Snakes, Scorpions, Lizards...HALP! (Poteet, Howe: credit, neighborhood, live in)

[smuboy86]

Lived in San Antonio for 18 years of my life, never once saw a scorpion. Saw a snake once, a small all green garter snake in the ivy. As for roaches, spray your house or get orkin and keep it clean and no roaches. Geckos are numerous and yes we also got them rewards from the house cat. If you don't like scorpions, snakes, bugs, them move to an older more stable area ie: inside 410. Don't complain when you find them in an area the a year before was a field, you are the intruder not them.

[jules07]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

Lived in San Antonio for 18 years of my life, never once saw a scorpion. Saw a snake once, a small all green garter snake in the ivy. As for roaches, spray your house or get orkin and keep it clean and no roaches. Geckos are numerous and yes we also got them rewards from the house cat. If you don't like scorpions, snakes, bugs, them move to an older more stable area ie: inside 410. Don't complain when you find them in an area the a year before was a field, you are the intruder not them.

smuboy, our home was built in the late '70's (almost 30 years old), was here before Sea World, yet we do have scorpions, snakes, tarrantulas, etc. And those "roaches" are not something that keeping an immaculate house will prevent. I'm fanatical about how clean our house is (ask my kids, they'll roll their eyes and say, "oh yeah!" ). They come in from outside whenever windows or doors are open, or through weep holes. Keeping the house closed up nice and tight is a help, but with these old houses......

I really don't think we can make generalization like "all of SA has bugs, critters, etc." or "as long as you keep a clean house you won't have them". Seems to really depend on the area. And I know someone in Olmos Park (old area, pretty much smack dab in the middle of the city) who has had those darned things, too. Seems to be hit or miss, or maybe a luck of the draw. (In that case, I need a new dealer! )

[wCat]

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

the lizards are Geicos.

Actually....Geico has gekkos! but close enough! (advertising does work!)

[Latinocowboy]

For folks who use preventive pest control (PPC), do you have them blow stuff into your weep holes as well?

I do my own PPC, using commercial chemicals (organic) and dust every crack and hole I can see.

[crazedchef]

Hello,

The "LIZARDS" that you heard about loving inside your house were probably little Geckos that live in abundance on anyones porch who leaves their light on at night. They eat the bugs that are attracted to the light and yes occasionally they do get into the houses. They eat bugs though. I would rather have little itty bitty lizards in my house than bugs who will crawl on me while I sleep (still freaks me out, I live in the Hill Country, all of those things you heard are TRUE in the country, but not in the city).

crazedchef

[crazedchef]

Hello,

Make that "LIVING" in your house not "LOVING".

LOL.

crazedchef

[wCat]

Originally Posted by crazedchef

Hello,

Make that "LIVING" in your house not "LOVING".

LOL.

crazedchef

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by crazedchef

Hello,

Make that "LIVING" in your house not "LOVING".

LOL.

crazedchef

Well, where do you think the baby lizards come from?

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Well, where do you think the baby lizards come from?

In the Far East, they are called "Kissing Lizards" because of the sound they make...this tidbit dovetails nicely into your quote. They do eat lots of insects, but like to leave little "presents" stuck to the garage wall.

[Dementia_Impaled]

The further north you go in Bexar county toward the Hill Country, the more likely you are to find scorpions. The newer your construction is, the more likely you are to find scorpions. I've ridden trails near Sea World & Fiesta Texas and would occassionaly run over one, but haven't ever seen any south of downtown.

The tarantulas (I'm assuming) are the black/brown and orange-banded flavor, and while hairy and scary-looking, are harmless. Also, if you see them, you'll very likely get to see a tarantula hawk:



A caveat on those tarantulas: if you drop them from a height, they'll break.

The geckos are the Mediterranean variety that are thought to have jumped ship somewhere:



You'll likely have these guys, Anoles, also, especially if you have hedges:



I don't need to post a pic of the cockroaches: everyone knows what they look like Yes, they do fly. Yes, they can see you. I hate them, I despise them, I have an honest-to-god phobia and can strip to my underwear in three seconds if I think one has landed on me. Aquanet hairspray and a lighter are my revenge...this is part of my therapy

The general rule around my house is if a spider isn't a jumper (jumping spider), it's a dead spider. If it's funky looking, it's a dead spider. If it's a little too hairy and a little too fast, it's a dead spider. It's a good rule to have: If in doubt, put it out.

As with the scorpions, you generally won't find snakes unless you live in recent construction or in an area like the Hill country, ie scrub, semi-wooded, rocky. Rattlers don't prefer grassy lawns in my experience. I've never seen a copperhead here, and have only seen water moccasins around the section of Salado Creek near my house. We actually have to hunt down the grass and blind snakes if we want to see one.

I'm intrigued about the centipedes. I never saw one when we lived near Pleasanton, just the usual coral snakes, rattlers, and tarantulas.