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We currently live in northern Michigan. My spouse really hates the winters and is unhappy with our very short summers, wants to move to where it is much warmer overall.
We have to stick to locations where the company has an office (over 18yrs seniority).
"I" want to move to the Southwestern US but the few places we have offices, the real estate is way out of our price range. I used to live in CA/CO and miss the dry climate and mountains.
There are several areas of the Southeastern US that we have offices and are affordable (central/western KY, within an hours of the Carolina shores, northern AL).
What I can't find anywhere are what are the bugs actually like in the southeastern US? We love to hike, swim, and especially love to spend time puttering in our gardens. I know there are a lot more variety of bugs than northern MI but to what degree do they "bug" you when you're out doing activities? Is it like northern MI in the summers (very high mosquito problems, ticks, no-see-ums) except it's all year long down there?
Or is it more of a constant low level annoyance because there's no huge mass hatchings due to frigid winters?
I know further south in FL they spray for mosquitoes regularly. Is that typical all over the south?
We're hoping to be out in the countryside a bit so that probably wouldn't affect us anyways.
Anyhow I'm hoping folks can clue me in on what to expect in that region. We've vacationed in the southeast but it was always at the ocean beaches during our winters and thus never experienced any bug issues.
I know to expect sauna like humidity in most locations during the summer.
Just curious about the bugs. Thank you
The bugs are not year round. You may see some ants on warmer winter days, or pick up some ticks in the woods, but that's it.
In the warmer months the mosquitoes can be bad in the evening, and ants can be really annoying. And of course, you learn to look out for fire ant mounds.
I have lived in the south most of my life. Bugs are a minor inconvenience, if and when I even think about them which is not often. But of course maybe I'm more used to them, who knows.
Mosquitoes are easily controlled by spraying - you can try to count on the city or county for that or you can just do it yourself or hire it done. Long story short, my husband and I sit outside most of the year at some point of the day or night and are literally never bitten by mosquitoes.
Same with ticks. I can't remember the last time I was bitten by one - I mean it must have been twenty five years or more ago.
Roaches - same thing. Never see one, don't have any.
We use Terminix now but even before then I didn't have an issue with bugs.
One time my ex husband flipped a house and while I was over there, I picked up two roaches or one pregnant one I guess. My guess is that they got into my purse - AUGH!!!! Wow, within weeks we had a roach problem in our house. One call, one visit from the exterminator and they were gone. So it's not like they don't exist but they are all very easily controlled.
Spiders are very rare. I have found one or two black widows over the years outside but they are not aggressive and they were no problem. I just moved away from them. They didn't want me bothering them and I didn't want them bothering me.
Fire ants try to come in our yard each year but I kill the mound quickly with something we buy at Lowes and just sprinkle on top of the mound. Even so - the mounds are obvious so they are easy to avoid elsewhere. But they die in my yard! And quickly.
You'll run into three things I have not seen up North. Fire Ants, Termites and Palmetto bugs (giant roaches). Other than that, it's pretty much the same nuisances we have up North. I wouldn't worry too much about bugs if that's your main concern. Mosquitoes will not be year round, but of course, a much longer season than up North. Termites and Fire Ants are pretty much a nuisance all year long. Palmetto bugs tend to be worse near water so if you avoid land that borders ponds or creeks, you may not even see them.
Really was thinking about this before posting. Bugs are just a part of any southerners life. From whisking away flies in your face, combatting ants and flies during summer cook outs, we spray our home and property professionally once a year, I now realize that there is a normal mode of living with them.
We live near a big lake and mosquitoes are a nuisance in the summer. Bees show up too. Get ready for them. Overall, it's just part of southern living. Bugs are not deal breakers in my honest opinion. We are used to them.
To some extent it's going to depend on where you land.
Where I am in northeast TN there are few/no fire ants, no palmetto bugs, and not many mosquitoes unless you live near one of the lakes or rivers. We do seem to have plenty of spiders, which I hate, and stink bugs and japanese lady beetles.When I lived in Memphis they sprayed the city for mosquitoes, and palmettos were definitely a problem anywhere there was a standing water. And of course living in FL and along the gulf coast there are all of the above plus lizards, which I thought were cute but some people hate them, and plenty of fire ants and love bugs.
You'll run into three things I have not seen up North. Fire Ants, Termites and Palmetto bugs (giant roaches). Other than that, it's pretty much the same nuisances we have up North. I wouldn't worry too much about bugs if that's your main concern. Mosquitoes will not be year round, but of course, a much longer season than up North. Termites and Fire Ants are pretty much a nuisance all year long. Palmetto bugs tend to be worse near water so if you avoid land that borders ponds or creeks, you may not even see them.
I really hate the term 'palmetto bug', because they're really just woods cockroaches. You're just as likely to find some under a rotting log as you are in a palmetto palm. They like moist decaying plant matter.
Honestly, I think the most annoying bug in the South now is the imported Asian lady beetle. They look like native lady bugs, but are orange rather than red. They didn't exist when I was a kid, but in recent years they have exploded and at times they are everywhere.
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