Scorpions, Tarantulas, Snakes, Oh-My (Austin, Spring: hoa, organic, live)

[Jazzedforhim]

Question: Do fire ants also attack dogs? I'm assuming YES...and got to thinking about that. Is there a way to know where they are, for example an ant hill? Will spaying generally get rid of them?

Thanks!

[Driftwood1]

So, what does anyone think of these...
5" long centipedes! We have had 3 in the house in 7 yrs, usually in the summer, and some as big as 12"! Most critters dont much bother us, but we downright hate these things.

Found 1230pm sun in the kids bathroom, deceased 1231pm...

Watch thy step...

[Trainwreck20]

We had two in our house (over about 12 yearws) in G'town while I was a kid. I have no issues with bugs, in general, but these guys give me the heebie geebies. First one I saw was ~10" long and was fast as lightning. I grabbed a broom and jumped up on a chair, like something out of a cartoon. The bugger finally ran underneath a pot stand that had some spider webs under it, and it go all those legs completely tangled up. Yet one more reason to like spiders .

[Trainwreck20]

Question: Do fire ants also attack dogs? I'm assuming YES...and got to thinking about that. Is there a way to know where they are, for example an ant hill? Will spaying generally get rid of them?

'spaying' them gets rid of the dogs eventually . Okay, okay, I know what you mean. The most effective method that I have used for getting rid of FAs is to use one of the 'baits' that the ants assume are food and feed to the queen, killing her. Not really permanent, but it usually does force them to move over into the neighbors yard.

As for dogs, I suppose they could bite them, but have never actually heard of it happening. I think dogs are smarter (or at least more observant) than people.

[love roses]

I've never heard of a dog being attacked by fire ants. The hills can be pretty large, so hard to miss. As for destroying the mounds, we usually use amdro, and also from time to time the stuff that you spread around like fertlizer that kills several varieties of bugs like fleas and ticks, etc...

[Jazzedforhim]

That's good to know!

[Phisch]

My husband is telling me to stop reading about the bugs. All we noticed when we visited last year were mosquitos, and even then in just one place (at the Arboretum, sitting outside while dining).

I'm creeped out by all the bugs, the snakes...ew. I mean EW.

California has spoiled me but we're not without our own critters out here. We lost a dog to spiders and a cat to a coyote. Our trash has been rummaged by raccoons and an outside inflatable pool attacked and punctured by some thing (maybe a possum).

I'm guessing it's just like anywhere else, you just have to learn to coexist with them all and remind the kids to be careful and that Crocodile Hunter is a TV show, not everyone can pet venomous snakes like Steve.

[Jazzedforhim]

Ok, we (being in California now) have had racoons, skunks, opossiums, and the like...but you lost a dog to spiders!!!!!???? Now I thought I had heard it all! LOL

[Phisch]

Kinda sad actually. I found her laying around instead of moving one day. She was covered with lots of bumps that were bleeding, mostly around the neck, armpits and thighs. She spent the night at the vet's and went home but really skinny. She survived a month and then all of a sudden became lethargic and died soon after. When my hubby moved her dog house, he found a bunch of brown spiders living there. They must be what caused the lesions she had in the first place (we assume so). We started paying for a company to come spray every 3 months or so after that.

[ohio2texas]

Originally Posted by Driftwood1

So, what does anyone think of these...
5" long centipedes! We have had 3 in the house in 7 yrs, usually in the summer, and some as big as 12"! Most critters dont much bother us, but we downright hate these things.

Found 1230pm sun in the kids bathroom, deceased 1231pm...

Watch thy step...

EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! My husband found one of those in the bathroom at his work and being from Ohio, starting doing some research. It's a scolopendera. One of the most venomous centipedes around. According to a website, it will cause pain for several days. Is this true? Does anyone know anything about these critters???