Mosquitos in summer in Branson area? (Springfield, Ozark: cliquey, neighborhood, university)

[Barbharp]

We are planning to move to Saddlebrooke in 2008...so far we love the area.
Can anybody shine some light on the question of what is the mosquito situation like in that general area? Large ones...small ones? Large population or small population? We have very few in southern California and we're wondering what to expect in terms of flying and crawling vermin. Thank you for your input.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Barbharp

We are planning to move to Saddlebrooke in 2008...so far we love the area.
Can anybody shine some light on the question of what is the mosquito situation like in that general area? Large ones...small ones? Large population or small population? We have very few in southern California and we're wondering what to expect in terms of flying and crawling vermin. Thank you for your input.

Hey Barb...welcome to wonderland!

I'm from central & northern CA...not sure how the insect population varies throughout CA but I know I had waaaay more mosquitos in Sacramento than I have seen anywhere in SW MO.

Here's some official info:
Missouri's Insects (http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/insects/ - broken link)

Insects and Diseases publications, University of Missouri Extension

However...you're also asking about other flying & crawling vermin...right?
There seems to be a much greater insect population IN THE COUNTRY in Missouri than in CA. When I lived in Springfield, in town, I don't think I noticed it so much, but out in the rural areas, there is a plethora of the little buggers.

The most notable...ticks & chiggers! And spiders. And fireflies. And biting flies. And the fun goes on...

It's certainly not a big enough challenge to keep me from living here, but it definitely has given me a new relationship to chemicals.

Any other questions...there's a lot of great folk hang out here...

[Barbharp]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Hey Barb...welcome to wonderland!

I'm from central & northern CA...not sure how the insect population varies throughout CA but I know I had waaaay more mosquitos in Sacramento than I have seen anywhere in SW MO.

Here's some official info:
Missouri's Insects (http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/insects/ - broken link)

Insects and Diseases publications, University of Missouri Extension

However...you're also asking about other flying & crawling vermin...right?
There seems to be a much greater insect population IN THE COUNTRY in Missouri than in CA. When I lived in Springfield, in town, I don't think I noticed it so much, but out in the rural areas, there is a plethora of the little buggers.

The most notable...ticks & chiggers! And spiders. And fireflies. And biting flies. And the fun goes on...

It's certainly not a big enough challenge to keep me from living here, but it definitely has given me a new relationship to chemicals.

Any other questions...there's a lot of great folk hang out here...

Thanks for the creepy crawly info. How about the poisonous category, what's that population like? Are you now in Springfield and what do you like best about living in southern Mo.? Appreciate your reply.

[Barbharp]

Thanks for the creepy crawly info. How about the poisonous category, what's that population like? Are you now in Springfield and what do you like best about living in southern Mo.? I appreciate your reply.

[skeating]

Depends on the area, time of year, weather conditions. In the some areas it is very windy so mosquitoes aren't around. This area is not known for large mosquitoe infestation.

SLPK

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Barbharp

Thanks for the creepy crawly info. How about the poisonous category, what's that population like? Are you now in Springfield and what do you like best about living in southern Mo.? I appreciate your reply.

Poisonous...like snakes? Most of the snakes in MO are not poisonous, especially in the more populated areas...but you will want to learn (& teach the kids!) what to look for if you're nature lovers.

Snakes of Missouri: Venomous Snakes (http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake2.htm - broken link)

That'll give you a good start. ?

If you mean poisonous like ivy or sumac...that's around also. Three leaves, let it be...or some saying like that. I personally go around my yard each spring with long sleeves & gloves & try to root out all the poison ivy because I'm so allergic.

I moved from Springfield almost 4 years ago to live down in the hills at Table Rock Lake. Near Branson. It's a wonderful place to live! I'm 10 minutes from Silver Dollar City...always have a season pass. 10 minutes from outlet malls & The Landing & just about anything I might need. 2 minutes from the Lake.

What do I like most? The beauty, of course. This part of Missouri, deep in the Ozark Mountains, has a wild beauty that isn't manicured and tamed...that rugged rocky beauty. I like that I can afford to live a really good life here. I like the culture! The hillbilly heritage is one of strength & community & resourcefulness. And with all the growth...I do like the fact that this area is growing and changing and still keeping it's personality...I'd hate to see the changes make this place like some cookie-cutter of everywhere else.
There's a lot I like...I love the people. Many of my best friends are from here and are just so REAL. Good, solid, salt-of-the-earth REAL people.
We talked about it more here...

What I Love About Missouri...

[Lake Junkie]

The first time I moved from CA it was to a state that doesn't like California Escapees...that contiguous state shall remain nameless. When we got here I was cautious about being "too" California.

Need'nt have worried. Although my first move was to a slightly-cliquey-not-much-growth-in-a-century town and some of the "from there" folks weren't exactly throwing us welcome-to-the-neighborhood parties, the majority of people I've met here have been wonderful.

There are bits of advice I give my CA people about how to jump-start their friendships here in MO...but the thing I thought of that I love about Missouri is how readily I've been accepted.

[img]http://******************/happy-smiley-8769.gif[/img]

Thanks to all my MO friends...

[mrschilicook]

We live in Saddlebrooke so I have first hand knowledge of the mosquito population. We're up on a hill away from the creeks/meadows and have had very few mosquitoes this past summer. If your down in the valley along the creeks you'll have them...mostly at dusk and dawn. Humidity seems to draw them out more. The further south from Springfield you get(Branson, Hollister, Shell Knob, etc), the fewer the mosquitoes. This area has one of the minor science wonders ...few mosquitos for the amount of water there is around. But like every where else, if you have standing water (ponds, old tires, tubs, etc.. laying around holding water, you'll have the little blood-suckers. To date, however, we haven't seen a single mosquito.

Now other bugs..yes. Lots of spiders, lady-bugs, flying bugs, roaches, beetles, etc. Spiders galore. We've made really good friends with the local bug guy (same one who sprays the Saddlebrooke offices). Snakes...yes we have them. Mostly around here you have to watch for copper heads as far as posionious. We've had a couple of them out on the driveway and a couple of harmless (but creepy) black snakes.

Haven't heard of any cotton mouths out on the creeks, but I'm sure that they could be there. They are in the still/stagnant water areas of the lakes from time to time.

[skeating]

Regarding cotton mouths they are definitely in the lakes. We stayed on the boat about a week in Tablerock Lake and twice we came across them lying in the sun on the rock beds at the cliff areas. That was a little creepy... We stayed our distance and they never bothered us.

[Lake Junkie]

Haven't seen a cottonmouth in my 14 years in Missouri, but there's a brown diamondback something that hangs around at waters' edge...they say that dude isn't poisonous but it's hard to look at those diamonds and not want to run............................................... .............