Angela Coupar

Hi everyone,

Can any one advise on the critters you have in Florida apart from Alligators, Mosquitos, Black Widow/Funnel Web Spiders. Are there any snakes to worry about for example?

I won't be put off, I just want to be able to do my research on these critters, so that I know what they look like, where they are found and how to avoid meeting them and preventative measure in the house and garden. I also want to find out what is, or is not poisonous...

I shall be bringing my own business (Canine Angels) over to Florida and plan to live either in the Orlando Area, Melbourne area on the gold coast or Cape Coral/Lee County on the gulf coast.

Any advice please.
With Thanks
A J C

www.canine-angels.co.uk

(located by logging onto 'AskJeeves.co.uk' or 'AskJeeves.com').

"Feel free to browse my website as I would love to hear from any expats who have made the move from the UK..."

lairdside

Not sure about the others.. although I believe funnel webs love to hide inside dark, enclosed spaces and are aggressive critters too. The black widows are easy to spot. They hang upside down in their webs and have red 'hourglass' markings on their underbellies. They are also very black in color - quite small and generally don't bother people unless you run right into them. They tend to hide in dark corners out of the way - found quite a few last year when cleaning out our garage prior to moving. When we find them we squash them and check around to see if the females have any nests, then we burn the eggs.

Angela Coupar

Thanks Lairside,

I'll keep this information in mind, it is really helpful...

Any other advice from anyone will be great....

Thanks Again
A J C (www.canine-angels.co.uk)

Ray

Hi Angela

Here is a list of the poisonous snakes in Florida:

Diamondback Rattlesnakes
Canebrake Rattlesnake
Pygmy Rattlesnake
Cottonmouth
Copperhead
Coral Snake

Ther are also many non-poisonous types as well..In out yard the most common is the black racer and the rat snake...

This is a good site to read up on them

http://www.floridaconservation.org/v...es/snakes.html

but insect wise.. The worst is the Recluse spider, thankfully quite rare...in my parts.
In my experience the fire ant is the common, and do they love to bite.. closely followed by the Yellow Jacket (wasp) ...

All just loverly creatures...

Interested

Sand flies, they are really annoying and bite you everywhere, they're nasty !!

Angela Coupar

Thanks to everyone for your comments...

Your comments are very helpful and will allow me to research these critters before I arrive in Florida. I had never heard of a 'Recluse Spider' this is one I will definately find out about...

Any more suggestions will be great....

Many Thanks

A G C (www.canine-angels.co.uk)

Florida_03

Don't forget the "Love Bugs"

lairdside

My husband has asked that I tell you about the trick of spraying the headlights on your car with cooking oil to stop all the dead bugs sticking to them.....

nxylas

I'm guessing most of this thread also applies to South Carolina, where I'm going?

Ray

Yup... You will have the same ...I think you have a different variety of non venoumous though... check here

http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/snake.htm

Emm

And North Carolina, where I'm going?

Does anyone know how common the brown recluse is in NC? (I watched a tv progrmme about them - scarey:scared: )

Angela Coupar

Hi Emm,

I've been researching this critter ever since I found out there was such a spider. I'm not sure if you find them in NC, but I found this website and it is really good for information:-

http://www.brownreclusespider.net/BRS.htm

You can also log in to 'AskJeeves.co.uk' or 'AskJeeves.com' and ask to find information on these spiders and many more. I'm not sure but I've heard the Hobo Spider is an aggressive critter too, which is scary considering its a type of house spider...

Hope this information Helps...

A J C (www.canine-angels.co.uk)

Feel free to browse my website and sign my free 'Guest Book'. I love to read peoples comments.... :scared:

Emm

Thanks Angela, I shall take a peek. I had a quick look at your website but I'm not really a dog kind of person
, more of a cat lover.

Taffyles

Recluse spiders are here alright and they are nasty little critters- we found one in our new house just before we moved in last year. also found a black widow nestling in an electrical outlet when we took the cover off to decorate...eeek I hate spiders.

Don't forget alligators here- especially if you have dogs and you live near water. Any lake or pond might have get an alligator at some time- we have one in our lake out the back- he's only a young four footer though and unlikely to bother anything but frogs and small snapper turtles. They only stay as long as there is food for them and until they outgrow the pond.

Other things you have to bear in mind if you are bringing dogs is flea and ticks- if you walk them out near wooded areas- they'll pick up ticks and fleas can be a huge problem with pets here because of the climate. Most people get their houses and gardens sprayed monthly or what we found best to stop fleas was a powder mix containing Borax which yu can sweep into your carpets- it dries out anything that crawls into it or walks over it- will kill spiders and Palmetto bugs (cockroaches) too.

You will love the paw parks here- enclosed parks to exercise your dogs, you can let them run free in there.

doctor scrumpy

All these and muggers too ... glad I am going further north lol