Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2020 June 5

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June 5

African Travel

I want to ride my motorbike from London to Capetown, down the west coast of africa. Do I need to get visa's before hand or can I simply get to a border and then arrange this. Time is not a concern for me, I will have no problem waiting at borders or elsewhere for weeks if needed. I just want to know if it is possible or not. Thank you — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.151.74.96 (talk) 10:23, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

It varies from country to country (and also over time - it used not to be possible to get a visa to enter Tanzania at the border, but now you can). You should work out the countries you will visit and check on the embassy websites for each.--Phil Holmes (talk) 10:40, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

Thank you. Part II, are the orders as porous as they seem, can I get into Ebebiyin in Equitorial Guinea and then simply cross into Gabon by going down some of the back streets? Then do something similar to get back into Cameroon and vise-versa? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.151.74.96 (talk) 10:52, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

My experience from Kenya and Tanzania is that it is trivial to cross from one to the other without border checks. The Masai Mara and Serengeti have border markers beteen them, and rangers occasionally patrol them, but there is nothing that would physically stop you crossing. I've done it (in a safari truck) on a number of occasions. The problem is that you can't make a permanent crossing, since you have no record in your passport of being allowed into the country, so the border force would not allow you to get out via a recognised crossing.--Phil Holmes (talk) 09:03, 6 June 2020 (UTC)

Not too many back roads in Gabon, given the country is 90% dense forest. You should probably stick to the main roads anyway; they are dangerous enough already. There are ferries crossing the Muni River from Equatorial Guinea into Cocobeach, which is the normal way to travel between the two countries. From there, it's easy to connect to the rest of the country. Not sure about the southern border into Congo-Brazzaville, however, and I haven't been back in Gabon in quite a few years, when Mayumba was the end of the road (and it appears to still be the case, from the online maps I can find). There is a crossing much further in the interior, however. Xuxl (talk) 12:41, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

See Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel bans can quickly change and there are already many African countries with a ban on foreign travelers. PrimeHunter (talk) 14:27, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

Assuming that you are British, you may want to peruse visa requirements for British citizens and the FCO's travel advice on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice ---- LongHairedFop (talk) 17:15, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

Generally speaking, you'd get better indications asking in a dedicated travel forum, there are plenty of notice-boards around that specifically deal with these issues. Leaving the whole COVID-19 situation aside, overland travel in West and Central Africa requires plenty of prep-work to get the visas in order. You'd probably need a visa for most countries, and in most cases it is impossible to get a visa directly on the border. In some cases you can get visa in the national capital in the neighbouring country, but some cases (Nigeria, E. Guinea, and probably some other Central African states) the visa process is much more complex. Trying to skip border controls altogether is a very, very bad idea - for many reasons, including that in many countries in the region you can frequently be stopped and have your papers checked at checkpoints along the high-ways, and if you've entered Country A illegally you'd have to depart Country A illegally as well, and without a proper exit stamp in your passport you could be refused entry into Country B. --Soman (talk) 16:13, 10 June 2020 (UTC)

pharaoh ant

• How do I know once I killed the entire colony, I've killed 20+ ants in 1 day --Thegooduser Life Begins With a Smile :) 🍁 18:46, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

The article pharaoh ant indicates that there can be 200 queens alone; there can be upto 300,000 ants in a single colony. You might want to call in the professionals. LongHairedFop (talk) 19:47, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

Definitely. And even then it could take more than one application. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:59, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

Also note that: "A colony of pharaoh ants will scatter if a toxic substance disturbs it, creating multiple problems where there had been only one." 2606:A000:1126:28D:E5AE:E91:687F:F345 (talk) 21:39, 5 June 2020 (UTC)

If I tape them in their nest (seal the hole they go out and in) will it work? --Thegooduser Life Begins With a Smile :) 🍁 21:38, 6 June 2020 (UTC)

From Ants.com linked above: The pharaoh ant can nest between sheets of paper, in the folds of clothing, behind baseboards, beneath stones, inside light fixtures, and in furniture. -- So, it is unlikely that taping the hole will do anything; (and, at least with other ants, there is more than one entrance). Reading sources strongly recommended before proceeding -- Or, take LongHairedFop's advice and consult a professional. 107.15.157.44 (talk) 23:43, 6 June 2020 (UTC) Modified: 22:41, 7 June 2020 (UTC)