Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm planning on moving from NY to NM within the next few months, and this forum has been a wonderful source of information. I've narrowed my search to the Edgewood/Moriarty areas and the Silver City area.
I was hoping that someone could tell me what they know about tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, and any other potentially dangerous creatures, both in these areas and in NM in general. I haven't been able to get much information on their range or habits in NM. How are they dealt with? Is any particular area overrun? Does anyone have any warnings or war stories?
I live in the semi-country here and am used to the local wildlife but wondering how it will compare and what I should be prepared for.
Baroque, NM does have the tarantulas, scorpions and rattlesnakes. Tarantulas and scorpions are usually found in the desert areas though I have seen a few in the mountains. Rattlesnakes can be found in any area in NM but again mostly in the desert. You just have to be careful when hiking or out in the wilderness. Most of the time the rattlesnake will rattle and let you know it is near you so you can back away. Snakes will mostly try and run from you, exceptions being maybe they feel threatened or you step on one, that can cause them to strike. That is why you watch where you step. Scorpions aren't that big of a deal. You won't get bit unless you pick one up. They can sometimes enter homes through cracks so you shake your shoes out to make sure there isn't one in your shoes. Keep your bedspread off the floor to prevent them crawling up on it. Scorpions aren't really anything to worry about. It is rare someone gets bit anyway. Tarantulas are nothing to fear either. They look mean but mostly they are harmless. You don't want to pick one up unless you know what you are doing but nothing to worry about either. Just be aware when you are out in the country. Rattlesnakes will usually be where there are rocks or south facing hills in cooler areas because they like warmth. Really I wouldn't worry about it just be aware.
I once got chased barefoot through my yard by a scorpion.
Taught me to not walk out in the yard barefoot! That is about the closest to a war story I have got...
You don't realize it, but NM and NY have two of those nasties in common. Rattlers (here in NY they are much more agressive) and black widows. (and actually NY has black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, badgers, lynx, wolves, coydogs...get the idea???? )
Never put your hands where you can't see them - under rocks, in brush etc. Keep your yard clear of debris which may entice spiders, any excess water in the yard will attract black widows. You basically need to learn pest control measures to keep the critters away. There was a thread here - I can't remember which (think it was the one about Clovis) where I got into detail about pest proofing the home and yard. I would talk to an entemologist there about any specific concerns.
A big caution is to never leave your shoes outdoors, and always check them before you put your feet in them. And you might not want to wear sandals outside either.
Another warning is killer bees. They are in NM. Again, patrol your yard and be mindful of your surroundings. Watch for nests in brush or outdoor storage buildings. Quiet places where they can build a nest without warning. Never kill one of these bees as it may encite a mass attack. Never try to remove a nest by yourself. Call a professional.
Thank you. I know that tarantulas aren't particularly dangerous but I'm not a spider loving kind of girl (no worries of me picking anything like that up). I had visions of being in the path of a herd of migrating males. The scorpions I was concerned about because of my dogs, ditto the snakes. I don't really have a problem with snakes. Scorpions I've never encountered.
I didn't realize that the NY rattlers were more aggressive. I've encountered a few black widows over the years but tend to have more problems with the brown recluse spider (killed another one today in fact) and we're infested with hobo spiders. Are either of those, or similar species, in NM?
I've seen bear, mountain lions, bobcat, wolves, coyotes, coydogs, but find the local deer population to be much more dangerous at least to motorists. Are there problems with the predator animals there?
I didn't think of the bees, thanks for the warning.
...So I take it that sandal sales aren't that good NM?
Baroque, the sandals are a hit in NM. I think because you really don't encounter the varmits most of the time especially in the cities. I lived in the ABQ area and rarely was any of those mentioned a problem. I did see harmless spiders like daddy longlegs and such which actually benefit us by killing bugs. I didn't see any black widows, which I think are more in the southeast part of NM, although I wouldn't rule them out in any other part but I didn't encounter any in the ABQ area. I saw tarantulas maybe three times in all the years I lived in the area. Again they seem to like the south better. Rattlesnakes I have only seen a couple while hiking, not in town.
Killer bees I think right now are still mostly confined to the south but are supposed to migrate up. I heard from one scientist though that told me that as they migrate north, they will interbreed with other regular bees and they will become less and less aggressive, at least we hope! Coyotes are harmless unless you have a small baby or small dog, don't leave them out by themselves in an open yard. Just common sense. Some mountain lions up in the wilderness, but they usually are hunting deer. The problem you mentioned about deer being more dangerous is true! More people are killed by colliding with deer or trying to avoid deer only to have a crash, than mountain lions killing people. So they are doing us a service to keep the deer population in check.
I am more concerned about humans than animals in the USA, with terrorists and such. I think the animals are less of a concern than people! All in all, just use comon sense and enjoy the outdoors, be on the lookout, but enjoy your scenic surroundings.
Speaking more in regard to Northern NM (Edgewood/Moriarty), we definitely get our share of black widows, and to a lesser extent the brown recluse. The main driver that keeps their numbers down is a good, hard winter. Unfortunately, we haven't had one of those for a number of years, so they have become somewhat more common. Maybe this is the year we get some serious snow! It would do a world of good for our lakes & rivers as well!
If you're going to be out in a more rural area, you may come across the occasional rattlesnake. But they will usually go out of their way to avoid humans, and give you plenty of warning if you get too close.
With all the rain we've received this year, the black bears have pretty much stayed up in the mountains (plenty for them to eat). In years past, there have been several occasions where a bear will wander into someone's backyard looking for food, especially when we were rain-starved.
One last thing, if you have small dogs or cats the coyotes will indeed make a snack of them. But also watch out for hawks. My mother-in-law lost several cats over the years to these guys. The only one to ever fend off a hawk had a built in defense mechanism: he was REALLY FAT, and the bird couldn't get off the ground with him!
I think these guys covered all your questions pretty well, I would just add that for the dogs you need to be concerned about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Keep them vaccinated and keep up on the vet care, heartworm and flea/tick remedies. A rattler is unlikely to be an issue if there is no place for them to hide in your dog's yard. They are often found out on highways late at night, using the warm asphalt to manage their body temp.
You just have to be aware of the potential nasties in your area no matter where you live and do your best to manage any risks they might pose.
PA deer are much smarter than NY deer! They actually will stand on the side of the road and not jump out in front of a car 99% of the time. In NY it seems like everytime you see one on the side of the road it is too late!
I was hoping that someone could tell me what they know about tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, and any other potentially dangerous creatures, both in these areas and in NM in general. I haven't been able to get much information on their range or habits in NM.
It really depends on where you live. If you live in town, you'll probably never even see a tarantula or snake.
Scorpions tend to be the small ones, not like you see in the movies. Where I grew up in Clovis/Portales, we seldom saw them. In my father’s house in Roswell, we could watch them walking across the living room floor at night. They are poisonous, yes, but not deadly except to very small children or those who are allergic to them.
But again, it depends very much on where you live. Living outside of town, you’re going to see more critters. Just use common sense. Don’t go wading through deep brush. Always watch your step.
Living southward, you’ll tend to see more snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, etc. Living close to dairies, you’ll get swarms of flies. The wetter mountains have more mosquitoes. Killer bees are becoming a problem throughout the southwest.
In my mind, the biggest pests are houseflies. As long as you are careful, the other creepy-crawlies really aren’t a danger.
Scorpions aren't that big of a deal. You won't get bit unless you pick one up. They can sometimes enter homes through cracks so you shake your shoes out to make sure there isn't one in your shoes. Keep your bedspread off the floor to prevent them crawling up on it. Scorpions aren't really anything to worry about. It is rare someone gets bit anyway.
Hey, Crackerjack!
I had to laugh when I read this part of your post. Not at you, but I can tell you that my son would beg to differ with you. He's nineteen, now, but he hasn't forgotten getting zapped, not once, but twiceas a little kid. Both times were in our house, (we live in the Florida panhandle). The first time he was walking through the livingroom, stepped on the little bugger, (not having seen it. Don't have a brown carpet in scorpion country), and scared me to death, as he ran, yelping and screeching, to jump on the couch. The second time, a few years later, he accidentally kneeled down on one in his bedroom, (again, with the brown carpet). Of course, after the initial sting, and a little baking soda, he was fine, but he has nothing good to say about scorpions! By the way, we now have a nice light-colored tile floor. Oddly enough, they haven't shown up since we put it in...
Last edited by Marka; 09-23-2006 at 08:14 AM..
Reason: repaired code
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
Critters
