Please convince me that the bugs/snakes should not keep me from moving to Phoenix

[Jnvlv247]

You honestly have to GO OUT and find most of the desert creatures as they tend to hide in the winter and during the summer days. Unless you live off the grid or on the edge of the mountain, you will have no issues. The worst thing I have seen in the central city are roaches

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by veritased

In our place in Bay area, we have had black widows galore. One fell out of a freaking (white t-shirt) rag in the garage which somehow I had the feeling that I should unfold and shake it out before wiping my hands!
None ever in the house, but all along the house. After a several year campaign of going out at night and killing them, they have all but disappeared. I've almost also stepped on a western diamondback about a hundred miles from my house in the california high desert. And found a scorpion under our tent in southeastern California desert, so there are bugs all over.

I am pretty freaked out by the real possibility of arizona bark scorpion in the house I am about to purchase, especially since I just saw one in the first three days I was in AZ in a friends house, almost stepped on the little guy. I did kill the crap out of it. I've ready plenty of posts on how it fell from the ceiling into their bed for good gods sake. Having them on the floor once in a while is one thing, but falling from the ceiling ?!?!?!

Well, I am still coming to AZ nonetheless. But I hope I can seal the home, spray the crap out of the area inside and out, and never seen one again inside the home. I will hunt them extensively outside. I expect eradicating scorps will be far, far harder and impossible than the progress i made on black widow spiders in Bay area. FWIW, black widows rarely leave their web...as opposed to these scorps which wander like crazy.

I have black widows like crazy around my house here. I generally do not go out of my way to kill bugs, I'll catch and release crickets and leave other harmless spiders alone if they are in my house. They aren't hurting anything. But black widows? Nope. They are too venomous and even though they wouldn't kill me, I have 2 cats and 2 small dogs that could potentially be killed by a bite. So, they gots ta go! Same with scorpions. If it wants to hurt me, kill me, or spreads disease (roaches, flies...though flies I'd rather just let out if I can, much easier), I don't save them.

[Spuggy]

Originally Posted by lotsakits

My husband and I really would like to move to Phoenix. The only thing that worries me is having snakes in my garage and trantulas and scorpions in my house. Is that really a good reason not to move there or is that stupid?

We moved here to the foothills last year and saw one scorpion in the house , haven’t seen any snakes yet and we hike in south mountain and other places. My hairdresser has lived here 14 years and has never seen a snake. I agree with others, if you go off trail or go to remote areas you might come across rattle snakes, or if you live next to a wash and foothills you might get one (reportedly our house had one under the deck 14 years ago). I keep my eyes out and cognizant of the possibility BUT I too am more concerned about loose dogs than snakes.

[veritased]

meh snakes are a bit rare I suspect and they aren't huge in number. Kill the nearby nest if there is one, and you won't see them around for quite a while.

But the scorps seem to be infinite and a constant onslaught.

I am wondering if I'll be able to sleep at night, knowing a bark scorp could fall on my bed !

I wouldn't be so paranoid if recently I didn't find a barky when staying a friends house. DURING THE DAY !

[kell490]

I was stung in the ankle by a bark scorpion a few years ago the experience wasn't fun at all entire leg went numb felt like it was being shocked. I called poison hotline they said go to the hospital ER if you have trouble breathing or muscles start twitching. Non of that happend but a year after it happened I would think about it and feel the shocking feeling I got in my ankle. We got our home sprayed and scorpions are no more I have only seen a few after lot of rain outside.