Anything scary in Wisconsin? (Madison, Green Bay: new home, scorpions, tornado)

[pioneer8]

I know this is a bit silly, but what is scary in your beautiful state? Snakes? Bugs? Animals? I moved from FL to Texas last year and I guess I didn't understand that we would really have rattlesnakes in the country. I know this is crazy, but it is one of the reasons why I am even considering moving as many things are wonderful here. Anyway, I am hoping for no suprises when we move on to our new home. I desperately want to live in the snow. Can anyone tell me what kinds of things are "not so good" or even downright scary??? Thank you.

[WIer]

Originally Posted by pioneer8

I know this is a bit silly, but what is scary in your beautiful state? Snakes? Bugs? Animals? I moved from FL to Texas last year and I guess I didn't understand that we would really have rattlesnakes in the country. I know this is crazy, but it is one of the reasons why I am even considering moving as many things are wonderful here. Anyway, I am hoping for no suprises when we move on to our new home. I desperately want to live in the snow. Can anyone tell me what kinds of things are "not so good" or even downright scary??? Thank you.

Well, the Green Bay Packers and UW Badgers are very "not so good and even downright scary" when they lose!

Sorry, that just popped out... WI is a state of Packers/Badgers, brats, cheese, and beer.

More seriously... the state does occasionally have severe rainstorms and/or tornados, though every region has its natural disasters. Occasionally snow or ice storms can be nasty and cause problems. Wildlife--not a lot of problems, though raccoons can create big problems getting into garbage and such, and northern WI near the UP of Michigan may have a few bear issues from time to time. But overall WI doesn't have problems with poisonous snakes and scorpions and such, doesn't have wildlife issues like western states (mountain lions and so on), doesn't have insect problems like down south where hard freezes don't kill off all kinds of bugs, and so on. We do get some pretty nasty mosquitoes, and I remember up north having a lot of horse flies and/or deer flies (which can give a nasty bite, but not terribly much worse than a mosquito bite), plus we have bees and wasps and such that sometimes sting... but nothing to really be afraid of that I can think of.

I suppose if you're not used to snow, driving in snow may be your scariest thing. Learn how to drive (and brake) in snow--take it slow, don't go out when roads are icy, have good tires (better yet--snow tires in winter, depending where you live), and so on. Plus be sensitive to frostbite conditions--if the temperature is very low and/or the wind is lowering the windchill temp., stay indoors or really, really bundle up (completely--head, hands, nose...) if you have to go out. But those days are generally few and far between.

[pioneer8]

Thanks very much. I was reading about something called a house centipede...any idea what that is all about? I've heard lots about the snow driving issues. I hope we can get used to it. Thank you again!

[Adream]

Originally Posted by WIer

Well, the Green Bay Packers and UW Badgers are very "not so good and even downright scary" when they lose!

Sorry, that just popped out... WI is a state of Packers/Badgers, brats, cheese, and beer.

That's funny!
My dad is from Appleton, graduated from UW @ Madison - I have lots of wonderful relatives still there - yes, I actually like my relatives! I just love to read the words: Packers, Badgers, brats, and my grampa's favorite: Brewers (as in baseball). I adore Wisconsin, wonderful memories going back to the early 1960's.

Originally Posted by WIer

More seriously... the state does occasionally have severe rainstorms and/or tornados, though every region has its natural disasters. Occasionally snow or ice storms can be nasty and cause problems.

My aunt and uncle live in a split level, with a very nice finished basement. She has told me for years of spending lots of time with the kids in the basement when there is a tornado warning. Luckily, no incidents over these past 40 years. They felt safe in their cozy basement.

[WIer]

Originally Posted by pioneer8

Thanks very much. I was reading about something called a house centipede...any idea what that is all about? I've heard lots about the snow driving issues. I hope we can get used to it. Thank you again!

Not positive what they are, but if they're the little centipedes I've seen in other people's houses around here, they are definitely nothing to worry about. Mice, ants, centipedes... they may be around, may get into houses, but I've never lived anywhere where in certain seasons some creatures don't get into the house. But Wisconsinites don't worry about fumigating their houses like people in at least some southern climes do, with professionals with nasty bug killing poisons, with tenting houses, and so on.

You really have no need to worry about bugs or animals in WI. Sure, we have them, but again, snow driving should be your major concern. That's a safety issue.

One good thing, though, is after living here a while, Wisconsinites learn how to drive in snow, so at least the drivers around you generally will know to keep a bigger space before the car in front, drive slower, and so on. In contrast, when regions further south get an occasional ice or snow storm, too often almost no one knows how to drive in the conditions, thus there are more accidents and such.

[azloafer]

"My aunt and uncle live in a split level, with a very nice finished basement. She has told me for years of spending lots of time with the kids in the basement when there is a tornado warning. Luckily, no incidents over these past 40 years. They felt safe in their cozy basement."

AAAH... A BASEMENT. I REMEMBER A BASEMENT! HERE, I WAS WONDERING WHY MY ARIZONA TAXES ARE SO MUCH LESS THAN WISCONSIN... YOU DON'T GET A BASEMENT HERE! MY HOUSE IS ON A CONCRETE SLAB! HEY, I GOT RIPPED OFF!

[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.

[Sarscasm]

Everyone is forgetting about serial killers. They WILL kill you. Not like your little centipedes. (they're in my house... just gross looking, not dangerous) We had Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, (some random 5 killings in la crosse)

And everyone knows bears are godless killing machines. If you have a soul, they will hunt you down.

But for real, drunk drivers. There's so many of them, seeing as how everyone here is an alcoholic because there's nothing better to do. Most people probably know someone that's been killed by a drunk driver (i do)

[pioneer8]

I appreciate all of the feedback. Thanks so much.

[WIer]

Originally Posted by Sarscasm

Everyone is forgetting about serial killers. They WILL kill you. Not like your little centipedes. (they're in my house... just gross looking, not dangerous) We had Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, (some random 5 killings in la crosse)

And everyone knows bears are godless killing machines. If you have a soul, they will hunt you down.

But for real, drunk drivers. There's so many of them, seeing as how everyone here is an alcoholic because there's nothing better to do. Most people probably know someone that's been killed by a drunk driver (i do)

Unfortunately these "scary things" are not unique to Wisconsin in the least. They exist in all 50 states.

Also your comment on bears is beyond absurd.

And I must take issue with your comment about everyone in WI an alcoholic and having nothing to do. If that's your attitude, why are you here? Move somewhere else--please. Some of us feel Wisconsin has a tremendous amount to offer (and haven't noticed drunk drivers to be anymore of a problem than in any other state).

Or are your comments (hopefully) in jest?