Critters in Austin (Houston, Dallas, Round Rock: houses, landscaping, neighborhood)

[Davidas]

Hi,

I am considering moving to Austin, but I heard there was a huge bug and reptile population that made me a leary of moving. Silly, I know, but I am deathly afraid of bugs and critters of the like. So, can anyone comment on this topic and if I am correct in hearing that there is a possibility of scorpions and tarantulas coming inside homes and hanging out in backyards? I live in NYC, and we do have waterbugs and roach populations here, but nothing out of my control, except 1 I had in my apt during the one hottest days of the summer. I don't know where my cat or dog was during that moment, but I had to kill it myself!

I am learning about the city and I love what I have researched so far. However, if there is one chance of a scorpion coming into my home, all bets are off! Dramatic, I know! Please advise.

Thanks!

[Spookmeister]

My neighbour saw a couple of snakes by his front door a few weeks ago, killed one and the other escaped into our backyard. This was just before dusk. Being the kindly neigbour, he came by to let me know about it. I declared our backyard a no-go zone for two days and made sure everyone wore shoes and socks for a week and only went out there in daytime hours. Does this mean I'm going to move? No.
On the other hand, I've had a close call with a shark and Stingray, one went diving over my head the other nuzzled my calves, and in each case I was back in the water within minutes of the incidents. Never even gave them much thought.
I understand your fear, but believe me it's irrational to rule out a place based on the off chance that you may encounter a spider or snake. That's what you pay exterminators for, right?

[Davidas]

Thanks Spookmeister. That was exactly the answer I was looking for. But I live in a household full of women who are extremely squimish about snakes and other creepy crawlers, so I think what I really want to know is how often will we encounter them? I don't want this to be a deal breaker because I've heard great things about Austin and I think we would do well there. We're just not used to bugs and when we are, we are usually screaming and running away from them. It's silly, I know!!!!

Thanks again for your comments!

[Spookmeister]

I don't think you have any more chance of encountering them here than anywhere else, and as far as I know, they're mostly harmless garden variety. You'll provide lots of amusement to neighbourhood kids whne they find out about your fear.

[AlaskaLB]

Are you kidding? I grew up just north of Austin and let me tell you - if it bites you, stings you or can any other way harm you, it lives in Texas. Scorpions can and do get into houses, inside the city limits you will never see a poisonous snake however there are undoubtedly plenty of non-poisonous varieties. The most pesky pests are "Fire Ants". Oh, did I mention the killer bees?

But these things don't scare me near as much as a NYC taxi cab ride!

Seriously, everything is relative. I think Texas is a good place to be (although I haven't lived there in 20 years) the people are generally pretty friendly and as long as you keep a clean house you won't have any more problems with bugs/pests than you would anywhere else.

[Caitlin]

My family is considering a move to Austin also - but like Davidas we are very concerned about scorpions, rattlesnakes, giant roaches, tarantulas, etc.!! In a suburb like CEDAR PARK, how often would these critters appear??!! Please let me know if you get a good exterminator can the problem be solved??!! I don't think I could stand living with the idea of a scorpion or tarantula getting into my house!! And snakes scare me too!! PLEASE ADVISE!!! THANKS!

[Spookmeister]

Honestly people, unless you're planning to be living in a tent in the bushes around the cities and suburbs of Austin, your fears are mostly unfounded. Do these creatures Exist? Yes, just like they do everywhere else. Are they dangerous? Yes, some are. Can this 'problem' be overcome? Yes, common sense and exterminators are your answers.

Until such a time that the State of Texas institutes interstate passport requirements for these critters, in addition to the International one already in place, they're free to come and go, roam around Texas at will.We don't bother them and they leave us alone.

[AlaskaLB]

You know, I never saw a tarantula in the wild, saw plenty of scorpions and snakes but that's probably because we lived on a farm. Like I said, inside the city limits you won't have to worry about these things.

I was just back through the area in January visiting family - Cedar Park has sure changed from the days when I lived there (as has Austin in general). The thing that will probably bother you more than the bugs is the heat. Makes for nice winters (it was 75 deg when I visited) but man ... in August ... hope you have a good A/C unit!

[momof2dfw]

Don't let the "city limit" sign fool ya. I've lived in Texas my entire life and I have indeed seen poisonous snakes inside the city limits. Killed two copperheads recently INSIDE the city limits. But then again I do live near a creek that is now dry due to the extreme dry conditions. I have lots of foilage/landscaping and our small neighborhood is surrounded by a golf course. So nature and all of its inhabitants do venture and reside inside the city limits. I'll never forget the time I found a scorpion inside a book. This was over in Coppell (inside the city limits) way back in the mid 80's. It was at work in a small office building and I opened up a book to give someone some information and there it was. I threw the book on the floor and the scorpion was still in it w/ it's tail hanging out (kind of glad about that then I knew EXACTLY where it was).

Seriously though, the critters can't read the city limits sign but you will tend not to find some of these critters in very metropolitan areas, say like Downtown Dallas. But out in the "burbs", they are here.

If you want to avoid all kinds of bugs stay away from water areas and areas around Houston. With the constant warm weather, humidity, water always present, etc. you will have all kinds of water bugs, roaches, etc. But a good exterminator is the key. Even living w/in a few blocks of a lake can mean more spiders and their webs. But they are harmless most of the time.

Guess living around this all of my life it is just one of those things and does not scare me at all. Now send me way out into the woods and mountains to go camping and I am going to be thinking a bear is going to get us while we sleep.

[Caitlin]

Being a non-Texan, I have never seen a scorpion, rattlesnake, tarantula,etc.! We just don't have these things in neighborhood subdivisions on the east coast!! So it is a bit scary to imagine finding a poisonous snake in your backyard or a scorpion in a book! Austin sounds lovely - except for this! My only other questions are these - how OFTEN do you see these things in a regular subdivision? Once a month? Once a year? Can an exterminator "spray" for scorpions and snakes? How effective is it? Are "newer" subdivisions worse or better? Bottom line - if we got an exterminator to come regularly, do you think we could live in a suburb like Cedar Park or Round Rock and NOT see these things - inside our house or in our yard?! Thanks for any additional info!