Mosquitoes/Bugs

[Spectreron]

How are the mosquitoes & bugs in general? On our visits I don't remember any mosquitoes...I hope that's the norm, but it is Florida, so I would expect a good population of mosquitoes. We will be buying soon and a lot of the newer homes are near preserve/wetland areas...are those areas buggier than others, or is it not something to think about when searching for a home? Thanks!

[Golfingnut]

I never see a mosquito or a fly. I do not want to know why not. We come across the occasional bug, but less than anywhere in the world we have lived. I play golf at Pelican in the mornings and not a big problem there either even though it is in the middle of a swamp. Ants in the yard pop up once in a while, but 1-800-Pestcontrol puts them on the run real quick. AGAIN, I do not want to know why not as that would be something to worry about. We are plagued with love bugs for two weeks every spring, but adjust our schedule to indoor things during their visit.

[pooh]

In 7 years, I've encountered two mosquitos. There is spraying to keep the beasties under control. With all the water around, numbers would be high without treatment. There is also a very large bird and anole population, they do a pretty good job keeping the other bugs from overpopulating. There are a number of ant species and if they are "bugging" you, pest control companies can eliminate the problem.

As others have said, we do have love bugs, twice a year....in the spring and again in the early fall. They do not bite and their most annoying habit is dying when they hit your car or golf cart. Their little bodies are quite acidic when they are decomposing on your vehicle so washing them off within 24 hours is important....prevents paint damage. After the first time living with the twice a year "bloom" of the creatures, you learn to live with them. Some times more bugs than expected, other times, fewer.

[Phanatic Luvr]

Mosquitos just love me. A few weeks ago we were sitting in our golf cart in the parking lot of Peachware and in a quick instant, I got bit about 5 or 6 times. I was thinking it may be because right at that area is the end of The Villages and not treated as heavilly for bugs. Other than that, in the past 2 years, I can't remember being bit more than once or twice. Morale of the story ... you are good to go as long as you don't hang out in the parking lot by Peachware after dark.

[rubicon]

more mosquitoes this year than the last seven usually bothersome around dawn and 9:00AM or so. Minnesota has the second highest mosquitoe population after Alaska. This year their outbreak is 3 time their 10 year average. come dusk they drive you indoors:cry:

[Happinow]

I've not encountered hardy any Mosquitos down here. I have found little black bugs, not the biting type, that are obnoxious when out on the golf course in the evening. They fly in my eyes, ears and fly around my head when I'm trying to golf. It often ruins my shot! (I have to have some excuse for my terrible shots). I'm going to get one of,those clip on bug things that are supposed to keep the Mosquitos away and clip it to my hat. Maybe that will do the trick!

[NoMoSno]

This may help...:thumbup:

Bug Baffler - Insect Protective Clothing (http://www.bugbaffler.com/?gclid=COOGrcuE6bgCFXRp7AodwloAug)

[Spectreron]

Thanks for the info....I am pleased to hear there is not a mosquito problem. I spend a lot of time outdoors so that is good news.

[festusrules]

Being new to Florida, I was hesitant about spending $64 per Q for pest control at my patio villa.

However, we seldom see any bugs so whatever they use works very well.

[senior citizen]

.........

[Bogie Shooter]

ORLANDO, Fla. -
Mega mosquitoes known as gallinippers could invade Central Florida this summer as flood waters from tropical storms force the larvae to hatch this hurricane season.

Entomologists at the University of Florida say the mosquitoes are 20 times (http://www.clickorlando.com/news/-/1637132/19196534/-/hoow7iz/-/index.html)the size of a typical mosquito, about the size of a quarter.

They also pack a painful bite, according to UF entomologist Phil Kaufman. He calls the species "notoriously aggressive."


When we were there end of October and all of November, we didn't see too many bugs of any type........they must spray, especially for those homes near the golf courses.....

However, if my memory holds correct, MAY is the worst time for bugs in Florida. Whether it was Vero Beach in May with the "no seeums" on the sand that would bite your ankles............or Sanibel Island in May where the mosquito swarms were fierce (not so in April....just in May).....they were lurking all over the place......even near the beach.....especially in rest rooms.........

Once we were in Disney World in the month of September and all of the pools at the biggest high end resort hotels on Disney property were closed due to encephalitis (mosquitos again)..........that was a bit scary....

Another time at Disney there was a huge Love Bug invasion; we had never seen that before............I guess all these bugs are seasonal.

As far as THE VILLAGES.............
Maybe they do aerial spraying at night when everyone is sleeping????
Some one probably would know whether they spray or not......

Where we live in Vermont , I've seen one baby mosquito in the entire 43 years we lived here.........and that was the first year when we had a "bug zapper" on the front porch..........it drew bugs from the woods across the way. We finally unplugged the bug zapper and ditched it.

Up in the mountains they have "black fly" season......but down here our worst is the wasps, hornets and bees..........all over the front porch, the back deck, the back porch.........all over town. They have been sprayed but are indestructible.....and get into some people's garages and then into the walls.........

Due to lack of mosquitos in general, I was surprised to read an article in our newspaper about a "triple EEE" problem in northern Vermont in one small town we drive through every now and then. Several people have died from encephalitis. There is a lake in this town...... First time we have ever read about EEE or viewed it, such as on a recent t.v. news show. Residents are complaining that the town needs to spray more.

Now, as we are packing for our two weeks on the Maine Seacoast, I am all prepared with tons of "bug repellent" as they do have mosquitos and West Nile Virus is a concern.......ditto for Lyme Disease, etc (ticks)....and so on....
Don't want all the grandchildren to get bit up.

OP was asking about bugs in The Villages..........................

[senior citizen]

..........

[Phanatic Luvr]

Being new to Florida, I was hesitant about spending $64 per Q for pest control at my patio villa.

However, we seldom see any bugs so whatever they use works very well.

Just food for thought .... pest control for a villa is not for mosquitos. It would be for other bugs like spiders, roaches, termites, etc ... You may be a very clean person but especially in a villa, you have no idea if your neighbors are also clean. Just saying ....

[gomoho]

They spray in the evening - I have seen the trucks.

[billethkid]

you definitely want to have pest control. When discussing "bugs" there needs to be a distinction between home protection VS just out and about.

If you do not obtain home protection you WILL be treated to visits by all sorts of roaches, palmetto bugs (really big roaches!!), scorpions, silver fish, millipedes, termites, ants of numerous types all looking for a home away from home......GURANTEED VISITAION and lodging!!!

As far as out and about and being outside, I think TV is relatively bug free compared to many other places in FL....mosquitoes and flies (only in some restaurants:laugh:)....very rare.

btk