Nairobi - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
answer - Mar 2024
Every single standalone house here will have tons of ants. It's just part of living here, and you get used to it. Most people have full-time housekeepers who help keep things at bay. We do not, so I had to work pretty hard at keeping the ants out of our house, but it's not a huge deal if you're smart about it. The Grove seems to have a roving cockroach problem. They can come create a horrible infestation in one apartment, and then when that apartment treats them they move somewhere else. We are clean people and still had a horrendous issue with them for a couple of weeks. The only real solution is to fumigate the entire complex at once, but I don't see that happening. - Mar 2024
Ants! Nairobi is basically built on an ant hill so it’s a constant battle. We also had tons of mosquitos. Outside in our yard we occasionally had snakes of different varieties and monkeys coming through the yard to steal fruit. - Aug 2023
Ants and wasps can be a problem. - Mar 2022
Termites will fly in every rainy season. Other than that, no. - Aug 2021
Occasionally the termites would swarm but nothing too awful. - Nov 2020
Typical for this type of weather. - Dec 2018
We've had one hell of an ant infestation in our kitchen. They're like the T-1000 and they just don't stop. Ever. And we keep a tidy kitchen, mind you. We constantly find bugs and living things in our home. One time my wife found a giant grasshopper in our bed. Under the sheets. WTH? Then there was the time I went to pick up cat poop, only to find it was a giant millipede. We also had Sykes monkeys get into our kitchen - twice in fact - and steal our bananas. Yes, this actually happened. So yeah, you could say that there are problems with bugs and living creatures here, but to be honest, most of these encounters make for some great stories. - Dec 2018
We have had major problems with ants during certain seasons of the year. - Jun 2018
Termites and ants are particularly determined around here. Most structures are made of stone or concrete, so termites feast mainly on firewood. Ants are best thwarted with bait traps, kitchen cleanliness, and a gardener's assistance in locating colonies. - Jul 2016
Mosquitoes, malaria, snakes - Sep 2015
Mosquitoes are pretty bad and risks of malaria exist outside of Nairobi (Nairobi is malaria-free thanks to the elevation). Ants can be annoying in kitchens. - Aug 2015
Mosquitoes are getting to be a problem, although they are not malarial - most houses do not have screens on the windows because there hasn't been a need. In Embassy housing there is a screen on at least one window per room, and you can get a carpenter (such a one of the Embassy's, moonlighting) to custom-make more. - Jul 2015
Ants are an issue in our house, but we have finally got them in control. During the rainy season, the flying termites are a sight to see. They come out of the ground and fly around for a minute or two before shedding their wings. I have seen thousands of them at a time fluttering around the house. In the morning there are thousands of wings on the ground. They are harmless and you can actually eat them if you want. They taste like lemon. - May 2015
None really, a few ants in the house sometimes. - Dec 2014
Nairobi is high elevation so no malaria here. However, lower lying areas do have malaria so be wary of mosquitos. Some ants. Lots of geckos, small lizards. - Jun 2014
Ants, swarms of them! - Jun 2014
None, really. Ants and mosquitos, but Nairobi is too high of sea level to have malaria, fortunately. - Mar 2014
Mosquitos and ants. Nairobi is too high for malaria but you still get mosquitos. Some people use nets but it is a personal preference. The medical unit recommends antimalarials for trips to the coast and on safaris. Larium and Doxy are provided by the med unit free of cost. If you want Malarone they will write you a prescription and you can fill it locally. - Jul 2013
Mosquitoes by the coast, ants and cockroaches. - Jun 2013
Flying termites after it rains in October. No malarial mosquitoes at this altitude. - Dec 2012
Ants and other bugs are around, but they are not a terrible problem. You need to wear mosquito repellent if it's been raining. - Aug 2012
Nothing too out of the ordinary - ants are an issue. - Dec 2011
Mosquitoes, but not malaria-bearing ones in Nairobi. No need to take anti-malarials on a regular basis. - Dec 2011
We had numerous ant invasions but our geckos took care of anything larger. - Sep 2011
ants, mosquitoes, but supposedly there is no malaria with the nairobi mosquitoes. - Dec 2010
No real problems. There are mosquitoes, and some people sleep under mosquito nets. While on safari we often sleep under nets. I however do not get bitten at all. - Dec 2009
Minor. The embassy housing usually has one window screened per room, to avoid the random flying things. Mosquitoes can be pesky, so bring a bed net to use a few weeks per year. - Jul 2009
