Which part of Austin will have the "least" amount of tree roaches and scorpions? (Georgetown: scorpion, living)

[Danielle23]

Originally Posted by mm57553

Just to add to your nightmare...I was stung by a scorpion in my bed, while I was asleep.

How absolutely horrible.....

Do you mind if I ask what part of Austin you live in? and are you near the countryside or a wooded area? I was really hoping that having scorpions inside people's homes (and even worse, in beds...) would not be an issue if one lives near the city, as opposed to living more on the outskirts of town, near the countryside.

Are all areas in Austin prone to having scorpions and tree roaches inside the houses? I did not have this experience growing up in Buda (when we lived in town), and it was a rural city back then, and it's only 15 min from Austin. I am really surprised to find out that Austin has this whole scorpion problem.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by Danielle23

How absolutely horrible.....

Do you mind if I ask what part of Austin you live in? and are you near the countryside or a wooded area? I was really hoping that having scorpions inside people's homes (and even worse, in beds...) would not be an issue if one lives near the city, as opposed to living more on the outskirts of town, near the countryside.

Are all areas in Austin prone to having scorpions and tree roaches inside the houses? I did not have this experience growing up in Buda (when we lived in town), and it was a rural city back then, and it's only 15 min from Austin. I am really surprised to find out that Austin has this whole scorpion problem.

I live in Steiner Ranch. I live in one of the older sections, so no construction or anything going on near me. We do back up to a greenbelt, however. We see a scorpion in the house every few months. We only see a tree roach in the house about once a year (thank God). For some reason the tree roaches freak me out WAY more than the other critters. We have also seen tarantulas, but only outside. We've discovered that a good pest control service is crucial. We have them come out quarterly. Makes a huge difference.

Now don't get me started on the snakes...

[FueledByBlueBell]

I've never heard of a tree roach and don't really come across anything else, except ants, harmless but annoying ones.

[mickey65]

Originally Posted by mm57553

And don't forget the fire ants. I was bitten several times on my foot yesterday. Wasn't even a mound, just apparently a bunch of them in the grass.

Yep! I washed my car last weekend and stepped off the driveway (wearing sandals) into the grass while hosing down the car and got bit up pretty good. I've had the red welts on my right foot all week - and they are still all there!

[hamjeepr]

Y'all are ignoring the worst of them all - the black widows and brown recluse. You don't see them until it's almost too late usually. The black widows like to crawl into sheets if their still hanging on the line after dark. Make sure you check.

Scorpions are pretty benign unless you allergic. It's basically a bee sting, maybe a wasp. The scorpions like darker areas so always look above the door as you enter a dark shed or outbuilding. They like to drop down your neck. It's important to remember cowboy hats aren't just for keeping sun/rain off you.

Finally, for all these, keep First Aid Insect Sting Relief Pads on you. This takes care of bee, wasp, scorpion, and fireant stings/bites immediately. I would buy them by the 50 ct box because you don't normally only get one bite from fireants.


Amazon.com: First Aid Only Insect Sting Relief Pad, 50-Count Boxes (Pack of 3): Health & Personal Care

[mickey65]

All the times I've ever been bit by fire ants, it's just a quick nip and then nothing afterwards - except for the welts!

[cckhek]

A couple evenings ago when I was taking my dog outside, I saw what I thought was a snake crawling nearby under a tree, but looking further it was a giant redheaded Texas centipede. It was at least 1 foot long and quite wide. It was really creepy seeing that. They are quite poisonous from what I hear. This was located in Round Rock. This was the first, and hopefully last time, I see one.

[AustinGuy]

I've lived in many part of Austin, and I've seen tree roaches everywhere. They often figure out ways to get inside dwellings too. Thankfully, I haven't had to deal with scorpions yet.

[twange]

Originally Posted by cckhek

A couple evenings ago when I was taking my dog outside, I saw what I thought was a snake crawling nearby under a tree, but looking further it was a giant redheaded Texas centipede. It was at least 1 foot long and quite wide. It was really creepy seeing that. They are quite poisonous from what I hear. This was located in Round Rock. This was the first, and hopefully last time, I see one.

Ya' know, I'm not really a squeamish guy but looking at one of these nasty devils (even in a photo) gave me the shivers...

No thanks.

[Trainwreck20]

a giant redheaded Texas centipede.

I have to confess, of all the bugs around here, these are the only ones that give me the shivers. We had one in our house when I was a child - it ran out of potted plant drain hole and into the room, and I jumped up on a chair like a little lady in a Saturday morning cartoon. Saw one years later crawling across our ceiling. Both of these 'sightings' were in Georgetown, though, not Austin. My third (and last) sighting was in Kauai about 7 years ago.

They get huge, are fast as hell, and have a moderately toxic sting, although I have never been stung. The first one I saw ran under a pot rack and got stuck in cobwebs - yeah, for not dusting the cobwebs!