured in through the cracks around the windows.
Your chance of seeing one outside of the jungle: about 100%. These jerks are everywhere.
3. Frogs
Frogs are pretty cool, except for when they come up through your toilet….while you’re on the toilet. It’s the stuff of nightmares. Also, I keep finding little frogs inside my house now, and I don’t live in the jungle anymore. I have NO IDEA how they keep getting in. Frog-ninjas!
The asshole frog who came out of the toilet while I was on it. Some girly screaming happened.
Your chance of seeing one outside of the jungle: I’d say like 22%. Check the toilet before you sit down!
4. Spiders
Yeah, we have them. Sorry. Tarantulas, wood spiders, other massively creepy ones that I don’t know what they are but I smash them if I see them inside my house.
What in the hell is this albino spider on my scooter? First and last time I saw one of these, almost the size of my hand!
Your chance of seeing one outside of the jungle: for a tarantula, maybe 2%. Everything else, probably 79%.
So as you can see, Roatan is home to some pretty creepy creatures, but your chances of seeing them are low, so not to fear. If you have a debilitating phobia of any of these, I recommend just getting blindingly drunk on rum for your entire trip so if you see one you will be okay. Who knows, maybe you’ll make a new friend!
– rika
