Do you have a lot of bugs in Tampa beach areas?

[yukon]

Interesting. I've always thought them to be desert critters, but now I'm wondering if it's more the heat and sandy soil they like, and not the dryness of the desert. Which might would explain why FL has them in places. Hmmn.

Of course, now I can see the new threads...."SCORPIONS IN FLORIDA!!! OMG!!!! "

[deckardc]

Originally Posted by yukon

All you guys reporting scorpions - where in FL do you live? I've lived in the Panhandle area for years, Tampa for years, and Ft Lauderdale for a year and never seen a scorpion. Where are they?

I used to live in Navarre. I saw one there once but it was dead. I was changing a light bulb in the hallway by my kids bedrooms and there was a dead scorpion inside the globe. It was only about 2 inches long. That is the only one I have ever seen on the panhandle. I did see another tiny one once on Honeymoon Island near Clearwater. The scorpions in FL won't really hurt you. Apparently their sting is more like a bee sting.

[yukon]

Y'all can't imagine how amusing I found this thread to be. I was considering relocating to Phoenix or Tucson, but waffled about them due to scorpions (even though I grew up in PHX, go figure). Now I find out we apparently have them here. Geez. Guess I can add those cities back on my relo list. I'm still chuckling.

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by yukon

All you guys reporting scorpions - where in FL do you live? I've lived in the Panhandle area for years, Tampa for years, and Ft Lauderdale for a year and never seen a scorpion. Where are they?

I live in Tampa Palms and there was one outside my front door!!!! I just moved from Illinois, so that was a big change for me

[Keeper]

I too lived in Tampa for 30 years and never saw a scorpion. Wonder if they are in one area due to what the area was like before all the houses were built.

[TheCaptain]

LOL, this is a great thread, and truthful, but don't let that deter you from moving here.

I've been here 7 years, and though I've seen a good handful of roaches (whoops, sorry, "palmetto bugs"), spiders, love bugs, ants, etc., their level of being bothersome was not high at all.

In summer you've got love bugs, harmless little things that do more damage to the paint on your car than anything else. And as much as they're all over in summer, I still haven't had one so much as fly into my mouth.

The palmetto bugs frighten the bejeesus out of me, but I expect they gross a lot of people out. They're around, just like the spiders. Florida has two of the most terrifying "looking" ones, but neither are poisonous: The banana spider and the wood spider. Or rather, they call it the wood spider, I'm not sure if that's the proper name. Anyhow, they can get huge, some the size of a large softball, and look scary enough to star in Arachnaphobia. But like the roaches, unless you live in absolute filth, you may see one per month. I've gone even longer.

Ants are all over many places in the US, not just Florida. Fire ants are here, yes...just don't step on their nests and you'll be fine.

You'll see more of everything listed above if you live on the ground floor vs. a 2nd floor condo or apartment. You could really give critter life the heave-ho and live on a stilt house...that's the same as living on the 2nd floor. Still, it really, really isn't so bad as you might think. Like I said, I've been here 7 years and have never once been run out by bugs. I hate them, I'm afraid of them, but they've never overwhelmed me.

[jessiesma]

and lizards eat the bugs so you want them around.

cages, yes partly, depending on if you live near fresh water. they also keep out large birds like herons which are fairly common and you don't want a seagull taking up residence in there.

Originally Posted by jessemh431

Well, the frogs and lizards arent poisonous or anything are they? Cus frongs are really cool and I dont mind lizards. Now if they're in my house, thats different-i wouldnt mind having them in my yard.

And also, do people have enclosed pools in their yards so that alligators don't get in them? Is that why they're in greenhouse type things?

[jessiesma]

lack the killer instinct of cats, especially female cats. although my boys are definitely of the watch cat variety. you know, the kind you hear of defending their owners from attacker by jumping on their heads (the attacker's). They can also be the most affectionate but don't mess with ME.

Originally Posted by jessemh431

dogs dont do the trick?

ya. i just looked up pics of them. florida ones are smaller and dont look as scary. either one would terrify me though.

yea. i either want to go to college in CA, WA, OR, MA, NY, NJ, FL, SC, NC, VA, or Chicago.