I live in Tucson. I'm on the far northeast side. I've lived here for a few years. The vermin are traumatizing me. I just had an encounter with the BIGGEST SPIDER I HAVE EVER SEEN INSIDE. I'm still shaking. I realized after I saw it that it was too big to kill with a shoe. Long story short, it has left this world and its corpse is on my patio.
I am moving to Phoenix for nursing school soon, when my pre-reqs are done. I know that the newly developed areas have the most insects indoors, but still? Are certain areas worse than others? Does Phoenix have as many 'vermin' as Tucson? Here's what I experience outside: tarantulas on my sidewalk last week, bobcat by trash can a few days ago, a snake by my drive a few weeks ago, and javelina come by my bedroom window at night. Indoors: spiders, roaches, and the occasional scorpion. I have been stung by a scorpion. It actually wasn't too bad. A little nausea, cramps, rapid heart beat, and numbness. (((It's the large spiders that I cannot handle.)))
I didn't mean to scare anybody, sorry. Honestly, the biggest challenge to living in Phoenix is the heat of summer. The critters pale in comparison. The summers in Phoenix are brutal. First tell your kids to never go anywhere without a water bottle. Keep bottled water in your trunk incase your car breaks down. Hermetically seal your self inside in the air conditioning when it's hotter than 115 unless you are neck deep in water in a pool. Probably the WORST thing in Phx you will encounter is getting in your car after a long day at work and having it parked on black asphalt in the sun all day. Pretty, pretty toasty - so much so that you can't touch a metal gearshift or ignition with bare skin!
Please don't be afraid to come here due to critters. You just have to be careful and aware of them.
So true! You BURN yourself after you get into the car. Yesterday I had my car sitting in the sun all day while I was in class (I normally work nights, so thankfully I don't have to deal with this too much) and I had to roll down my windows to let some of the STEAM outta my car. Burnin' myself on the steering wheel, on the gear shifter, and on the seat belt. And I left my sunglasses in the car and burnt myself with those while trying to put them on. Fun stuff!
The critters and bugs here are nothing like what they were like when I moved to TX to go to school.
Hermetically seal your self inside in the air conditioning when it's hotter than 115 unless you are neck deep in water in a pool.
In a pool of bath water! And that's exactly what the pool feels like when it's 115 out and the nights don't cool down below 100! Feels like a nice, big warm bath! :chuckle
I didn't mean to scare anybody, sorry. Honestly, the biggest challenge to living in Phoenix is the heat of summer. The critters pale in comparison. The summers in Phoenix are brutal. First tell your kids to never go anywhere without a water bottle. Keep bottled water in your trunk incase your car breaks down. Hermetically seal your self inside in the air conditioning when it's hotter than 115 unless you are neck deep in water in a pool. Probably the WORST thing in Phx you will encounter is getting in your car after a long day at work and having it parked on black asphalt in the sun all day. Pretty, pretty toasty - so much so that you can't touch a metal gearshift or ignition with bare skin!
Please don't be afraid to come here due to critters. You just have to be careful and aware of them.
Blazing heat.....
Sounds awful, have you lived there long?
I was curious how many people choose to that region, here's what I discovered.
According to the US Census:
Total US Population: is estimated 296,410,404 (2005)
There is an estimated 5,939,292 people living in Arizona (2005).
Estimated population for Phoenix is 1,388,416
(CORRECTION: this must for the area w/in city limits, not the greater metro area )
12.7% are over 65 years old (2004).
Median household income (2003) $41,963
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000 40.0% (increased)
I was curious how many people choose to that region, here's what I discovered.
According to the US Census:
Total US Population: is estimated 296,410,404 (2005)
There is an estimated 5,939,292 people living in Arizona (2005).
Estimated population for Phoenix is 1,388,416
12.7% are over 65 years old (2004).
Median household income (2003) $41,963
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000 40.0% (increased)
It must be hard on livestock and pets.
Oh yes, I have lived here long.....close to 50 years
That population for Phoenix is sort of wrong. Phx has MANY big suburb cities and those are not included in the population count. The winters here are wonderful and the population swells in the winter months due to snowbirds. All long time Phx residents flee in the summer if possible.....most desirable fleeing city is San Diego. They call us "Zonies" in San Diego. Luckily my sister lives in San Diego so it is easy for me to flee!
OK Zonies, monsoon in Phx is about to begin. Monsoon used to be more severe about 40 years ago..now it is hardly anything. Madwife, your area will get a lot of monsoon action. The storms will come out of northern AZ and hit you first. Nail down everything in the backyard
so true! you burn yourself after you get into the car. yesterday i had my car sitting in the sun all day while i was in class (i normally work nights, so thankfully i don't have to deal with this too much) and i had to roll down my windows to let some of the steam outta my car. burnin' myself on the steering wheel, on the gear shifter, and on the seat belt. and i left my sunglasses in the car and burnt myself with those while trying to put them on. fun stuff!
the critters and bugs here are nothing like what they were like when i moved to tx to go to school.
it's cooler here because we get an occasional delta breeze from the coast,
but the cost of living is will set a checkbook on fire.
house prices (for my area -greater sacto area) 350- 400k and up -- fancy will run $750k-1.5m
(est. rent -basic apt. not fancy - 1 bd $650+ 2 bed $795 and house rental are a little more),
gas is over $3. per gallon, water/sewer $ 100 mo. ---- why we stay... i was raised here, so it's home.
(question to all) is the cost of living lower where you live? (:offtopic: question )
Oh yes, I have lived here long.....close to 50 years
That population for Phoenix is sort of wrong. Phx has MANY big suburb cities and those are not included in the population count. The winters here are wonderful and the population swells in the winter months due to snowbirds. All long time Phx residents flee in the summer if possible.....most desirable fleeing city is San Diego. They call us "Zonies" in San Diego. Luckily my sister lives in San Diego so it is easy for me to flee!
OK Zonies, monsoon in Phx is about to begin. Monsoon used to be more severe about 40 years ago..now it is hardly anything. Madwife, your area will get a lot of monsoon action. The storms will come out of northern AZ and hit you first. Nail down everything in the backyard
Your right, I didn't have a map when I looked that population census up.
I can see that there is a greater metro area in the Phoenix area.
I've never been there, but insects, blazing heat doused by a monsoon is scaring this potential traveler... I'm heading north. LOL (only joking;) )
Actually, we went to Palm Springs for a work conference last spring and it the desert region was very nice, we had a great time.
I didn't mean to scare anybody, sorry. Honestly, the biggest challenge to living in Phoenix is the heat of summer. The critters pale in comparison. The summers in Phoenix are brutal. First tell your kids to never go anywhere without a water bottle. Keep bottled water in your trunk incase your car breaks down. Hermetically seal your self inside in the air conditioning when it's hotter than 115 unless you are neck deep in water in a pool. Probably the WORST thing in Phx you will encounter is getting in your car after a long day at work and having it parked on black asphalt in the sun all day. Pretty, pretty toasty - so much so that you can't touch a metal gearshift or ignition with bare skin!
Please don't be afraid to come here due to critters. You just have to be careful and aware of them.
I agree. My spider trauma could have happened almost anywhere. I hear that the bugs in the southern US are massive. We don't have to deal with Lyme Disease here either.
So yes - the heat of summer is the real challenge.
So true! You BURN yourself after you get into the car. Yesterday I had my car sitting in the sun all day while I was in class (I normally work nights, so thankfully I don't have to deal with this too much) and I had to roll down my windows to let some of the STEAM outta my car. Burnin' myself on the steering wheel, on the gear shifter, and on the seat belt. And I left my sunglasses in the car and burnt myself with those while trying to put them on. Fun stuff!
The critters and bugs here are nothing like what they were like when I moved to TX to go to school.
If I leave my car in direct sun light I have to wait before driving as the gear stick or what ever they are called here over heats and refuses to move
it's cooler here because we get an occasional delta breeze from the coast,
but the cost of living is will set a checkbook on fire.
house prices (for my area -greater sacto area) 350- 400k and up -- fancy will run $750k-1.5m
(est. rent -basic apt. not fancy - 1 bd $650+ 2 bed $795 and house rental are a little more),
gas is over $3. per gallon, water/sewer $ 100 mo. ---- why we stay... i was raised here, so it's home.
(question to all) is the cost of living lower where you live? (:offtopic: question )
the cost of living here where i am (tempe) is about the same as what you describe. i couldn't find a house for less than 350k around here. and i couldn't find anything to rent (house or apartment) for less than $1000.
Oh yes, I have lived here long.....close to 50 years
That population for Phoenix is sort of wrong. Phx has MANY big suburb cities and those are not included in the population count. The winters here are wonderful and the population swells in the winter months due to snowbirds. All long time Phx residents flee in the summer if possible.....most desirable fleeing city is San Diego. They call us "Zonies" in San Diego. Luckily my sister lives in San Diego so it is easy for me to flee!
OK Zonies, monsoon in Phx is about to begin. Monsoon used to be more severe about 40 years ago..now it is hardly anything. Madwife, your area will get a lot of monsoon action. The storms will come out of northern AZ and hit you first. Nail down everything in the backyard
Oh heck yeah we Zonies flood to San Diego! Actually this Zonie is going up to the White Mountains next week ..... I can't wait!
Bugs, spiders, rattlesnakes and blazing HOT sun ..... I wish that's how they'd advertise the valley to the snowbirds
The monsoons the last few years have been terrible! Because we've gotten NO rain! I remember having flash floods and bad duststorms with tons of rain EVERY night for the whole month of August. We'd have to shut down the pool when the monsoon season began. I miss the LOUD storms!
luckily for me I live on the east coast and don't have to deal with those kind of insects, but I will say that I have family that live in that area and far as they tell me that there is way to make some home remedy for keeping them away, although as for the snakes anywhere you live there isn't much that can be done. maybe you may want to contact a plant nursery to see about getting rid of the vermin they say there is something that they are attracted that could get rid of them and keep then from the house also contact pest control and see what they could offer natually to help the situation.
RainDreamer, BSN, RN
3,571 Posts
So true! You BURN yourself after you get into the car. Yesterday I had my car sitting in the sun all day while I was in class (I normally work nights, so thankfully I don't have to deal with this too much) and I had to roll down my windows to let some of the STEAM outta my car. Burnin' myself on the steering wheel, on the gear shifter, and on the seat belt. And I left my sunglasses in the car and burnt myself with those while trying to put them on. Fun stuff!
The critters and bugs here are nothing like what they were like when I moved to TX to go to school.