Beach vs. Lake, Winter vs. Summer re: BUGS (Columbia, Charleston: lease, homes)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Are there considerably fewer bugs in SC during the winter months? Which has lower insect populations (particularly in wintertime) - the beach areas or lake areas? My main concerns are venomous spiders, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, fire ants, and any other dangerous or highly annoying bug species. Thank you!
Thanks, tj. So is "upstate" the northwest portion of the state? Like from Columbia to Greenville / Spartanburg? I'd imagine there are colder winters in that region which would account for the diminished bug population?
Here's my situation: I need to get out of these Buffalo winters. One option is to keep my home here and live in it from about Memorial Day through Thanksgiving, and then have a second place in a warmer climate like South Carolina for December to May. That's why I'm wondering if bug issues drastically subside in the winter months there.
I do understand insect populations can vary depending on specific location. (Mosquitoes can be terrible on one property and not nearly as bothersome just a few blocks away for example.) I'm hoping to get general information about whether bugs are worse on the coast or inland, keeping in mind that if we buy inland, it would be on a lake.
I've been looking to relocate for a couple years and have done extensive research on various states, including trips for exploration. I love the eastern coast from Delaware down to Key Largo! My only hesitation in moving to any of the states along that stretch is the BUGS! But if they are far fewer in the winter, I think it might be a nice compromise to get a second home rather than fully relocate. So what's the consensus - are insects still an issue outside of the summer months there?
Yes, you are correct about the area of the upstate. We moved from PA to Greenville in October. The winter months have been great. No bugs, lots of sunshine. Many warm days but cold mornings and nights (much milder than PA). We have been visiting the bluffton/ Hilton head/ savannah area often and decided we will move there when our lease is up. We decided since we made a big break away from home we want a true south feel... Even warmer winters, closer to the beach, etc. we also find that area to be gorgeous! People will tell you how beautiful Greenville is. But we have found there are pockets of beauty (downtown, parks, nearby mountains) but our day to day life is not so beautiful. In fact many areas look just like home in PA... Ugly buildings, overcrowding of shopping/fast food, too much traffic). However, we know we will be dealing with hotter, humid weather and more bugs. But we're willing to deal with that to have more or a "paradise" feel in our day-to-day life.
If you can afford to have two homes, that sounds ideal. We do miss friends and family at home and it would be great if we could easily visit with them in the summer months when PA is more tolerable and SC will be more humid. If you consider the upstate, the Seneca area is a popular lake community with several lakes nearby. I believe Keowee is the most popular. The water is always warm because it is used to cool the power plant. I don't know if that's common but I though it seemed strange.
I would suggest renting down here in several different areas to be sure you end up where you like it. I'm glad we didn't buy hear now tat we realize we don't love it.
K9coach,
The ground doesn't freeze like more north of South Carolina.
South Carolina is the deep south.
Termites don't die in winter, mosquitos don't die, fleas don't die
I really don't think too much dies.
If you have pets, like dogs, (noticed your screenname),
Heartworm medicine always, all year. VERY important down here.
Flea medicine always.
You have to use bug spray, always, (I don't use in winter at all, i wear
jackets outside most of the time).
You can call a veternarian if you would like in any town in South Carolina
and ask about fleas and hearworms, they will tell you like it is.
Oh, if you go to Charleston, bring the bug spray, even in winter.
Chiggers bite in February down there, hate chiggers.
Absolutely agree about continuous heart worm treatment! I'm in Charleston, and while I do occasionally see Mosquitos in the winter I have never been bitten by one then. I don't know if there is a scientific reason or that, but it's true. We have our yard sprayed in the Spring and Summer and it does a pretty good job keeping the bug populations down. Like Butterfly said, you can't ever count on a winter die off though.
We've been in Columbia area for 4 years after moving down from WI, a relocation by choice though we were lifelong WI residents we hated cold and snow. Yes the bugs here were a big change from the north, but since i didnt have to constantly shovel them off the drive i gave them some slack lol.
Obviously there is no real winter or frost here like the north (winter here is like fall back home for reference), but in winter months we never see any of the palmetto bugs (ok, roaches), mosquitos and flies are a non-issue, to be honest summer mosquitos can be as bad in Wi as we've had them here and we live next to the lake. And only rarely do we find a new fire ant hill sprouting up this time of the year. We treat our home for bugs (and FYI to OP make sure any home you may buy has a current termite bond and you keep it active, a home at some point will get termites) so even in summer inside is fine.
Have not seen any bad spider, and thankfully one of them has not found us yet either.
Our dog is an inside dog, but yes she is treated year round for heartworm and fleas/ticks which down here is a must for pets. I'll add though the one critter we do watch out for more here are snakes; again due to climate (and for us water), we can and will see the occasional snake near by. One thing that helped by the home, was to get rid of the pine straw by the building, we used rock all around instead. More costly, but no snakes bedding down and hiding by the porch steps..... As those can be quite the surprise at night!
I believe Charleston has considerably more bugs than greenville
Charleston (and Savannah) both have major mosquito problems due to the nearby wetlands (swamps). Kind of neat the way they deal with it though.....many outdoor seating areas at restaurants have mosquito netting. The decks at all the restaurants on Shem Creek have a can of Off in the center of the table right next to the salt and pepper shakers. Obviously, the smell of citronella fills the air.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
