Bugs to consider if moving to KY! (Lexington: for sale, house)

[pacalady]

Would like to learn more about what little annoying and/or potentially destructive bugs or parasites or worms we should know about in KY since our hopes to move there this next year.

Are termites a consideration? What about silverfish? Poisonous spiders and or snakes?

How about mosquitoes? Wasps? Chiggers? etc. Any information is helpful!

We have experience with all of the above and more so it isn't an issue unless we aren't knowledgable!

The information is more in regards to our ability to care for our alpacas than us .... okay, the grandkids too when they visit!! So any information will be appreciated.

So you know: we are looking at farms for sale anywhere in KY and we hope to get diverse information regarding different areas from this post.

Thank you for your thoughts!

PacaLady

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by pacalady

Would like to learn more about what little annoying and/or potentially destructive bugs or parasites or worms we should know about in KY since our hopes to move there this next year.

Are termites a consideration? What about silverfish? Poisonous spiders and or snakes?

How about mosquitoes? Wasps? Chiggers? etc. Any information is helpful!

We have experience with all of the above and more so it isn't an issue unless we aren't knowledgable!

The information is more in regards to our ability to care for our alpacas than us .... okay, the grandkids too when they visit!! So any information will be appreciated.

So you know: we are looking at farms for sale anywhere in KY and we hope to get diverse information regarding different areas from this post.

Thank you for your thoughts!

PacaLady

Yes to all of the above

We have brown recluses, black widow spiders, copperheads, rattlesnakes, termites and everything else you listed. The venemous critters I named you won't see very often(at least not usually) but it can and does happen. Just be aware and you will be fine Just have your house sprayed on occasion for bugs.

[pacalady]

Missymomof3:
Thanks for the info!

We too have the rare black widow spider, and brown recluse .... also hobo spiders.... No big deal since they are all so rare , but need to be aware!

Mosquitoes can be deadly here as well, beleive it or not! I mean VERY rare but you just need to know!!. We also have what we call wood-ticks. They are a tiny little things that like to nestle in your hair. They can carry some pretty strange diseases too. But in my childhood I was always in the 'woods' (forests) riding horses and playing, where the wood-ticks thrive, and although I had a couple nestle in my blond hair while growing up, it wasn't a problem, mom was always able to coax them out with a q-tip dipped in turpentine! Nothing like the "Old School" remedies!

When we visited KY a couple years ago (and fell in love with the whole state!!) we discovered something called a 'red bee' (I think) that was particularrly vicious. The bee stung a small dog at the property we were visiting near Lexington....northeast of there I think. Can you tell me more about them?

Thank you for the info ...

PacaLady

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by pacalady

Missymomof3:
Thanks for the info!

We too have the rare black widow spider, and brown recluse .... also hobo spiders.... No big deal since they are all so rare , but need to be aware!

Mosquitoes can be deadly here as well, beleive it or not! I mean VERY rare but you just need to know!!. We also have what we call wood-ticks. They are a tiny little things that like to nestle in your hair. They can carry some pretty strange diseases too. But in my childhood I was always in the 'woods' (forests) riding horses and playing, where the wood-ticks thrive, and although I had a couple nestle in my blond hair while growing up, it wasn't a problem, mom was always able to coax them out with a q-tip dipped in turpentine! Nothing like the "Old School" remedies!

When we visited KY a couple years ago (and fell in love with the whole state!!) we discovered something called a 'red bee' (I think) that was particularrly vicious. The bee stung a small dog at the property we were visiting near Lexington....northeast of there I think. Can you tell me more about them?

Thank you for the info ...

PacaLady

Red bee??? Hmmm... I'll have to look that one up. Are you sure it was a bee and not some type of wasp or hornet?

[westvissouri]

You may be referring to Red Wasps. Those are pretty common in KY and WV. They are a more vicious species of Wasps. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. Believe me. They're like a regular wasp - except a little larger, and VERY red. You can't miss them. And they are very easily agitated. But you shouldn't have that big of a problem.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by westvissouri

You may be referring to Red Wasps. Those are pretty common in KY and WV. They are a more vicious species of Wasps. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. Believe me. They're like a regular wasp - except a little larger, and VERY red. You can't miss them. And they are very easily agitated. But you shouldn't have that big of a problem.

I think they are referring to the red wasp, which is a paper wasp. Only the female stings and only if their nests are threatened or disturbed.

[timelesschild]

In rural Kentucky, here are some of the pesky bugs:

ticks - all sizes, very disgusting creatures
chiggers - tiny red critters with an itchy bite
mosquitoes
sweat bees
horse flies
deer flies
mud daubers and other wasps

In Lexington, the most pesky bugs we ever saw were:

cave crickets and earwigs - HATE these things but they don't hurt anybody.
fleas - afflict animals between July and late October

[kygman]

What's fun is when a cricket somehow gets in your house. He's good enough at hiding that you can't find him when he starts that awful chirping behind the fridge or somewhere around 2 in the morning! lol

[masonsdaughter]

we also have hornets and yellow jackets. Both can inflict a painful sting.

[Davart]

There is not many bugs we don't have, the 2 worst poisonous offenders are (at least in my area) brpwn recluse (fiddle back) spiders and copperheads. I see 1000's of the spiders and 100's of the snakes every year.

As mentioned we have tons of other bugs ... the crickets that somehow make in it into your house ... and they will are great fishing bail. The 2 biggest cricket pest are caves and black crickets.

Oh you asked and I didn't see answered, silverfish, yes you'll find one in the tub ever so often or outside under stuff.