[Kathleen1971]

Originally Posted by scardeycat

First, thank you for explaning about the different creatures in Florida, however I'm so scared of not gators or snakes as much, but the Palmetto bug. I just moved to Florida and before moving I heard stories of the bugs (palmetto bugs especially) that can fly and bite. Is this true? My relative has been living in Florida for several years and says he never experienced any problems with palmetto bugs, nor snakes. I do believe I can deal with the mosquitos and no-seeums, but a big flying cockroadh (HELP). I like to walk and sometimes have this vision of walking and a palmetto bug flys on me and I freak out. I've even thought about carrying a can of bug spray when walking. I got it bad. Is there any advice you can offer me regarding my fear of the palmetto bug?

Thank you.

I am a native Floridian and have lived here for over thirty six years and I can honestly say that not only do they not bite, but I have not even seen a Palmetto bug in over twenty years. I wouldn't worry too much about them.

[Tarastomsgirl]

the bugs are so bad we have to eat them. At this point its become survival of the fittest. One must go on to procreate!. I mean they crawl in EVERYTHING so reallythey're askin for it!!! Don't worry though the kids enjoy it, they fight over the palmetto bug lolipop or the cricket lolipop... the protein makes em big and strong to fight the next batch of godzillas takin over ..

[WakullaGirl]

I moved to the big bend area about 20 years ago and never had to deal with ALL the critters mentioned above before I moved here! My husband says the bugs don't stop at the GA line, but I swear I've never seen a "Georgia Thumper" in the state of GA, although the lovebugs have migrated there! I am also cured of arachnophobia now. You have no choice - you learn to not pass out when you see them, or you move back to wherever you came from! (lol) All in all, it's not so bad once you get used to it.

[oceandreams94]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

Oh my god, this posting is nuts.... Where on this planet are there not "buggies, snakes and yucky things" living amongst us, give me a break.... Well in new England we have cotton mouths, rattle snakes, water moccasins, black widows, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, badgers, wild dogs, and 100 other "scary" things living up there. I used to play in the woods and walk in the river with no shoes, when I went fishing as a kid, and guess what? I'M STILL HERE!!! Here in Florida all I ever see are the 4 inch lizards... oooh scary. Black racers(snakes) that take off at 100mph to get away from you, daddy longlegs...ooooh another scary buggie... Come on, no matter where you are there are things living with us like this. this is just goofy... I'm done...

Tarastomsgirl... I agree with you on everything. Almost on your way back here to FL??? bring the bug spray!!! LOL!!!!

OMG I agree with you here! I have been in Florida for 9 months now and I yes we see bugs at times but not hardly ever in the house and they arent a big deal at all.
I remember before I moved down here coming to this board to ask about the bugs, and some not so nice people telling me to WATCH OUT for the HUGE spiders and other crazy bugs. Geez........
I dont even get the house sprayed or anything and we never have many bugs at ALL!!
I have seen many many lizards, but we like those, and frogs, too.
In September we have the great big golden orb spiders ALL over outside but I have found them to be VERY helpful in getting rid of other biting bugs AND...they are actually quite friendly and keep to themselves. Then they are just gone one day and we dont see them again.
We have snakes at times too, but they dont bother us.
So stop making more of this than what it is! Every state has critters of some sort!

[BlueWillowPlate]

I actually *like* most of the critters I have experienced.
There are some considerations:
I now have to have my pets on flea meds 12 months of the year, and the dog also on heartguard (for heartworm prevention.) That costs $!
We have to watch for ticks when we walk in the woods--chiggers, too.
Sometimes the no-see-ums are very obnoxious.
But that's part of the deal. You get used to it.
I love the lizards, and the gopher tortoises, and even the armadillos.
We've seen gators--from a distance.
Last week, my husband saw a grey fox, and we once saw a bobcat.
I've seen squadrons of stingrays, a small shark, otters, and lots of dolphins and sea turtles.
As someone else said, at least we have critters.
It certainly would be a sad day if we sprayed, shot, or poisoned them all into oblivion.

[Swampmetaldown]

Lol, No doubt the most bothersome critters mentioned in this thread are invasive exotics, and i dont mean the Nile Monitor Lizards or Maleluca either. It's the humans. Those arent buzzards circling retirees, theyre developers with thier keen nose trained on landowners and unspoilt tracts of native landscape. Ticks that look suprisingly like out of state investors with thier proboscises buried in the hide of the place, over 20 years converting the region from an agrarian and aquaculture to a service industry and construction economy. Be on the lookout for such pests as the brown skinned squatter, its usual habitat consists of forclosed home turned slum lord subject... A crafty little pest he will usually turn the entire house into a marijuana grow house- often bypassing the meter and syphoning electricity from the utility company for ages. ...
Ha.. ok pretty negative, i know. Florida is a beatiful place and populated by resilliant people with character and full of wildlife and outdoor beauty. ... you know, except for every costal county... which has been swallowed by the concrete beast that came from the sea. Its come for us all! <<runs away screaming and flailing limbs>>

[kahskye]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

I actually *like* most of the critters I have experienced.
There are some considerations:
I now have to have my pets on flea meds 12 months of the year, and the dog also on heartguard (for heartworm prevention.) That costs $!
We have to watch for ticks when we walk in the woods--chiggers, too.
Sometimes the no-see-ums are very obnoxious.
But that's part of the deal. You get used to it.
I love the lizards, and the gopher tortoises, and even the armadillos.
We've seen gators--from a distance.
Last week, my husband saw a grey fox, and we once saw a bobcat.
I've seen squadrons of stingrays, a small shark, otters, and lots of dolphins and sea turtles.
As someone else said, at least we have critters.
It certainly would be a sad day if we sprayed, shot, or poisoned them all into oblivion.

My first post, and I just wanted to say I like your attitude. Having lived here in Florida since the 70's, I had to laugh at this thread. I'm in NW FL right now 1/2 mile from the beach on a small lake and loving it here. Unfortunately, we might be moving and I will miss the "critter" sounds coming off the lake at night. We too have dogs on flea/tick protection and Heartguard year round. We have deer, coyote, possum, raccoons and armadillo. I encourage Black Racers as they keep the Pigmy Rattlers away. Having pet reptiles, we enjoy seeing the several species of lizards, toads and frogs in our yard. My favorite is when hummigbirds come through and feed on our Bottlebrush tree. I saw way more insects in central and south FL than I see here. I do not care for the Deer Flies that will be here soon. They bite hard! I've been across the states camping, and Florida insects don't compare to the insects in Texas. Talk about having to do tick checks, yuk!

[Swampmetaldown]

Lol, yea, tick checks are a necessity the further south you get in FL. Go out to Fakahatchee or in the Everglades- you have to chase off the mosquitoes with #7s in your shotgun.
I mean, the TICKS get ticks there.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I love the wildness of Florida. I know it might not make sense but I LOVE it that no one would be surprised if an aligator came walking down the road to relocate to our retention pond.

I love it that when we go to the beach we often see manatee in the water of Ponce Inlet or by the jetty.

I love the Sand Hill Cranes that walk calmly around the neighborhood. I used to work in an office building that was built on the breeding ground of vultures. While I think its sad they took over, I always found it interesting that the vultures decided to stay. It was a strange mixture of the wild animals and the office building and the people in business suits.

[Journey2LS]

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

I love the wildness of Florida. I know it might not make sense but I LOVE it that no one would be surprised if an aligator came walking down the road to relocate to our retention pond.

I love it that when we go to the beach we often see manatee in the water of Ponce Inlet or by the jetty.

I love the Sand Hill Cranes that walk calmly around the neighborhood. I used to work in an office building that was built on the breeding ground of vultures. While I think its sad they took over, I always found it interesting that the vultures decided to stay. It was a strange mixture of the wild animals and the office building and the people in business suits.

I agree. Living away from Florida it's wierd not having random critters around all the time. After living in Florida for so long, you kind of assume everywhere has abundant wildlife but thats not the case. I miss seeing the strange looking birds, sea turtles, tree frogs, bald eagles, chickens, manatees, alligators, random lizards and iguanas. Here in Portland all you mostly see are pigeons and ducks. I have been here for two years and the most exotic thing I have seen is a lizard when I went camping. This is the beaver state and I have yet to see a beaver.