question about bugs and heat down south

[luvflorida]

It seems, from what I've read and heard, that the two biggest things that people who live in Florida say they don't like about living there are the bugs and the heat.

What about the other states down south? Don't you have the same thing? Does Florida really have more heat and bugs then say Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana? Just curious and would love to hear from people who live in these areas. Thanks!

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

All I can say is the heat and the bugs in Florida is crazy...

 

[RadioNate]

Well I live in TX. I don't really 'get' it either. It gets hotter here than in a lot of places in FL and we have nastier bugs. I'll take those nasty roach things over the scorpions here any day!

 

[SC Minnie]

I have lived in SC all my life and it is hot and we have bugs. I never thought we had an over abundance of bugs until my neighbor moved from PA and is constantly complaining about the bugs.

 

[Planogirl]

We get bugs in Texas, big ones in fact. For the most part, I think that the more tropical climates get more bugs though. We had a lot more problems with bugs in the Houston area than up here in north Texas for example and I think that central Florida and Houston have similar climates.

 

[luvflorida]

Are the bugs worse during certain times of the year, or are they pretty much always there?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well let's put it this way (as a new Texan), I just got attacked by FIREANTS...blast those things.....I took Benedryl right away and it really helped! I only was stung probably 6 times.

I have some weeds in my landscaping, so you think you can pull them without worry..NO! Geesh...I had the hose going and did not realize the LARGE NEST under a bush. That flushed them out.

Spiders, lots of spiders always coming in my house.

Overall Missouri has more bugs to deal with, it is just the Texas bugs are meanies.

 

[atlnewf]

I don't know that Florida has it "worse" so much as different. In GA it's a humid heat so that it feels at times like the air is chewy. The main bug issue I have is mosquitos.. lots of 'em.. and fire ants..

Ashley

 

[clarabelle]

I live in GA and it is HOT and we have bugs. Mainly fire ants and roaches and mosquitos. They are here most of the time except the winter.
I thought those things were in most places.

Mystery Machine -just some fire ant trivia. They came over from South America in container ships. The ships had some dirt filled containers with fire ants in them and they landed in Mobile AL

Amdro ant bait works really well- you spread it out and they come and eat it
and then they die (insert evil laugh smiley)

 

[Virgo10]

In the 21 months we've been here I've never seen a fire ant. Maybe it's all the snakes we've got around here? I have seen one black widow spider and that one was in my garage. The spiders I find in the house from time to time are not dangerous. I found just as many up north.

I really feel we had a wider variety of insects in Massachusetts. The bugs down here are just, for the most part, bigger. Mosquitoes are my main downfall but, again, I don't think there are more down here then back in MA.

Today was REALLY hot. Most days don't bother me and I lived all my life in the northeast. Today was nasty though. It was 99 degrees around 3 p.m. Bleech!

I've found the humidity bothered me more in MA. I'm not sure why but I suspect it's a combination of there's almost always a breeze here, you get use to it and you can get cooled off in your house thanks to central air.

 

[MetalPrincess]

I lived in Florida and now live in Louisiana and I would say that the weather and the bugs are about the same.

 

[Pin Wizard]

FL is a breeze compared to some other places. Most of last week it was over 100 degrees here. In my 15 years I lived in FL it was NEVER as hot as it was here. It was disgusting!

I'd say watch out for the snakes in FL more than the bugs...and let's not forget the GATORS!! Actually, we had a 3 foot gator in one of the lakes in our community a couple weeks ago. They're sure someone must have had it as a pet and let it go. Poor Gator!!

The heat in FL isn't bad. The first year there is the toughest. After that it didn't phase me. At least FL is a peninsula and gets a good breeze. Here...forget it.

P.S. I did see a scorpion scamper across the road at a shopping mall in Boynton Beach, FL!

 

[minkydog]

I grew up on the Mississippi & Alabama Gulf coast and I've lived in North Georgia for 18yrs. The heat & humidity all along the Gulf Coast is formidable. But I'd say, hands-down, that Mississippi and Alabama have a lock on the Biggest Cockroaches in the World. And they fly! Here in Georgia our big problem is mosquitos, lots and lots of 'em. You'd think with it being so dry this summer they'd all shrivel up, but no...they're out there waiting by the baby pool for their dinner date But I'll put up with the skeeters to have 4 seasons and practically no winter.

 

[luvflorida]

Okay, I feel a lot better about our move to Florida in two years. After reading the "why I hate Florida" thread, I was starting to rethink a few things! It sounded like Florida was the holding tank for all the bugs and heat in the south.

I guess I can continue with the planning process!

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

I've lived in Florida for 20 years. Here's a brief rundown of what to expect. (You asked)

The heat lasts a long time. One day in early May it is still quite lovely, the very next day, the sweat is rolling down your back and your clothes stick to you well into late December (if you're lucky).

We have swarms of love bugs that magically appear every May and again in December. They get into everything and if you don't promptly remove them from your car, they can and will remove the paint (Do they tell you this in the travel brochures).

We have mosquito problems because the rain and humidity are breeding grounds for the little buggers. As was mentioned before we have gators, too.

We have lots of poisonous snakes, several serious spider (including the brown reluse which is really, really nasty). We have fire ants that contain quite a bit of venom and if you are allergic, will blow up like a balloon at each sting/bite. Did mention the scorpions which while not big, are quite capable of stinging and hurting. Some people say they are like bee stings, but their stingers are bigger and they get into everything, including dresser drawers.

We have 8 kinds of stinging caterpillars. Luckily, they don't all have the same season. They are also not easily recognizable from their nonstinging cousins.

We have our share of large bees and wasps, but the biggest bees are the ground bee, which is not a ground dweller at all. We also have no-seeums and palmetto bugs which are enormous flying roaches. We have banana spiders which are huge and ........

Should I work for the Florida Department of Tourism or what?

The crazy thing even with the lightening, power outages and various other difficult living conditions, I really love it here. I really am a glutton for punishment or simply insane.

 

[Pugdog007]

In GA it's a humid heat so that it feels at times like the air is chewy. The main bug issue I have is mosquitos.. lots of 'em.. and fire ants..

Ashley

I'll second this... same in Central AL.

 

[luvflorida]

I've lived in Florida for 20 years. Here's a brief rundown of what to expect. (You asked)

The heat lasts a long time. One day in early May it is still quite lovely, the very next day, the sweat is rolling down your back and your clothes stick to you well into late December (if you're lucky).

We have swarms of love bugs that magically appear every May and again in December. They get into everything and if you don't promptly remove them from your car, they can and will remove the paint (Do they tell you this in the travel brochures).

We have mosquito problems because the rain and humidity are breeding grounds for the little buggers. As was mentioned before we have gators, too.

We have lots of poisonous snakes, several serious spider (including the brown reluse which is really, really nasty). We have fire ants that contain quite a bit of venom and if you are allergic, will blow up like a balloon at each sting/bite. Did mention the scorpions which while not big, are quite capable of stinging and hurting. Some people say they are like bee stings, but their stingers are bigger and they get into everything, including dresser drawers.

We have 8 kinds of stinging caterpillars. Luckily, they don't all have the same season. They are also not easily recognizable from their nonstinging cousins.

We have our share of large bees and wasps, but the biggest bees are the ground bee, which is not a ground dweller at all. We also have no-seeums and palmetto bugs which are enormous flying roaches. We have banana spiders which are huge and ........

Should I work for the Florida Department of Tourism or what?

The crazy thing even with the lightening, power outages and various other difficult living conditions, I really love it here. I really am a glutton for punishment or simply insane.

Now you really had to post all that, didn't you. Are you trying to tell me something? I think you just want to keep Florida all to yourself, but it's not going to work.

 

[Kahana-ri]

All I know is that my BF just moved to GA and had to share she has never seen such BIG, crawly and winged bugs in her life.

 

[Planogirl]

We get the usual big roaches, mosquitos, fire ants and spiders, and then we get infestations sometimes. I remember driving through parking lots with crickets crunching under my wheels. Also, June bugs seem to be everywhere at times and the problem with them is that they're so dumb and they crash into everything including people. And if the wolf spider in the front quits building webs across the walkway, I'll be so grateful! Ever seen a wolf spider? I like to joke that some of them trap cats.

 

[jaycat]

I live in Georgia, and its hot, Florida seems to be a little bit hotter, but it is closer to the equator, and the bugs here don’t bother me half as much as the heat...

...Evil hot sun... ... Evil hot sun...