[okafaye]

Wow, so many bug fears! I've lived my entire life in NE OK. Yes, we do have brown recluse spiders. We also have many more larger spiders that can scare someone, but, they are very beneficial because they eat other insects.I've lived in the country all my life (53) and am an avid nature fan, however, I will spray for brown recluse. My daughter was bitten by one 25+ years ago. I took her to the Dr. early and he prescribed an ointment to put on it and it worked very well. If you think you may have been bitten, don't wait and see, go to the Dr. Even if it isn't a spider bite, better safe than sorry.
Depending on the kind of year we've had (especially a warmer than usual winter) we will have more insects of all kinds, the plants will bloom more and bear more fruit, allergies are usually worse (I know because I have them). The gardens are infested so badly that it is a never ending battle to be able to have any vegetables. This year is one of those years...
We also have many kind of snakes, some venomous but most are not.
I've lived in the country all my life (53) and am an avid nature fan, however, I will spray for brown recluse.
For the person who saves all insects and mice, I'm sure you would spray to KILL roaches. If you have ever been infested by roaches you will know what I mean. The only way to get rid of them is to spray. They multiply rapidly and will get into EVERYTHING. They will be in your food, unless it is airtight, you will see them on the toilet seat at night or on the kitchen cabinets, and may other places. About 26 years ago, I lived in a rent house. I bought a kitchen stove at an auction(couldn"t afford a new one at the time)and brought home roaches in it. If you try to bug balm you house, yourself, they just go away until the coast is clear then move back in.
As for mice, they can get into you clothes, furniture, etc. and use it to make they're nests, which in turn give you more mice. They also get into your boxed or canned goods and urinate on them, so if you have mice, better wash that can really good before you open it. They also carry many diseases. And, if you really love the insects and mice so much, don't put one of those stinky traps down to catch them. They are a very cruel, and you wn't find many (if any) insects on them. You could hang one of those sticky strips up from the ceiling or wherever if good for you. They will catch more flying insects. Good Luck.
As for scorpions, sometimes they will get into a house, but not often where I live. We most likely would find them under a rock, but they do hurt.
As for bees and wasps, (except mosquitoes) most won't sting you if you don't bother them, and even if they land on you just because they are out flying around, if you are very still and don't move or swat at them they most likely won't sting you and will fly away soon. Some flying insects just like the color of your shirt. Most rodents and insects do not belong in the house.
If I find a snake I will usually shoo them out of the yard, unless they decide to live there, even if it it a venimous one. We also have many kind of snakes, some venomous but most are not. They are very beneficial in keeping the rodent population down.
We have more porblems with deer than anything else. They are a browsing animal and like many plants and trees. In order to raise many plants, you would have to put a 12 Ft. fence around them. Few things deter them for long. You can try to scare them off, but after awhile they get used to it and just look at you and seem to say, "Oh, its just that stupid human again!"
Bug spray is a must if you are going to be out, especially in pastures or tall grass. If you have ever had very many chigger bites at one time, you know what I mean. You will be miserable. Showering as soon as possible will help.
I guess what I mostly am saying is just to watch where you are going and your environment and you won't really have that many problems.
Oh, mountain lions are not normally predators of people unless they are hurt or trapped, you would,nt even know if one was around. They are more afraid of you and will leave the area.

[FutureFormerCalifornian]

One thing I have seen here that I didn't see in CA is little turtle-y/tortise-y creatures ambling down the side of the road, or sometimes smushed on the road.

Our Boston Terrier has found toads in our yard to chase (we live in metro OKC) which I thought was hilarious until I learned that some of them are POISONOUS. She's gone back to attacking crickets and junebugs now.

[Mattie Jo]

Well, for the last month my husband and i have had rocky mountains spotted tick fever. not fun but treatable. our yard has been loaded with ticks, and hopefully we will have them under control soon.

not sure about those mountain lions. people were being killed by them in CA. maybe they are more afraid of people here.

[mike_down_under]

If you fear Oklahoma & the munchers, have a thought for us in Australia........crocs, sharks, stonefish, jellyfish, land snakes (we have the top 11 in the world), sea snakes, dingoes, octopus, mosquitoes, leech's, ticks, quite a few plants, coral, soil (deadly disease that screws you up), coneshell, bullants, sea wasps........and you were complaining about what...?

Welcome to the land where everything kills....

[Synopsis]

Great point mikedownunder. Australia's got some pretty intense wildlife, both in and out of the ocean. I love your term "munchers."

[Jammie]

That's true and it never occured to me. There are a lot of really wild creatures in Aust. (Wish we could talk in person. We love the Aussie and the British accents.)

Jessaka, sorry to hear about the rocky mountain spotted fever. We've never had it although we get plenty of ticks and ******* here, too. One of our neighbor's sons got very sick when he was a little boy. I rode along to the E-room with her and was amazed to learn he had rocky mountain spotted fever. They thought it was deer ticks that were the carriers, but I have never actually heard how (or if) they differ from just a regular tick.

[Mattie Jo]

thanks jammie,

american dog ticks carry spotted mt. fever.

90 percent of brown recluse spider bites do not cause harm. I would never spray my house with poison. since we don't have mice sticky traps work well enough.

i never had a problem with mice when i lived in the country before because the cats too care of all of them. i also kept all of my food in jars, which is what i still continue to do.

my sister used roach motels to get rid of her roaches and lives in MS. she still has no problems.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by jessaka

thanks jammie,

american dog ticks carry spotted mt. fever.

90 percent of brown recluse spider bites do not cause harm. I would never spray my house with poison. since we don't have mice sticky traps work well enough.

i never had a problem with mice when i lived in the country before because the cats too care of all of them. i also kept all of my food in jars, which is what i still continue to do.

my sister used roach motels to get rid of her roaches and lives in MS. she still has no problems.

Jessaka, that's interesting to know that just the plain old ticks can cause that. I do remember that our little neighbor was very sick for several weeks.

It's kind of odd cause we've never had much of a problem with any bugs or anything either. Of course, we have always had cats so we're not bothered by rodents. The only thing that we encounter nearly every summer is having an ant invasion. We usually manage to get rid of them before they take over the house and I really try to be careful about it. I try to keep the dishes washed, sticky things cleaned up fast, etc, but they still always find us.

[Mattie Jo]

I kinda like the looks of the Lone Star tick. IT is brown with a white star on its back.

Does anyone know what the spider is called that is black with a white star on its back?

[littlewing]

This is my first complete summer in Oklahoma (I'm in the southwestern part). I've never seen so many bugs! Fortunately bugs and spiders don't bother me much except for an irrational fear of cockroaches. When I got up this morning there was a large 1 1/4" (I measured it) black or very dark brown cockroach in my bathtub. I sprayed it with a bug spray and went into the living room where there was another one on the floor, upside down, legs still wiggling. Well after closer inspection I noticed they didn't quite look like most roaches. The thorax (the part between the head and body) was about an 1/8" or more whereas most roaches look like their head is attached directly to there body. Also the body or abdomin was fatter at the end instead of more oval like a roach. My question is; does anyone know if these were just some kind of beetle or other bug native to this area?