poisonous spiders,Insects,and Fire Ants (Winston-Salem, Kernersville: college, live, agriculture)

[Niki]

I live in Greensboro and have never seen fire ants around here. We do have some of the typical nasty bugs like bees and wasps. There are black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders, but I haven't seen either in years. I know they're out there though. lol We also have copperheads. I think they like high grassy areas and wooded areas. I haven't seen one in several years though. But, as with the spiders, I know they're out there. lol

Now, of course, when I lived in Southport and Boiling Spring Lakes (in Brunswick County), La Grange (Lenoir County) and Hope Mills and Fayetteville (Cumberland County), there were a lot of fire ants. I seem to recall my dad burning their mounds when we lived in Southport and Boiling Spring Lakes. I never go bit by them that I can recall and I was outside barefooted all day when I was a kid. I reckon you just have to be lucky or careful or both.

[Catrick]

Yeah, palmetto bugs are ugly. The scary thing about them is the flying part. I may be bigger but when they are eye level, it's creepy. Nothing like standing there swinging a broom looking like an idiot trying to kill the stupid thing.

One quick story: About 10 years ago after my ex-husband moved out, my 20 year old daughter and I were home. She went to empty the dishwasher and I heard a scream. There was one BIG palmetto sitting in the dishwasher between the basket and side wall. Well, we grabbed our brooms since I did not want to spray bug spray in the dw. Anyway we stood there for what seems like forever waiting for it to at least move where we could get it. Dang if he just didn't sit there. We tried everything to move it. And, as we laugh about it to this day, we swear it was laughing at us. Two grown women swinging brooms, yelling at a bug. Anyway, after time passed I got mad and shut the dw door and ran the cycle. God bless hot water. We got him though and needless to say those dishes were rewashed sooo many times they sparkled. Funny how "little things" can control our lives!

[mmdj43]

Originally Posted by Catrick

Yeah, palmetto bugs are ugly. The scary thing about them is the flying part. I may be bigger but when they are eye level, it's creepy. Nothing like standing there swinging a broom looking like an idiot trying to kill the stupid thing.

One quick story: About 10 years ago after my ex-husband moved out, my 20 year old daughter and I were home. She went to empty the dishwasher and I heard a scream. There was one BIG palmetto sitting in the dishwasher between the basket and side wall. Well, we grabbed our brooms since I did not want to spray bug spray in the dw. Anyway we stood there for what seems like forever waiting for it to at least move where we could get it. Dang if he just didn't sit there. We tried everything to move it. And, as we laugh about it to this day, we swear it was laughing at us. Two grown women swinging brooms, yelling at a bug. Anyway, after time passed I got mad and shut the dw door and ran the cycle. God bless hot water. We got him though and needless to say those dishes were rewashed sooo many times they sparkled. Funny how "little things" can control our lives!

At least you have the courage to use a broom and face it, I would have slammed the door and ran the 'scrubbing pots and pan cycle'. And how in the world did you end up with one in your house, let alone the dishwasher???

[Catrick]

Weeeellllllllllll, my daughter and I thought we would be the super cool chicks that didn't need a man to kill the B-52 bomber, I mean roach. Down here in south Florida, they are all around. No matter how clean you are or how much you spray, they will come in and search for food I guess. As for getting in the dishwasher, the door was closed but not latched. Someone went in to get a glass for a drink and the bugger got in there. Personally, I still think my ex planted it but that's another story.

[lovemaine]

Shortly after we moved into our house, a developer started clearing land for a new subdivision up the street from us. It must have disturbed the critters living there. Our neighbor had 2 black snakes (I think that's what they're called?!?) in her yard in the same day. She called the police and the officer removed both snakes. I don't believe they're poisonous, but they are LONG! Last weekend I was in the backyard and there was a black widow right by the back door. I also see a lot of lizards. They're actually kinda cute though. Does anyone know if they're poisonous?

[Catrick]

We have tons of lizards here in Fla. They eat the bugs. As far as I know they are not poisonous. The little ones at least. We also have iguanas and other biggies that are nameless to me and I have been told some of them could be. But the little lizards aren't. And they are cute. And no, I don't give them names when I find them living on my patio.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by cakeprincess

I'm still living in FL (15 years) and will be moving to Johnston County in a few weeks soon, I have to tell you about the fireant - they are harmless EXCEPT if you step on them or bother them.

They are red version of black ants. Their bite is painful. It is very similar to a bee sting. Once bitten, you will get a tiny light red spot. Next day, the bitten area turn into "pus", just like a pimple. Some people are tempt to squeeze it to get the pus out, but it's a very bad idea. Once squeeze it, it will become INSANELY itchy! In some case, it will become infected.

The best way to treat the bites is to use the Benedryl cream and cover it up as often as you can. No squeezing and scratching.

In Florida, we can get rid of fireant EASILY. This can be done in NC, too. You go to Walmart, Target, or any store of your choice and go to their garden center - get a bag of fireant killer - the one that looks like a tiny white or tan pebble. You use the scooper or a cup to scoop it and sprinkle over the ant hills. It will kills them in one day. It really does work well.

The funny thing about the ant hill is that once you kill it, they either died or move on to another area, like going from one side to the other side of your yard. In my case, mine's was killed, but some escaped and move onto my neighbor's yard!!!! Luckily, I didn't get sued for that!!!!

I'm not sure if I'd say exterminating fire ants is easy. In fact, I've never in my life heard anyone make that statement. Most people (including me) find fire ants nearly impossible to get rid of. Texas A&M University has a Fire Ant Research and Management Project that has plenty of information on how to get rid of them.

If you don't kill the queen, the mound will reappear nearby. Perhaps you're lucky, and your neighbors aren't good at managing their lawn. Or perhaps they like fireants, who knows. But if you put amdro or any other fire-ant killer onto the mound, you have to make sure that you don't disturb anything. Otherwise they'll go crazy, and move the queen to another area, and re-start their colony.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by Catrick

Weeeellllllllllll, my daughter and I thought we would be the super cool chicks that didn't need a man to kill the B-52 bomber, I mean roach. Down here in south Florida, they are all around. No matter how clean you are or how much you spray, they will come in and search for food I guess. As for getting in the dishwasher, the door was closed but not latched. Someone went in to get a glass for a drink and the bugger got in there. Personally, I still think my ex planted it but that's another story.

I prefer Boric Acid for killing roaches. Despite it's frightening name, it's about as harmful to humans as table salt - but don't eat it . Some people actually use it as an antiseptic.

Anyway, it's a very cheap white powder (looks like baking soda) that you put in areas of high roach-traffic (cracks around doors, behind the fridge, etc.). It sticks to them when they walk in it (they can't detect it, btw), and eventually eats through their shells. Here's the good part - roaches are cannibalistic, so they eat their buddy, and die. Then their buddies eat them, and die too. And so on, and so forth.

Also, unlike many other fancy-pants chemicals, roaches have never developed an immunity to boric acid. You'd be surprised how extremely adaptive they are, but this kills them every time.

[Catrick]

I remember using boric acid way back. We put it outside around the house rather than in because of the kids and pets. It worked until the rainy season then after awhile we just sprayed. I'm glad you mentioned it though and will remember now as kids are grown and pets are old.

Also, on the fire ant issue, I work at a day care and the yard would have ant mounds. Not sure if all were fire ants but because of it being a playground for kids, they did not want to spray. So we boiled water and put them down the mounds at the same time. Seems to work as long as you pour enough down there to burn/drown the suckers. We do it once a year but the mounds always pop up in a different area. So hopefully that means the others ones are totally detroyed. Just another option.

[Bethanytedder]

This is a new experiment being done in Texas with fire ants and this particular type of fly. Although it is a slow go starting off, it is beginning to show promise.

"The phorid fly works by laying an egg on the body of a fire ant. The maggot hatches and migrates to and invades the head of the ant. Shortly after the head of the ant falls off. The fly only infects about 2 percent of the ant population. But when a fly passes over a colony of ants, the entire colony stops working and begins to search the sky for flies. Just the presence of the fly causes work to be interrupted and eventually the colony loses the ability to search for food, and the colonies gradually break down and decline."