Tell me all about the bugs and critters (San Diego: scorpion, living)

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by Minni

We will be arriving on the 15/16 of August.Have rented an apartment with fenced private patio, but am worried about fleas, because we have 2 cats. I do use Frontline in the summer, but would hate to have to apply it to my cats year round, due to it being a poison. Are fleas a problem?

What about other critters? What can I expect to come across (in my apartment and patio area) in a smaller apartment complex that has a lot of green areas? Our storage area is a small space outside, off the patio. Do I need to be concerned about "who" and "what" will want to settle into my stuff in storage?
Lizzards?
Fire ants?
Any big ants?
Mice?
Sand fleas?
Moths?

I did read the whole therad about Black Widow spiders..

WHAT THE HECK ELSE IS LURKING??

We are use to our Wisconsin critters and their ways.. the mice want to come inside in the fall, the muskrat is happy in the wood pile, the opposum under the shed, apply flea meds in summer. Summer also brings the anual migration of earwigs, ants and flies looking to get inside. Not to menton moths at night around lights, and racoons looking for any leftover bird seeds. We know our critter routine here. What is the critter "patrol" and routine like in San Diego?

Thanks!

Where I live now, the biggest nuisance are skunks and their smell. My neighbor's dog was sprayed twice within a week. I've also seen opposums walking on my fence. Lizards hide out in my garden. Walking into spider webs is never fun. While it's nothing like much of the country, mosquitoes definitely come out when the sun goes down and I have welts to prove it. Owls hang out in the palm trees surrounding my house. I've never seen a snake in my yard, but I've seen them where I work and in the various canyons. In my old apartment located in a canyon, there used to be a family of racoons that used to come out in the evening.

[TristramShandy]

The lizards that we have are cute and fast - - they try to stay out of your way, and help with insects.

I'm getting my first taste of ants out in Spring Valley. Small and harmless physically, but a nuisance with coming into the house (has happened twice this summer).

[kimmer]

Watch for ants, cockroaches, lots of spiders, snakes. You might get possums at night, sometimes raccoons, field mice. Fleas seem to be an issue sometimes. My dogs never got them when we lived in San Marcos. If you live near any canyons, watch for coyotes - keep your pets indoors at night. Coyotes can and will come into your patio and or cage to get at dogs.

[kcda]

I've never seen cochroaches here but did see a "water bug" once. I've never seen snake around our house either and this is in 16 years. We did see a snake once out in the country near Otay Lake. We love the lizard in our front yard. Everytime we run into him on the driveway or walkway he does these "pushups" to show his aggression. It's so funny.

The OP asked about moths, we do have them but don't think it's a big problem. I only see them at night near the porch light, they usually don't get in the house. My neighbors brought back this strange flowering plant from Tennessee that blooms (literally pops open) when the sun goes down. Moths pollinate this strange flower.

[bunky3301]

The only thing we have had a little problem with is the spiders, they are harmless I guess but they do get in all the time it seems.

As far as fleas , I haven't heard any of my neighbors complain about them and they all have at least one dog..man San Diego is a dog town it seems.

No Fire ants....being a Floridian for about 15 years I know Fire ants and the bite they have....but thank god none of those are here.

Hope it helps and Congrats on moving to the area....I'm envious because my wife's work is taking us away from San Diego for at least the next 3 years. Best of LUCK...now go out and enjoy San Diego!!!!

[MySerendipity]

I live near where you are moving. Spiders and coyotes are the worst to worry about. If you keep your home and animals clean you will probably need to treat your cats for fleas just through the summer months. Ants can be a problem in the house during warm weather as they look for water and other treats. Garden lizards are great to have around and they won't bother you. Keep your cats in though. Coyotes are a problem and owls will go after cats too. Don't worry about the critters, it's not bad here at all, especially that area.

[Minni]

Thanks again everyone.

We also have the ocassional skunk walk throiugh our property. They sure let you know they are around!

Bunky, thank you!! We will have fun! Hopefully the 3 years will wiz right by for you. Ahh, yes Flordia. I had lived there a short while and that's why I was wondering about the critter situation is in San Diego. Flordia seemed "crawling" to me. BUT it is much drier in San Diego.

MySerendipity, thanks, I was thinking there might be coyotes because the area is so near Mission Trails Park, and then there is the golf course. As it is, I keep an eye on my cats here due to the huge hawks we have. We also have coyotes. Saw a young one walking down the road a few weeks ago.. it looked dazed or injured.
The area appears to be pretty nice. How long have you lived there?

So, if there is no coldwinter does that mean that the bugs never die (from the cold) or go dormant? That's how Flordia struck me. I kept thinking.. NO WONDER THE BUGS ARE SO HUGE AND I CAN SEE THE FLEAS JUMPING IN THE SAND..THEY NEVER STOP GROWING!!

[MySerendipity]

Im a native San Diegan. Lived here 38 years but am five generations deep. The area is pretty nice and you are very centrally located, you can jump on the 15 and 8 and get to anywhere. We have plenty of skunks too. I don't think it is anything to really worry about. Like I said, just keep things clean and organized, dry out in the yard too. Spiders like those damp dark spaces.

Good Luck.

[Rickers]

Don't confuse fleas that may or may not be found in or near sandy places such as the beach with "sand fleas" , those guys are really some kind of shrimp or something. One of the reasons I moved out of San Diego was to get away from fleas and cockroaches, also water bugs. I hate fleas. My dog here in Montana has never had a flea. I have never seen any roaches here either. Another reason was to escape the human cockroaches that ask for spare change to get drunk on ! Those bums are like over grown bugs !

[kcda]

Lately something had been opening my trash bin (hinged), tearing holes and making a mess on my side yard. I couldn't understand what kind of creature could actually get up on my recycle bin and from there lift up the lid to my trash bin. Last night I heard rustling in my kitchen and there was a racoon! It actually slid open my screen (which was not locked) and stole my trash bag (chicken), ran outside with it. I went up to the door and tried to scare it away and it just stared at me. I slammed the screen shut and that seemed to scare it a few feet but then it came back for the trash. My dh did some research and apparently they are fearless and very smart. They don't forget a trick for 3 years so I guess that means I have to keep my sliding glass door closed at night.