Zambian Critters

This is an updated version of an earlier article.

Africa has more than its fair share of wildlife.  Not many large animals — the kind you would typically think of in Africa like lions, elephants and giraffes — range in urban areas except on private game reserves.  The critters that hang out near our house are of a smaller variety.  An occasional oversized snake (poisonous or not) slithers its way on to our property until it’s dispatched by someone, but for the most part the critters who hang around the neighborhood are small reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids.

We have small lizards and geckos.  They’re cute, multicolored, and absolutely harmless.

Mosquitoes, spiders, ants, termites and other pests are omnipresent.  They usually multiply at the end of the dry season and beginning of the rainy season (September – January).

First come the “flatties” – harmless spiders that can grow as large as three inches wide with a very flat profile.  Their abdomens grow so plump that they almost look like small crabs.  Flatties look menacing but are too lazy to be threatening.  I have yet to see one catch an insect — night or day.  Like a disinterested cat, they usually lounge on the walls as if waiting casually for something to stray their way.  I was startled this morning by a flattie squatting on the side of our computer desk.  It must have been 2.5 inches wide with a 3/4-inch abdomen.  She blended in well with the wood work.

Other insects are more of a nuisance and even threatening.  The ants in this part of the world are diverse and imposing, from tiny yellow or brown sugar ants attracted to unprotected food to large half-inch army ants.  One night I saw a stream of army ants marching (quite literally) away from our house down the driveway like a living stream.  We fumigated the foundation soon thereafter – army ants are not to be trifled with.  Unattended beverages with sugar or sweet crumbs are major attractions for the smaller ants.  They build large nests around the house foundation and find entry points into the dwelling through the tiniest of openings.  It’s quite a sight seeing a mass of ants attacking a snack you’ve left somewhere you thought would have been off limits – like around your den.

There are also the mosquitoes.  In this part of the world, mosquitoes can be deadly.  Many carry malaria and can leave one ill or dead if bitten.  Where I live in Lusaka it’s generally malaria-free because of the high altitude (over 4,000 feet), but heading to the countryside is a different story.  There are four strains of malaria to contend with — if you get malaria once, you’re not immune to getting it again.  Anti-malaria pills are recommended if you visit Zambia, but they don’t prevent malaria and only help you stay alive if you fall ill.  I’ve been told that malaria-carrying mosquitoes are of a particular variety.  Zambia’s mosquitoes are diverse.  Some are small and silent and others are slow and noisy, and I have yet to figure out which ones carry malaria.  Better to wear mosquito repellent and sleep under mosquito nets treated with repellent.  We’ve been thankful the past few months to live relatively mosquito-free, but the little critters have started coming out again.

After the first rain of the season, all the creepy crawlies that lay dormant during the dry season come to life.  The winged termites are the first to emerge; they breed in such large quantities that it is a bit like a sooty blizzard when they come out.  As they shed their wings and head into the ground, they leave behind piles of wings akin to small snow drifts.  Out come the brooms to sweep them up.

The termites build mounds that can grow incredibly large.  I once saw abandoned termite mounds in northwestern Zambia as tall as a two-story building – with trees growing on top of them!  I’ve been told that termites keep building their mounds until they can no longer sustain the brood, and then they disperse in search of new homes.  There are few large termite mounds in Lusaka because urbanization has limited the amount of foliage termites consume.

Finally, once a year the caterpillars emerge.  Before they become butterflies, many Zambians will collect and use them in a local dish called ifishimu.  Ifishimu, or cooked caterpillar and onion salad, is an acquired taste.

I tried some and did not like it.  I will not try the termite, another common Zambian dish.  I’d much rather eat crocodile or snake, two animals most Zambians will not eat.

In the United States, “little critters” are best known as a children’s chewable vitamin brand.  In Africa, this has an entirely different meaning.  Africa’s “little critters” refer to the insects that invade your home looking for sustenance.  They could be mosquitoes looking for blood, perhaps leaving behind malaria, or different types of spiders, the most common of which in Lusaka, are the “flattie” spiders so named because of their flat bodies (they can grow quite large with a leg span of up to several inches).

Some are flying termites, gnats, putsi flies, or varied types of cockroaches.  Most often, they are ants of many varieties, shapes and sizes ranging from tiny sugar ants to large army ants.

Many African homes are quite porous and make it easy for little critters to enter at will.  Whether it’s the doors with gaps that leave ample room for entry or the holes in the concrete walls meant for ventilation but more often act as sieves, homes here are built with little thought given to keeping out the creepy crawlies that find them tantalizing targets.  Occupants usually learn to live with them unless the “little critters” invade en masse or appear to be a physical threat.  The mandibles of a large ant leave no doubt that one bite would hurt immensely.

We’ve learned to live with the “little critters” for the most part, except when they take a liking to our kitchen or living quarters.  When a stream of sugar ants attacks a morsel left on the kitchen counter, it’s time to dispatch them.  When a spider preys too close to the bed, it meets a quick demise.

Spraying poison inside the home is tricky business, and using clothes or paper towels to wipe them out is impractical when they come in great numbers.  Thus, we usually put with them unless they cross our comfort threshold.  “Little critters” is one of the many aspects of life in Africa that makes living here an adventure.

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World Adventurers for Kids Book Giveaway

WAfK Front Cover (mini)Sign up today for your free autographed copy of my popular children’s picture book, World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3. Hosted by Goodreads, the giveaway ends on February 5, 2014. Click here to sign up. I’ll contact the winners after the giveaway ends. Good luck!

This 3-in-1 collection has been popular with children and parents around the world. It includes the first three picture books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series: Alexander the Salamander, Ellie the Elephant, and Zoe the Zebra. The book is available both in print and e-book formats from many booksellers.

The World Adventurers for Kids Series features illustrated adventure stories told in a way that children ages four to eight will find entertaining and educational. Filled with illustrated photos and moral tales, they will take children around the world in story books designed to read in one sitting.

Alexander the Salamander discusses the importance of listening to authority figures. A young salamander named Alexander joins his friends Airey the Butterfly and Terry the Tarantula for an unforgettable adventure in the Amazon River Basin.

Ellie the Elephant encourages children to follow their dreams. A young elephant named Ellie living in Thailand dreams of joining the elephant polo team and playing in the Elephant Cup polo tournament, but her parents want her to work in the rice fields. Will she realize her dream of playing elephant polo?

Zoe the Zebra teaches children about bullying. A young zebra named Zoe who lives in the African bush joins forces with her friends Emma the Impala, Barry the Baboon, and other animals to protect their friend Wally the Warthog from a pack of bullying hyenas. Can they help him and stop the bullying?

World Adventurers for Kids

All the books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series are available to purchase in print or e-book format from many booksellers listed below.

E-book Version

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 is now available to purchase as an ebook for only $2.99 (or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com for Kindle ($2.99)

Amazon UK for Kindle (£2,03)

Amazon Canada for Kindle ($3.05)

Amazon Germany for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon France for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon India for Kindle (R177.00)

Amazon Italy for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon Spain for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon Brazil for Kindle (R$6,67)

Amazon Japan for Kindle (¥296)

Apple iTunes ($2.99)

Barnes & Noble for Nook ($2.99)

Barnes & Noble UK for Nook (£1,91)

Diesel eBook Store for multiple e-readers ($2.99)

Kobo Books for Kobo Reader ($2.99) (available in Australia and other countries)

Sony ReaderStore for Sony e-reader ($2.99)

Smashwords for multiple e-readers ($2.99)

Print Version

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 is now available in print for $12.55 (or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($12.55)

Amazon UK (£11,89)

Amazon Canada ($19.87)

Amazon Germany (€15,56)

Amazon France (€14,78)

Amazon Italy (€14,97)

Amazon Spain (€14,36)

Createspace ($14.99)

IndieBound ($18.99)

Powell’s Books ($15.50)

Visit the book’s web page for a full list of booksellers.

Sign Up for your Free copy of

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 today!

 

WAfK Front Cover (small)

World Adventurers for Kids Featured in the Foreign Service Journal

The prestigious Foreign Service Journal has featured my World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 collection this year in its annual “In Their Own Write” compilation of books published by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. The Foreign Service Journal wrote of Kilimanjaro (page 42):

This compilation of three children’s books (Alexander the Salamander, Ellie the Elephant and Zoe the Zebra) is designed to teach children valuable lessons while providing entertaining stories and beautiful illustrations of global landmarks and wild environments.

Young children will enjoy the stories of an adventuring salamander with his rainforest friends, a courageous elephant attempting to achieve his goal of playing polo, and a group of defensive pals from the African bush set against a bullying pack of hyenas. The stories are supplemented by wonderfully illustrated vistas and humorously drawn animals with large eyes. The book is in large print, which makes it easy to read for both young kids and adults of all ages.

After serving as an FSO in South Korea, Paraguay and Zambia, M.G. Edwards left the Foreign Service in 2011 to write fantasy, thriller, travel and children’s books full time. He currently lives in Bangkok with his wife, Jing, and their elementary-aged son, Alex.

Thank you, Foreign Service Journal, for including World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 on your 2013 list. I am grateful that my book joined other superb works written by Foreign Service colleagues and alumni. I encourage readers to browse the books featured in “In Their Own Write” and to peruse the pages of the Journal to learn more about the Foreign Service.

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 is available to purchase as an e-book or in print from these booksellers:

E-book Version

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 is now available to purchase as an e-book for only $2.99 (or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

clip_image002Amazon.com for Kindle ($2.99)

Amazon UK for Kindle (£2,03)

Amazon Canada for Kindle ($3.05)

Amazon Germany for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon France for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon India for Kindle (R177.00)

Amazon Italy for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon Spain for Kindle (€2,68)

Amazon Brazil for Kindle (R$6,67)

Amazon Japan for Kindle (¥296)

Apple iTunes for iPad ($2.99)

Barnes & Noble for Nook ($2.99)

Barnes & Noble UK for Nook (£1,91)

Diesel eBook Store for multiple e-readers ($2.99)

Kobo Books for Kobo Reader ($2.99) (available in Australia and other countries)

Sony ReaderStore for Sony e-reader ($2.99)

Smashwords for multiple e-readers ($2.99)

Print Version

World Adventurers for Kids Books 1-3 is now available in print for $8.02 (or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($8.02)

Amazon UK (£11,89)

Amazon Canada ($19.87)

Amazon Germany (€15,56)

Amazon France (€14,78)

Amazon Italy (€14,97)

Amazon Spain (€14,36)

Createspace ($14.99)

IndieBound ($18.99)

Powell’s Books ($15.50)

Visit my website for a complete list of booksellers.

About the World Adventurers for Kids Series

The collection includes the first three picture books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series: Alexander the Salamander, Ellie the Elephant, and Zoe the Zebra. The book is available both in print and e-book formats from many booksellers.

clip_image004

Alexander the Salamander discusses the importance of listening to authority figures. A young salamander named Alexander joins his friends Airey the Butterfly and Terry the Tarantula for an unforgettable adventure in the Amazon River Basin.

Ellie the Elephant encourages children to follow their dreams. A young elephant named Ellie living in Thailand dreams of joining the elephant polo team and playing in the Elephant Cup polo tournament, but her parents want her to work in the rice fields. Will she realize her dream of playing elephant polo?

Zoe the Zebra teaches children about bullying. A young zebra named Zoe who lives in the African bush joins forces with her friends Emma the Impala, Barry the Baboon, and other animals to protect their friend Wally the Warthog from a pack of bullying hyenas. Can they help him and stop the bullying?

About the Foreign Service Journal

The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thoughtful articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy and the U.S. Foreign Service. The Journal is published monthly (July/August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The November issue features its annual “In Their Own Write” compilation with new books by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. The list spans almost every conceivable literary genre: from history and foreign policy to memoirs and biographies, and from novels and short stories to mysteries and how-to books.

About the American Foreign Service Association

Established in 1924, AFSA is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service. With close to 16,000 dues-paying members, AFSA represents over 28,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees of the Department of State, Agency for International Development (AID), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

Click here to read about my memoir Kilimanjaro featured in the November 2012 edition of the Foreign Service Journal.

Click here to read about my book Real Dreams:  Thirty Years of Short Stories featured in the November 2012 edition of the Foreign Service Journal.