MOSQUITOES & INSECTSThere are mosquitoes in the summer. They're mostly of the smaller variety (bad because you don't feel them "landing" and therefore usually can't defend yourself). They bite especially in the evenings/at night (unfortunately). Because they're "country mosquitoes," various immune reactions are possible, so particularly susceptible victims experience strong itching and redness, which, however, subside after a few days.What to do?First, prevent: wear body-covering dark clothing, avoid holding exposed extremities, etc., to protect yourself from mosquitoes in the evening.Second: mosquito protection as mosquito screens.Third: passively protect with mosquito-repellent skin lotions, etc.: e.g. Jaico sensitive or another product you've had good experiences with (Pharmacies are available: in Prela on the road heading out of town toward Dolcedo, then about 500 m past the town boundary on the right or in Dolcedo, downtown) or of course in Imperia). Pharmacist's recommendation: 3 times daily (!!!).Fourth (later): Antihistamine cream (Fenistil). If that doesn't help, try cortisone cream (available in Italy in much higher doses over-the-counter than in Germany).Fifth: popular with Italians: vapour aerosol with an atomiser for the electrical outlet. However, it has been proven (Süddeutsche Zeitung article, August 2022) only to help with feeling good, not so good for the environment (due to the "organic" toxic components), and not very effective against mosquitoes. That's why we haven't used it yet.Newcomer from China for about 10 years: the brown marmorated stink bug. In Liguria, mainly a fruit and olive pest. Mating season: May to June, with the main spread occurring during fruit ripening, August to October. Not poisonous, but it lives up to its name. Secretes foul-smelling secretion when attacked or threatened, including when accidentally put away/folded with the laundry (= caution when taking down laundry after drying).
The bugs should therefore best be caught with the glass/paper method and released in the wild. Overall, rather rare, but annoying when you're not aware of it and accidentally squash one.WATERTorretta is situated in a small mountain village, where the effects of climate change have now become unmistakably evident. This means that the wells drilled here from a height of 380 meters above sea level can sometimes "run dry" with decreasing rainfall and largely unregulated extraction (swimming pools, agriculture) because the groundwater level drops. The politics surrounding the apparently underperforming public water provider, Rivieracqua, also play a role here. The result of water scarcity is then episodically recurring reduced water quality in Torretta... this regularly leads to requests from the city administration to avoid wasting water if possible, and in extreme cases also to threats that the water will be shut off from midnight to 6 AM (but to our knowledge has never happened).The water is generally chlorinated. We had a water softener (Addolcitore) installed on the line to prevent pipe calcification; the water is therefore softened and drinkable when it's clean, and if you prefer it (see also above). But: 1. most people don't like the taste of chlorinated water that much anyway and you can especially when the wells are delivering sufficiently and aren't shut off 2. in Prela di Molini at the restaurant and in Dolcedo (curve diagonally opposite the Tunu restaurant) or in Vasia at the fountain or in Pantasina on the main street 30 meters from the shop, fill very cheaply (5 cents/liter) spring water at public taps (naturale or frizzante) into bottles you bring, which is probably the better recommendation.If, in individual cases, the drinking water quality is insufficient, the local water administration only feeds service water for washing/showering into the line (Italian standards are, however, significantly stricter than German ones). The water must be briefly boiled before use for cooking. We experienced this in September 2021... (the all-clear came four weeks later). In 9/2023, due to a required introduction of water from the well in Pantasina, the water was no longer enjoyable even when boiled (due to strong turbidity and increased aluminium concentration). The municipality usually informs in Italian, but also in German, via a notice board at the church, a display box, or on one of the trees. However, it's definitely recommended to check the Vasia municipality homepage (https://www.comune.vasia.im.it/Home), where the warnings are always published, usually also in German. The locals don't use tap water for drinking from the outset anyway.