Bug situation in Houston (Dallas, Austin: how much, houses, neighborhood)

[Haha2]

Hello Everyone,
How is the big situation in Houston in June and July? I will be looking at houses at that time of year. I’ve heard about the June bugs and mosquitos, but am I going to encounter nasty bugs found in other cities in Texas. How does it compare to other cities in Texas? I hear alot about them, but what’s the big situation like for a Houstonian? I’ve heard that in Texas, there’s a lot of bugs, but it differs from the major cities in the state since it’s huge.

Is Houston buggier in terms of insects, cockroaches and mosquitos? I’ve heard about all the bugs in Dallas and Austin, but the quantity of bugs differ because of climate (for example, Dallas has more wasps and centipedes than in a place like south Texas.) WHATS the difference with the quantity of bugs within the Houston area in general?

[Oskar_Z28]

In Texas, you encounter Texas size mosquitos and cockroaches. Bring bug spray.

[futuregleam]

Fear not the bugs of Houston. I lived in a few other places. I know at least the roaches of Houston are not as big or frequent as the ones in New Orleans (dear lord they're big there). The mosquitoes are not as big or as many as in Calgary because a lot of the suburbs hire someone to spray something at night once or twice a week. You'll need to wear mosquito repellant if you don't want to be bitten, but that's the case anywhere in the summer. I found a couple wolf spiders inside my previous home, but it was a one time thing and they probably lived there before i moved in. My current house has silverfishes that we can't seem to get rid of. We have love bugs a few weeks every year. They look horrific at first, but once you know they don't do anything to you, it doesn't seem to be as scary. We also have crane flies, which also look horrific at first, but then you find out they are really clumsy, doesn't bite, and dies really quickly, then they're no longer a bother.
The good thing about Houston is that, nothing other than mosquitos seem to bite. Most seem to just leave me alone.

[Haha2]

Does the big situation mean I should have pest control because it gets bad? I know in some parts of the US, there’s no need for pest control. Is the bug situation bad enough that. I need mosquito repellent, insect spray, and pest control living in Houston?

[DanielWayne]

It just depends. Mosquitos haven't been bad in my area for years. But maybe 10 years ago they got pretty bad one summer. However the city always sprays for mosquitos (I'm in a suburb). I don't consider spiders a pest unless they are in my house. I typically leave them alone. They don't come after you. Now if you are outside in the summer tossing a frisbee you may encounter a horse fly or a deer fly. They are the apex of pestiness and will hound you until you kill them. Carry a small towel so it's easier to swat at them.

Bugs here will not be any worse than Dallas or Austin. We don't get the giant centipedes here. They are typically little.

Wasps don't bother you. Yellowjackets are a different story if you accidently hit a nest, but that's hard to do if you never work or play outdoors. So for most people, they are easy to avoid.

I haven't had pest control in many years. If you hate all bugs, then you will have challenges here. If you are ok with bugs here and there, then it isn't so bad.

[futuregleam]

Originally Posted by Haha2

Does the big situation mean I should have pest control because it gets bad? I know in some parts of the US, there’s no need for pest control. Is the bug situation bad enough that. I need mosquito repellent, insect spray, and pest control living in Houston?

Some people have exterminators. We never did. We had ant invasions a couple times, but were able to deal with it ourselves

[Oskar_Z28]

I do my own pest control. Mostly have to deal with lawn bugs that destroy the grass, mosquitos, and rats....yes rats. Other bugs are tolerable.

[timtemtym]

Get one can of bug barrier spray. I get the red can, I think it has a tiger on it. I spray it right where the baseboards meet the floor all over the first level of my house. Also spray along doorways. It usually kills everything for about six months. It's usually around 15 bucks.

[Haha2]

How about when I take a walk outside. Is the bug situation so bad in Houston (assuming I can handle it) that I need bug spray or do I not need it for the outdoors. I know Houston is mosquito land at night during the summer, but will bug repellant be necessary if I’m going to walk outside, like at a park?

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by Haha2

How about when I take a walk outside. Is the bug situation so bad in Houston (assuming I can handle it) that I need bug spray or do I not need it for the outdoors. I know Houston is mosquito land at night during the summer, but will bug repellant be necessary if I’m going to walk outside, like at a park?

Every year, Houston loses no more than 3 or 4 infants, a few hundred cats, and who knows how many dogs when they are carried off by the bugs. Just kidding.

They aren't bad at all to me, but my wife says that's because they go after her. It really does depend on the day, how much rain we've had recently, etc. I would keep some repellent in your bag, just in case. Parks are likely to be worse than your neighborhood, as there are more places for bugs to breed and grow, and more natural water.