Insects

The main insect problem is flies. There are no more than on a hot English summer day, but they can be a nuisance.
There are mosquitoes in Luxor. They do not carry the deadly diseases that are prevalent in some other parts of Africa. Most visitors never see a single one, but they are around, they do bite and they can draw blood. Mosquitoes are usually only a problem at dawn and dusk. If you are out at those times, cover your legs and arms. They can also be a noise nuisance at night in the hotel room. We suggest packing a fly swat.
If the thought of mosquitoes bothers you it is best to take some precautions. Many regular travellers recommend taking vitamin B tablets for a week before the trip and daily whilst you are in Egypt. Apparently it makes the blood taste nasty to the mosquitoes so they leave you alone. In most Luxor supermarkets and pharmacies you can buy cans of ‘OFF’ (in a red can) to spray on your exposed skin before you go out and 'after bite' cream can also be purchased.
For when you are in the room there are products that you spray into the air rather than on yourself which are easily available in Luxor. (If you stay in a hotel then they will spray your room for you if you report a problem). An alternative to sprays are the solid tablets that you place on a heater pad and plug into the mains socket. These give off a chemical gradually through the night to deal with mosquitoes and other flying insects.
There are other flying things. Dragonflies abound in season (they migrate like birds, so they are not around all year). They are normally above or near water, so you are almost bound to see them in the Nile-side hotels. Dragonflies (and damselflies) do not bite people.

Occasionally there will be large hornets. These are the same insect family as 'yellow jacket' wasps, but can be a lot bigger. They only leave the nest in early to mid autumn, so are not a problem most of the year. Hornets do sting. The sting is similar in nature to a wasp sting, although in the species of hornet found in Egypt the sting is actually a little more toxic, and a little more painful, than a wasp sting. This is not a major problem for most people (apart from the pain) but if you are allergic to wasp stings and need to do something when you are stung, then you should be prepared to take similar preventative or remedial action against a hornet sting if you are in Luxor when hornets are around.

LIZARDS

There are small lizards in Egypt. These are not a problem, but be aware that they are around and that they may even climb the wall of the hotel.