Bugs in Boston (Cambridge, Newton, Somerville: house, neighborhoods, scorpions)

[Cabound1]

Do Cambridge, somerville, Coolidge corner and similarly dense neighborhoods have mosquitos and other biting insects? Can you sit outside without getting eaten alive? What about Newton?

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by Cabound1

Do Cambridge, somerville, Coolidge corner and similarly dense neighborhoods have mosquitos and other biting insects? Can you sit outside without getting eaten alive? What about Newton?

I mean, there are a few biting insects, especially near open water and preserved forest land, but it's really tame here. I live in a neighborhood that is squarely suburban and we can play outside with my girls without even having to worry about insect repellent. I'd expect it to be better in most areas of Cambridge/Somerville/Newton except in some pretty rare circumstances.

For what it's worth I grew up in Louisiana which is basically just one big pile of standing water, so my idea of "few biting insects" may be slightly biased.

[barb712]

I lived near Tufts/Davis Square (Somerville) for many years, worked and spent a lot of time in Cambridge too and don't recall ever having a major problem with bugs. Maybe a fly or mosquito here or there. That's probably because those towns are not terribly woodsy.

[porterhouse]

No mosquitoes or ticks in my area of Cambridge. I don't even need to close the screen door when the sliders are open. For me it's a huge pro of living in the city.

[chicagoliz]

Two weeks in a row I happened to be at someone's house and we were outside on the patio. Both nights I was eaten alive by the damn mosquitos, with over a dozen mosquito bites all over my feet and legs. The first night I didn't realize we'd be outside and I had no repellant. The second, I had put on natural repellant, which turns out is pretty much useless. These outings were in Newton. So yes, plenty of mosquitos are hanging out in Newton.

[Cabound1]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Two weeks in a row I happened to be at someone's house and we were outside on the patio. Both nights I was eaten alive by the damn mosquitos, with over a dozen mosquito bites all over my feet and legs. The first night I didn't realize we'd be outside and I had no repellant. The second, I had put on natural repellant, which turns out is pretty much useless. These outings were in Newton. So yes, plenty of mosquitos are hanging out in Newton.

If I were ever to live in NE again, no way I could deal with the bugs. One of the nice things about CA.
What about Coolidge corner? Seems to be lots of green around there.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Cabound1

If I were ever to live in NE again, no way I could deal with the bugs. One of the nice things about CA.
What about Coolidge corner? Seems to be lots of green around there.

I really hate bugs too, and despite my recent mosquito incidents, I haven't found the bugs in the area to be all that bad. Years ago, I lived near Coolidge Corner, but I spent summers in Chicago, so I can't speak to the bug situation there, specifically.

I don't like the bugs in the south. I don't want scorpions or poisonous spiders. Or the enormous beetles that Florida seems to get.