[Barefoot]

Fire ant bites can cause severe itching and infection, especially if you are allergic to them (which I am). I wear my Crocs if I'm walking in the grass. Fire ants are especially harmful to small animals. When I told our Pest Control Company (Bates) that we have dogs, they were at our house to spray within 15 minutes. The Villages was also extremely co-operative in getting the golf course immediately sprayed. If you have a contract with a Pest Company, just watch for mounds and call them to spray.

Nanci and Gracie, I don't think you need to worry much about snakes, bugs and gators. I purposely avoided a water view as I don't want any gators near my dogs. I didn't see any snakes in six months of Florida living, but they don't bother me. I love the geckos and they eat bugs. At our cottage in Canada we have black bears and other predators. Trade you.