Japanese Thingamajiggers

While we have had a most spectacular and eventful time in Japan, I must do a quick blog about Japanese Thingamajiggers.  According to the Urban Dictionary, a thingamajigger is something we call an item when we can't remember it's name.  In our Japanese home, we refer to anything that crawls as a thingamajigger (thanks to my youngest son).  Not using the "actual" name of the pest seems to lessen the visual picture we have permanently embedded into our head.

I wanted to ignore and believe that no thingamajiggers would ever invade our tropical paradise.  I thought that we were going to be the lucky ones that would just enjoy this nice, warm, and humid climate without any unwelcome house guests. Unfortunately, my fantasy was short-lived and we had a couple experiences worth sharing.

Last weekend, we had our first experience with a thingamajigger.  My youngest son woke up to a mukade, or centipede crawling on his hand.  This was quite traumatic, and we were fortunate that he was unharmed.  We were told that these critters bite, travel in pairs, and are hard to kill.  Justin found the thingamajigger when he returned from Tokyo, hiding in a box (they like dark places), under my youngest son's bed.  Needless to say, I had my Japanese friend go with me to store to find some Boric Acid powder.  This powder is supposed to be sprinkled around the perimeter of the house.  I bought the waterproof kind, so hopefully it will do the trick.  We are still unsure how this thingamajigger got into the house.  It could've come in with the laundry I hang out, or possibly, in a crack in the house. 

Example of gokiburi trap.

When I was buying the Boric Acid powder, I also bought gokiburi, or cockroach traps as a preventive.  Since these thingamajiggers like water, and food items, I placed them in various locations in the kitchen and bathrooms thinking I was on top of everything.  A couple nights ago we came home to find a large gokiburi walking around the room where the sink and washer/dryer are.  What the heck!  The thingamajigger was quickly removed from the premises and I'm hoping they will never return.  Many of these critters fly, so we have to be careful to close our doors when it's warm here.  I've also felt first hand the effect of the ka, or mosquitoes, which are out in full swing.  I will likely blog about them at a later date.  Until then, I'll be equipped with my potent bug spray and  wearing the mosquito patch!