Creepy Crawlies Lucerne Valley Phelan Pinon Hills (San Diego, Riverside: short sale, 2015)

[rurhist]

Family of 3 exploring semi-retirement in Lucerne Valley, Phelan, Pinon Hills areas. We're used to living on dirt roads and hauling water, since we're moving from a 240sf dry cabin in Fairbanks, AK. We'd be buying a house of up to $100,000 with cash. I'm from Salt Lake City and am used to high desert, but the Great Basin is very different than the Mojave.

What are the problem bugs for homeowners in those areas of the Mojave? Ants, spiders, termites, roaches? What about scorpions and rattlers? We also will be bringing along 3 dogs and 1 cat. In SLC and Fairbanks ticks and fleas were not a problem in the valleys. Do pets need preventive tick/flea treatments in those areas of San Bernardino County?

I'd like to hear your views of those areas. Thanks.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

I lived not far from Lucerne Valley, I remember ants being a problem. The huge red ants & the tiny black ones bit, so watch it outside! They won't go in the house if you keep the kitchen clean. Never had roaches. Fleas & ticks were around in the hot months, which is most of the year. There are black widow spiders, learn to recognize the distinctive red mark. Of course there are rattlers & sidewinders, but I actually encountered a lot more rattlers in suburban San Diego than all my years in the desert. There are scorpians, I kept them as pets, but you don't encounter them much. If you keep shoes or boots outside, check them before you put them on. What I remember indoors was an insect called silverfish. They were attracted to dust & dirt, which is hard to avoid in the desert. They got into books to eat the glue in the binding, and in paper & clothes. They were just gross. I don't know if they are a big problem in the desert in general...my mother wasn't a fastidious housekeeper, & I never saw another silverfish after leaving there. I think you can spray for them.

[rurhist]

Thanks for the info. I've seen little red ants but not big ones...ooh, the bite must be painful! I hadn't thought about silverfish. I'd associated them with damp carpets from flooded basements, so it's good to know they can be a problem in dry environments too. I'm familiar with black widows, they get into cluttered garages and basements in Utah. Do you get the brown recluse or fiddleback spiders? They're a whole different level of nasty. Looks like our pets will need the flea/tick treatments.

Do you have any opinions about Lucerne Valley Middle/High school? I've read the information about the Phelan schools, but haven't read about the LV school, except it's tiny. We have an 11 year old who will be going into 6th grade.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Yeah, I don't understand the silverfish thing either, except maybe the humidified air from the swamp cooler contributed to it. I never encountered brown recluses, I don't think they are in that part of CA, but I once Googled a map that showed brown recluse territory, perhaps you can try that. I'm not familiar with fiddlebacks. Re the school, I have not lived in that area for awhile, but I know you can get more info. on greatschools.org.

[fasttimes1]

When I bought my foreclosure house, I had dozens of black widow spiders living along the exterior siding. Who knows how many other types of spiders were along with them. Had close to a dozen ant colonies in the yard as well. Spot treatment did nothing long term for either issue.

Buy yourself a 1-2 gallon garden sprayer, then buy Cyper WP powder concentrate online. Spray the perimeter of the house every month or two, and the insect problem will go away instantly. Works to keep roaches out of the house also. Can be used on ant mounds as well. Raid Ant bates are also good for ants in the yard, but takes time to work, and you have to keep watch for new mounds appearing.

[rurhist]

Yuck! I have a fear of spiders, that's for sure. Thanks for the tips on how to get rid of them as well as the ants. We won't be buying a house until August it will prolly be a foreclosure or short sale, so I'm sure we'll have similar problems as you. We're still debating on whether we'll move to southern Utah or southern Cal. Right now, southern Utah (Cedar City, Beaver area) is winning out, but we want to consider the possibilities of southern Cal. before we make our decision.

[retireinph]

I love it in Pinon Hills...so much that I drive 63miles one way to work 6 days a week. Moved here in Nov 2016. I've lived in Cook, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. I'll always love San Diego, but this is home to me now until I retire. Awesome Silverwood Lake is 30 min drive from here which we have been to once a week since summer started. HWY 138 is now under construction to double # of lanes (almost finished). Neighbors are very nice. Nice views (mountains in the back and dessert in the front). At least 50% of the time this summer it is cooler here than down the hill (lower elevation areas) with clean fresh air always blowing and definitely colder. It is 4100 ft elevation for me here. For some, it's higher. Last Christmas eve and new year it snowed. Last snow was 3-4 years ago. Pinon Hills is unincorporated while Phelan is. A lot of ant colonies in my yard, but don't come inside the house. Different species or variants of insects up here. I saw more black widows down the hill than up here. Saw 2 scorpions so far (medium and small) but the scaley lizards in my yard will eat them. I was told by residents that there are no issues with fleas or termites due to elevation. I think fleas don't like sand on dogs as my dogs are in the dirt all day long. My dogs shelter in the holes under ground for the summer. Many squirrels, chipmunks and cotton tail rabbits in my yard. More land for your buck here. Average size is 2.5-3 acres per property. Birds that migrate from somewhere stop by in the yard to eat until my dogs arrived. I suggest you see in person first and the surrounding areas before you decide. My coworker that's been here for at least 35 years still loves it. The former and only owners of my house (a couple) lived here since 89 and his wife cried when she gave the house keys to me. They were almost 80 and had to move with their daughter to San Diego due to age. Otherwise, they would still be here. You should come see this area.

[RockyRoadg]

probably already has sense its been 2 1/2 years lol, but welcome to the site!

[rurhist]

Update. Wound up moving to Helper, Utah in Carbon County August, 2015. 11-year old daughter who was verrrry unhappy about leaving Alaska found friends the first day of school and loves it here. Moved here because it "felt right" was closer to family in SLC and housing was very inexpensive. Ex. We bought a 2 bed 1 bath 900 sq house for $55,000. Prices have gone up since then, so we really lucked out Hubby got a job within 4 weeks of moving to the area at the local college. I was able to stay home for 2 glorious years then got a full-time job at the college last year.

Love the area. 1 hour drive to Utah Co., 2 hours to SLC. No inversions. Clean air. Subtle beauty. Love it here. Helper is turning into quite the artist town and has progressive government trying to enhance the positives of the town (applied to be a night sky town; cleaned up and expanded the river walk, etc.). Daughter's in high school now and is having a great time.

Only downside is driving through dicey canyon to get to Wasatch Front, and distance from I-15.