Tell me all about the bugs and critters (San Diego, Escondido: apartment complex, new home)

[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!

[NYSD1995]

I saw a tarantula at Lake Murray last week.
We have a screech owl living in a tree in my backyard.
There are 2 coyotes prowling my neighborhood.
Closer to the coast there are very few bugs. Once you get about 5 miles inland you start to see gnats, mosquitos, spiders (mostly quarter-sized), and phalanxes of ants, especially in the summer.

[TomSD]

Ants, lots and lots of ants. Just moved into my new home and was warned about coyotes (seasonal apparently) too. Saw some black widows under the house too when I was running wire but haven't seen them in the yard or house yet.

[SD Observer]

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 specifically will you be moving to ? ........... Around the city and suburbs you WILL find lots of Black Widow spiders unfortunately. Lizzards are much further out in the desert areas. Ants for sure in summertime. The occasional Coyote prowling around, so keep your cats inside ! Tarantualas in East County sometimes and definitely in the desert areas. Scorpions also out in the eastern desert areas.

I'd say the most dangerous critter you are likely to encounter is the Black Widow. They try to keep out of human contact, but if you suprise one in the garage or in a clothes closet they will bite in self-defence. You must get medical attention within 1 hour of the bite.

Hope this helps.

[kcda]

Argentine ants (tiny but a real nusance) get into your house. We've had success with Antac (a service that uses "safe" gel). Black widows stay hidden, I hardly ever see them. We do have a lizard living in our front yard (we live about 6 miles inland) but it seems harmless. We have what looks like barn owls living in our neighborhood trees. At night they make this wierd clicking noise while searching for prey. They leave these brillo pad looking things on the sidewalk under the trees they live in. I saw an opposum recently in the backyard. Mice or "roof rats" can be a problem if you leave openings into your garage or leave food in there. Birds may eat your fruit trees.

[LoneStarJerry]

Originally Posted by SD Observer

Where specifically will you be moving to ? ........... Around the city and suburbs you WILL find lots of Black Widow spiders unfortunately. Lizzards are much further out in the desert areas. Ants for sure in summertime. The occasional Coyote prowling around, so keep your cats inside ! Tarantualas in East County sometimes and definitely in the desert areas. Scorpions also out in the eastern desert areas.

There are lizards, scorpions, and snakes right here where I live in Escondido. You don't have to go all the way to the desert to find them, they are found in a lot of the inland areas in San Diego County, especially rural or back country areas. We have black widows here to, but I've never found one inside the house yet, they have all been outside or in the garage. Back to the lizards though, I love having them. They eat a lot of the bugs we don't necessarily want to see or deal with, and they are rather cute IMO.

[Minni]

Thanks for all the info.

We are not at all adverse to critters and try to live and let live whenever we can. I always scoop up the "nice" spiders and take them outside, also bees and wasps. I do kill Wolf Spiders..their bite is awful, even tho it won't kill you. I am happy to hear of the owls and even the coyotes. Right now we have 5 acres in the country that is surrounded by DNR land. Do you have any bats? They are so nice for the enviroment here, helping to keep the bug population down.

Sooo, I can expect to store everything (in my outside storage) in plastic containers, and always look reeeeal good before I go-a-grabbin anything.

What about fleas though? Years ago I was in Flordia and suprised at the myrids of Sand Fleas. Our dog had to be dipped and our travel trailer totaly bombed. Do you guys who have pets have a big deal with fleas? Our cats do not roam and are only outsude with supervision. They would be staying on our enclosed solid patio when outside in San Diego. I suppose those stinking fleas will jump a 6 foot fence!!! I would like to not have to flea medicate my cats all year long because the Frontline does have arsinic in it. Was hoping to be able to spary perimiter of fence to alternate.

We will be living between Mission Trails Regional Park and Admiral Baker Golf Course and North of Mission Gorge Road. Our DD will go to De Portola Middle School.

Getting excited here!!! Only 7 days untill we leave!! Pods are being dropped off Wed.

[Minni]

Ahhh, sorry.. that is an enclosed SOLID WALL patio..

[LoneStarJerry]

Originally Posted by Minni

Thanks for all the info.

We are not at all adverse to critters and try to live and let live whenever we can. I always scoop up the "nice" spiders and take them outside, also bees and wasps. I do kill Wolf Spiders..their bite is awful, even tho it won't kill you. I am happy to hear of the owls and even the coyotes. Right now we have 5 acres in the country that is surrounded by DNR land. Do you have any bats? They are so nice for the enviroment here, helping to keep the bug population down.

Sooo, I can expect to store everything (in my outside storage) in plastic containers, and always look reeeeal good before I go-a-grabbin anything.

What about fleas though? Years ago I was in Flordia and suprised at the myrids of Sand Fleas. Our dog had to be dipped and our travel trailer totaly bombed. Do you guys who have pets have a big deal with fleas? Our cats do not roam and are only outsude with supervision. They would be staying on our enclosed solid patio when outside in San Diego. I suppose those stinking fleas will jump a 6 foot fence!!! I would like to not have to flea medicate my cats all year long because the Frontline does have arsinic in it. Was hoping to be able to spary perimiter of fence to alternate.

We will be living between Mission Trails Regional Park and Admiral Baker Golf Course and North of Mission Gorge Road. Our DD will go to De Portola Middle School.

Getting excited here!!! Only 7 days untill we leave!! Pods are being dropped off Wed.

We do have bats & fleas yes, but it all depends on the area you live in. I live in the Inland North County and see bats here from time to time, have not had a problem with fleas in my area but that's just my area, I could go down a few blocks and perhaps there are more fleas in a certain neighborhood.

Bottom line is like anywhere else there are plenty of creatures here, but I don't think you have to worry about a heavy infestation of anything as long as you keep things clean and organized, spray if necessary, and never put your hands into a place you can't see. I think these things hold true wherever you live.

[Minni]

Great advice j760! Harmony .