Semi-trivial question: Does central Texas have a really bad mosquito

[steve2470]

or other biting insect problem in the summer ? When I was a Boy Scout camping outdoors, the mosquitoes would eat you alive if you weren't properly sprayed and/or "netted". I sure hope Cindy and company are protected, if so.

[Ilsa]

1. Varies alot.

Where I live, you better get indoors when the sun goes down. Skeeters love me!

[karlrschneider]

2. Normally yes, but it depends on the summer rainfall. I'm inclined to

think it's been drier than usual there but haven't checked.

[splat@14]

3. Crawford seems to have a "varmit" problem. Believe Cindy's got `em

treed.

[LoKnLoD]

4. I can see the T-shirts now

"I went to Crawford to see Dubya and all I got was ignored and West Nile Virus"

[steve2470]

5. LOL god forbid if she got that illness nt

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. She probably got rained on today.

We got some honking HUGE storms up here in parts of Dallas.

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[TomInTib]

6. Not really in that part of the State

I mean, hey, would superwimp have bought that pig farm if he was worried about being bit?

There are mosquitoes in the area but it is pretty dry out there off Prairie Chapel Road (also a made-up name).

[NoPasaran]

8. It was dry for months but there's been rain for the last few weeks

And the skeeters are biting.

[ThomWV]

9. No

In that part of Texas its dry and hot as hell. I can not spell it but Tarantulas are common as flys and rattle snakes are almost as bad.

[TomInTib]

10. You nailed "Tarantulas" but blew "flys"

flies

[ThomWV]

11. Aw Shit .......

NT

[Cleita]

14. Most spiders will run away from you if you let them including

the furry guys you speak of. Snakes will hang around a place with rodents to eat so you can look for those telling little holes burrowing rodents live in. When I lived in Texas, the locals fed feral cats to keep them around because they actually go after the snakes.

[thereismore]

12. what about chiggers? Any info? They can make you wish you were dead nt

[Cleita]

13. They need a breeding ground like puddles of water.

I found the fire ants worthy of the worst mosquitos for biting when I camped in Texas. There is some yellow stuff they sell there that you can put around your tent to ward off the fire ants. Most of the mosquito repellants sold today do a good job of repelling mosquitos and other biting insects. I also used citronella candles a lot for lighting. They help.

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. Yep, fire ants can quickly...

make you wish you were never born if you find a nest of them. I did this once back about '89 or so. After a month of rain with no letup, we finally saw window.

I got out in the front yard with a weed eater to try to make some headway, and stepped right into the middle of a nest without realizing it...UNTIL... YEOW!!!!!!!!!

The little bastards were all over my shoe, sock, leg, sweatpant leg, abdomen...and they do NOT let go! You have to sit there and PICK them off! Even spraying them with the hose didn't help! I was miserable for at least 2 weeks afterward.

They are the reason I do not camp in Texas (along with scorpions, rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and various and sundry other creepy crawlers). Oh...and the heat.

I'll gladly risk a big ass bear in the pleasant weather in Canada over the heat and nastiness in Texas any day.

Cindy is a brave lady indeed.
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PS- I think you mean Amdro for the fire ant repellant. Supposedly they take the poisoned corn back to the queen so the nest dies.

And my dad used to buy this hand cleaner at the auto parts store called "Gojo" that works GREAT on fire ant bites. I'm not sure if they stll make it.