How bad are the insects in Phoenix?

[nitram]

I have one here on my desk. Got him at the airport gift shop one day waiting to pick up a friend.

[SamColt]

Originally Posted by jlzpo1

What has been people's experience if they actually don't spray? Is it that bad?

The 1st two or three years I lived in the Estrella foothills, I didn't spray, and had very few bugs and two scorpions in the house.

One summer the crickets got unbearable with the noise. Also, somehow a few would get in the house, and kept me awake at might. So I had the Orkin man start coming mostly for the crickets. The 1st service guy was retired USAF and very thorough. Then he moved out of state for a better job. Got a series of new guys. The last one was nice, but he seemed like he just went through the motions. Here for 10 minutes and gone. Meantime Orkin kept raising rates, so I got steamed and canceled a few years ago. Last summer the weather was such that we got almost no crickets. This year we will see. No real bug problems in the past few years.

[Synergy38]

What do those with pets do when dealing with an exterminator? How long before you can allow them to wander the yard? ect

[nitram]

It depends on what the exterminator used. They should be able to answer your
question(s). That's part of their licensed job.

[azresident]

Hardly any insects. Biggest problem may be crickets. They are noisy; but that is about it.

[Ponderosa]

Here's an example. Last night our community held the monthly lakeside movie. They set up a huge screen on a grassy hlll next to one of our lakes. People come and lie in the grass on sleeping bags or sit in lawn chairs and watch a movie. We were out there on the grass for about two hours from dusk on - no gnats, no chiggers, no ticks and NO MOSQUITO bites. I'll trade a scorpion or two in the house over the course of a year for the ability to enjoy beautiful weather and activities under the stars unmolested by bugs.

[twiggy]

I love you Steve-O!!! I am one of those on here that likes to face reality. No smoke screens. Some homes will have a scorpion prob. some won't. I don't which is one reason I don't move around too much. lol I have seen the famous Pal. beetles every year they seem to have a season. I have seen those flying tran. didn't know they weren't gigantic wasps. Every few years I will see the big cloud of bee's attacking a grocery store parking lot (Target) or a home, my next door neighbors. They soon leave if they don't find a home or the fire dept. comes out or a pesticide company. I have seen roaches out by my pool in the summer (gross). I have friends with scorpions and my kids schools have them. It seems people who get irrigated have more prob's with them. Let see ants, if you have pets ticks and fleas, etc. We get west nile here just like back east even though we don't seem to have a big sceeter prob. we do get a lot of cases of west nile from them. I think we have a longer everything season because of the heat. Allergies and bugs are around longer through out the year than somewhere that is covered with snow or cold. One thing I am looking forward to if I move is the snow season. Because no bugs, no allergies (except mold).
I would hate to tell people here we have no problem only to have them move here and have scorpions and things. I would also hate to worry them and have them think we are all infested with them. A little trick is that if you go to a house for sale or rent and there are crickets with missing parts like heads, it's probably from scorpions. The other bugs are just everyones regular bugs that are everywhere, except the bee's but all over the southwest anyway. I won't pretend this is utopia though as far as the bug department. Winters yes, bugs no. A lot of things are great here though. It all depends on what your thing is. I hate scorpions and not why people think. I hate checking towels and bedding and shoes every day. It's a pain in the arse. I have kids so they would freak and have me running around with a black light every night before bed, etc. No way, I'm doing enough of that stuff. Plus, I don't like spraying the house a lot. Out side sometimes for roaches but inside no. Cancer is much more unpleasant. My girlfriend gets her house sprayed 2 times a month and stuff inserted into her walls. She has scorpions and hates roaches. I think she is crazy. So it all depends on who you are. I have had many an argument on here about these issues. All in all I have learned it's up to the persons triggers. To each his or her own too! I have mine and I am not about to lecture on others even if they differ. So you have to make up your own mind. Good luck to ya!
Oh ya, and I get those giant buzzards out here too. Not insects mind you, but they are really huge. They live up on the South Mountain and fly down scouting things out. Really cool.

[SamColt]

Originally Posted by twiggy

I have seen roaches out by my pool in the summer (gross). Out side sometimes for roaches but inside no. She has scorpions and hates roaches.

Oh ya, and I get those giant buzzards out here too. Not insects mind you, but they are really huge. They live up on the South Mountain and fly down scouting things out. Really cool.

Last time I saw a roach was 10 years ago, before I moved to Arizona. That was in a restaurant in Chicago. Crawled right across the table.

Those buzzards are Turkey Vultures.

[MotleyCrew]

We have not heard a single cricket this year. I do miss them but they will attract scorpions. No spiders to speak of, just a few little tiny ants. We have noticed an increase in those funny bug eating birds around.

[Ponderosa]

I hate the sound of the crickets in the city. The noise is grating. Having one in the house can drive you nuts. I read the annoying ones are not native - hmm, kind of like the people. Anyway, the ones in the mountains are the ones you hear on a western movie sound track. They have a much nicer chirp.