Gulp..seriously..I need the facts. (snake, water, federal)

[OurGreatEscape]

Capt~ Thanks for posting that spider pic. We had one of these decide to make her home under our deck last summer. "Georgette" scared the bejesus out of me til I did some research.

These spiders make the most intricate webs used for catching their prey. Every morning we would come out to see the work "Georgette" had done overnight. Simply amazing.

I don't worry so much about the poisonous critters. It's the palmetto bugs that creep me out. They have a way of crawling or flying at you at the most inconvenient time!

[meks]

Originally Posted by MINIcoopKJG

Yes, there are alligators in Lake Moultrie.... Some guy had his arm bit off by an alligator in Lake Moultrie. I don't know the whole story, so maybe he was snorkeling too far out where the gators were. I know the people at work that grew up in SC go swimming in the lakes, so maybe it is a rare thing to be bitten?

12-foot gator bites off man's arm in Lake Moultrie; doctors try to reattach | The Post and Courier - Charleston, South Carolina

this guy was doing what they call "noodling" in an area he was already warned that a large gator was in...

noodling is when you feel around the edge of the lake underwater, where gators happen to be quite often, for holes in the mud under water... you stick your whole arm into those holes in hopes of finding one of those really large flathead catfish, you stick your hand/arm down it's throat and pull the big cat out... it's a way to catch really large freshwater flathead catfish, just not a really smart way for the area he was in as he found out when a gator grabbed him instead of a catfish

it's extremely rare that someone gets attacked by a gator here, they aren't near as aggressive as crocs...

thousands of people swim in those lakes every year, with the only dangerous thing being that some of them don't know how to swim... so there is usually a drowning or two a year out there

spiders - I've seen so many poisonous spiders in my life here I could fill a couple 55 gal drums with them... lol ... but they don't bother you either, unless you bother them... the brown recluse is the worse of them, which we have plenty of, but they are usually in dark places like under houses or in brick piles that have been there for years etc... be careful when disturbing places that give dark hiding places to small critters until you turn them over... every house has poisonous spiders lurking under or around them here, just most people never know it because they don't go where they live

moral of the story - if you go under your house, go slow and look around well as you creep futher... if you go noodling, don't go next to where the beware of gator sign is... lol

[moneill]

So moral of the story -- if you looking in dark places in the road, under your house you might find something.....I guess that's why I have never seen anything.

[MINIcoopKJG]

Originally Posted by Capt Rick Hiott

"would there be gators in lake moultrie",,,,,YES!
Like he said, They like dark places.
Just keep your eyes open.

If you feel a little freaky about spiders, go hunting in the forest and walk into a Banana spider's web!

Now that is a cool spider!!!

[Sprouts]

Snakes and poisonous bug/spiders made me nervous before I moved here but now that I've been in SC for 7 years......I've never had any problems with either.

One thing that was an adjustment for me was the use of pest control. We have a bug guy that comes every 3-4 months. In Maine, you'd look like a fool if pest control was parked in front of your house. I don't think everyone has a professional pest control person but it has helped me feel more at ease (having young children). Termites can be an issue and you need to keep a watchful eye on that, as well. I have seen black widows but never inside. They've been on the outside brick of our home or in my newspaper holder. I just sprayed them myself. It was really NO BIG DEAL.

Snakes give me the heebie jeebies but I have never just come across a snake. I've seen dead ones and my neighbors would sometimes get snakes in their yards. I think our dogs tend to keep snakes away.

Don't let these worries keep you away from the south. The bugs/spiders/snakes aren't seeking humans out. I've never known anyone to get bit by anything poisonous (although I'm sure it happens). I've known more people to get infected with lyme disease from a tick (my dad for instance) in New England.

[klysik]

Sprouts..so true about the ticks..I think 1/2 the peope I know back home in NE are infected with Lymes Disease as well as my dogs. Yes, I guess bug sucking your blood under your skin is gross..it's all relative vs. The spiders, etc down south. I met a prospective family from Texas at my daughters school on Cape Cod and they said they really don't think they could make the move to NE because of ticks! Here I was thinking I could never live in Texas cause of rattlesnakes!

Meks..I just saw that reality show with the guys noodling! How crazy is that and then the guys arm gets bitten off? Wow!..or should I say ouch!

[MINIcoopKJG]

Originally Posted by klysik

Sprouts..so true about the ticks..I think 1/2 the peope I know back home in NE are infected with Lymes Disease as well as my dogs. Yes, I guess bug sucking your blood under your skin is gross..it's all relative vs. The spiders, etc down south. I met a prospective family from Texas at my daughters school on Cape Cod and they said they really don't think they could make the move to NE because of ticks! Here I was thinking I could never live in Texas cause of rattlesnakes!

Meks..I just saw that reality show with the guys noodling! How crazy is that and then the guys arm gets bitten off? Wow!..or should I say ouch!

My dog got lyme disease when we lived in NE. It came back once up there and once down here. When I brought her to the vet here, he said the only time he sees lyme disease is when it is from dogs that moved here from the north. I had all of her vet records with me so he just prescribed what my prior vet prescribed.

[Capt Rick Hiott]

,,,,,,,,and dont forget the red bugs! You talk about scratching!

In the late summer when hunting season opens up, Ill get in the hot tub with about a quart of bleach in the water and soak for a while when I get home to get rid of them. After the first frost, Ill stop doing it.

[greatblueheron]

FYI:
Last fall, a young boy in our area was twice bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake...he survived but spent months in the hospital!

Originally Posted by klysik

Ok..I've got the low down on the gators (where not to go) but I need to hear more about the poisonous spiders??? Please do tell. Also, would there be gators in lake moultrie (sorry, is that a stupid question)?

Thanks.

[Sprouts]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

FYI:
Last fall, a young boy in our area was twice bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake...he survived but spent months in the hospital!

Yes, but that is highly unusual. My children's school raised money for the family. Such a sad thing for him to go through..... My understanding is he stepped over a log onto the snake. The snake struck twice because he was standing on it. It happened on Nov. 23 and he was home Jan 1st. Boy Bitten By Rattlesnake Finally Home - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville. My understanding is he still struggles but is showing improvement with therapy. We've been following the story and he comes up in our family conversation a couple times a week (at least).

We will also go to the park that it happened at without apprehension. You just learn how to behave and be aware of your surroundings. Other than hearing news stories, I personally don't know anyone that has been bitten by a snake (knock on wood).