Bugs in Colorado (Denver, Aurora, Fort Collins: real estate, homes, purchasing)

[Dennis_F]

I recently moved down to the US from Ottawa, Canada and am considering Denver as my eventual destination (I'm currently in Los Angeles). In Ottawa, when the weather was nice enough to be outside, the problem was the BUGS! Tons of mosquitos and those annoying tiny little flies that buzz around your head and go in your eyes and ears. There were so many in the spring that you practically couldn't go outside. What's the bug situation in Colorado? I'm assuming there's more in the bush/mountains and less in the city, but how bad is it? Do people have screened porches on their homes or anything like that?

[Mike from back east]

There are VERY few here. Back in the Washington, DC area where I'm from, the mosquito's would carry you away, and there were tons of tiny gnats flying around your head too.

Here, there are so very few that it's a real pleasure. If you get around water in a low lying area, you'll get more mosquito's, but generally not. We rode horses in Chatsfield State Park, southwest of Denver, and as it's very low lying and quite wet and swampy in parts, there were a lot of bugs, but that's very localized.

My first summer here, 2005, we left the doors open in the evening while watching TV, without screens, and hardly ever saw a bug.

You'll like it here.

[Dennis_F]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

My first summer here, 2005, we left the doors open in the evening while watching TV, without screens, and hardly ever saw a bug.

Music to my ears...

[portican]

I would have to agree witht he no bugs in the Denver advice. While looking at purchasing a home just south of Denver, non of the homes have screens on their windows and I asked why. I was told that there are no bugs to block out. The only thing to worry about is spiders as I have been told many times. I'm sure that others that have lived there longer may know better.

My husband lived in Fort Collins (north of Denver) when he went to college, he said that the only bugs he saw were mosquitos in the summer, but very few.

[Dennis_F]

Originally Posted by portican

The only thing to worry about is spiders as I have been told many times.

Oh really? I hadn't heard anything about spiders yet. What's the deal? Are there dangerous species found in Denver?

[5sharps]

We just came back from Colorado, flew, and drove all over, there ARE A LOT OF SWAMPS, or pools of stagnant water, seems the ground is hard, so check out this link on the infected human cases of the West Nile for 2006 so far, seems Colorado is in the lead. Do your homework first. Also check out the Radon site too>

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/west...trol06Maps.htm

http://www.epa.gov/radon/

lung cancer without smoking, maybe why so many Colorado people are so skinny??

info you should know, as the real estate agents won't tell you,

[2bindenver]

http://diseasemaps.usgs.gov/wnv_co_human.html

Catching WNV isn't fatal.

[COflower]

Life long resident of Colorado (except for a month an a half in Louisiana -- that sucked)...

Bugs are not a problem here at all.

Let's see. I have live in Grand Junction - lots of mosquitos because of the canals. I have live in Denver - Mosquitoes, okay, I lived off one of the greenbelts up there. I live back in C springs again, flies are the biggest bugger of them all.

But I have never had a problem with bugs. I remember a few nights in Denver when my biggest concern (a good one) was a couple of owls that came through our 'hood. They apparently lived in one of the barns north of me in the wealthier areas but came down to hunt in our hood. It was the most incredible thing I ever saw. One of the owls had only one eye. But their "conversations" between each other...was most incredible.

As long as you don't leave water standing in your area, you are good to go. Colorado is actually one of the healthiest places to live. Fewer people, fewer animals and much less humidity which is a huge reason for bugs and illness.

It's kinda nice here. Love it, born here, wont leave it.

[COflower]

I forgot. The MOTHS in early summer. Your biggest problem with bugs. Moths.

They leave Nebraska and Kansas for the flight to mate in the mountains but none, so far, will bite you and give you a disease.

The last few years have been tame but really, they are the most annoying creatures you will have confront you in CO unless you go the to mountains.

[middlesis]

Originally Posted by Dennis_F

I recently moved down to the US from Ottawa, Canada and am considering Denver as my eventual destination (I'm currently in Los Angeles). In Ottawa, when the weather was nice enough to be outside, the problem was the BUGS! Tons of mosquitos and those annoying tiny little flies that buzz around your head and go in your eyes and ears. There were so many in the spring that you practically couldn't go outside. What's the bug situation in Colorado? I'm assuming there's more in the bush/mountains and less in the city, but how bad is it? Do people have screened porches on their homes or anything like that?

I'm from Toronto Ontario and have been living in Aurora Colorado for 4 years. I have a fly swatter. I've used it twice in those 4 years and haven't seen a mosquito. The climate is so dry there is little to encourage the nasty pests that are associated with humid climates. Colorado is definitely a piece of paradise!