Anything scary in Wisconsin? (news, family, spray)

[Enelra32]

Originally Posted by Bowie

When I read the OP, the first thing that came to my mind is black ice. That stuff was pretty scary to drive on when I lived there. Except for bears, Wisconsin has very few critters that would be as much of a hair-raiser as those we have down here.

Black Ice would have to be the scariest thing in WI, I have to agree!


....then again.... those WI 'Birds' we call misquitos can be pretty scary sometimes too! LOL

[Enelra32]

Originally Posted by dreamhunter65

Bears and wolves could be considered scary if get in middle of sow and cubs..Deer season can be scary as towns empty out and see orange blobs all over.Really not much that will scare ya bad and depends on where you live could depend on neighbors being scary.

LOL, so very true... but, then again, I think this is true no matter where you live!

[Enelra32]

Originally Posted by Imported1

I guess I live in a different part of Wi. than most of you! My stomping grounds are Price, Rusk, Iron and Vilas counties.

Things that scare me, or bother me in WI. ....

WOLVES ... I live a mile and a quarter from a town and I have seen wolves on my land. The wolves have significantly increased in numbers in the past few years. I have friends that have been out on their deer stands this year that have seen packs and when they have retreated to their vehicle have been flanked by them. A farmer down the road from me has lost quite a few calves this year to the wolves. The elk that were introduced to Clam Lake area have been impacted by them too. My neighbor is a logger and he told me that he sees wolves all the time and they are not disturbed even by the loud machinery they are running in the forest.

Asian Lady Beetles ... or what ever you want to call them ... they just irk me to no end. From October to May these little devils are a nuisance. If you live in a white house they seem to be worse. We spray for them just after the first frosts on days that it warms up, but we still get many in the house. A real pain!

Tent Worms, when they come through every seven years or so. Last time these worms came through they were everywhere. You could hear them pop and squish when driving a car. Gross bugs! Thank heaven they only come in cycles of around 7 years!

Skunks. They don't scare me but they are a pain. Especially if you have dogs. Forget the tomato juice myth too. It is peroxide and baking soda to kill the odor.

Porcupines. This is the first year my dog has been quilled. A real bummer for the dog and owner.

Fishers ... Nasty and mean. Plus side is that you have fewer skunks when these guys are on the upswing.

Bears ... seeing more of them all the time. They get into feeders and anything else tasty. They also seem to be less intimidated by people these days. I have some that love the ant hills in my Christmas Tree Plantation.

Deer ... cute in the forest, tasty on the table, but a decided problem on the roads. No different than any other state with deer populations though.

Someone mentioned mosquitos, they haven't been a problem for us for the past three years. Deer flys have been not so bad too. Ticks have been more of a problem. Plain flys have been pesty.

Hey and how about those snow fleas??? No one has mentioned those!

We have some really big spiders up here too. Roasting sized! Harmless I guess but still big. Actually I find the bigger the bug the easier to spot and kill. I lived in the Islands for a time and tarantulas were fragile and easy to spot and kill, same with the huge cockaroaches! Neither of those here either!

Pine Bores. Big beetle bug that flies and eats I believe dead wood of pines. They are tough bugs. Harder to crush, nasty to have crawl on you b ut not too big of a problem.

DNR. These guys scare me! Hmmm, who brought in the wolves? They brought in flies to kill the tent worms years ago and the flys were then a problem, and, many suspect they had something to do with the Asian lady bugs.

All in all, I love Wisconsin. Some bugs and critters are a pain, but the people are good on the whole, beautiful place visually, lots of things to do here, Winters can be long but you appreciate the Spring, Summer and Fall that much more. It is not for everyone, but there is really no paradise.

PS, as an import to Wisconsin I have figured this one out. Everyone from Wisconsin pulls things with their vehicle. Trailers, boats, sleds, ATVs and so on. These people love to pull things. They also do it well! If you move here learn to pull things around. It will make you feel like a local!

Wisconsin IS a great place!

Giggle... this is great! I too lived up north for a short time and even with all your exagerated discriptions, those things were worth the beauty you get with them!

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by Enelra32

Black Ice would have to be the scariest thing in WI, I have to agree!


....then again.... those WI 'Birds' we call misquitos can be pretty scary sometimes too! LOL

Tell me about it. Ticks are also very scary. We're fortunate that we don't have Chiggers.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by JoshB

Tell me about it. Ticks are also very scary. We're fortunate that we don't have Chiggers.

Really??? You don't have chiggers in WI?? Weird--we have them in MN.

[dreamhunter65]

Pine Bores. Big beetle bug that flies and eats I believe dead wood of pines. They are tough bugs. Harder to crush, nasty to have crawl on you b ut not too big of a problem.JUNE BUGS?

DNR. These guys scare me! Hmmm, who brought in the wolves? They brought in flies to kill the tent worms years ago and the flys were then a problem, and, many suspect they had something to do with the Asian lady bugs.

DNR brought the Asian beetles to eat the purple loosestrife (sp?) If have elder bugs near you seems the asian beetles less populated.

[JoshB]

Wow Chiggers in Minnesota? I'm surprised. I pretty sure we don't have them, don't quote me.

[crazyme4878]

Ooohh--June bugs!! I hate June Bugs!! I will think of those next time I have to kill a cockroach here in Arizona!

There isn't anything scary in WI, just pains (mosiquitos, black flies, no-see-ums). Bears and wolves usually don't attack humans; look to the websites for the national non-profits for each animal for studies on attacks to humans.

The scariest thing for me is driving long-distance at night, in the winter, in the country and having to watch out for deer. I know, pretty specific, but you asked...

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

The scariest thing for me is driving long-distance at night, in the winter, in the country and having to watch out for deer. I know, pretty specific, but you asked...

I hear ya on the long winter drives. Around here we have a few open areas between the bluffs that are fields and they form huge snow drifts. Yikes!

[dreamhunter65]

Scarier is driving a cycle and worrying about deer and bear. Ladysmith off duty officer hit bear other day on his cycleand also a man from Philips or Prentice unsure which hit a deer with his brand new Harley in Rusk county and was flown to Minnesota as in bad shape.