Sadara

I've been told by numerous people that there are monstrous sized bugs in Texas, flying roaches, and the whole nine. Is this true or merely an exaggeration?

bubba

All true. However, it's the people you need to look out for!

Connie

I live in Texas and I've never seen mosquitoes as large and aggressive as those in Montana.

Here they are even worse in Alaska.

Tracy

I grew up in Houston - I still shudder when I think of the flying roaches (palmetto bugs). Nothing worse than having one land on your pillow at night. And the chiggers! Nasty little biting things that leave red, itchy sores on your legs

Former Dallasite

In Dallas, the polite term for cockroaches is water bugs. They are extremely hard to control.

Live there

Our roaches are no larger than those anywhere else in the southern U.S.. Nor are our fire ants or killer bees unique. I would suggest Malaysia if you want to see really large insects. Bugs are not bigger in Texas.

sandi

True about the "water bug" name and size. They are actually different than regular roaches and are usually 2-3 inches long. Yuk! The love to be near the water and DO fly!

freewoman

I have lived in Texas most of my life and yes, we do have bugs. BUT the largest bug I have ever seen in my life was in Destin, Florida.

CF

Last year in Destin I was chasing what I thought was one huge spider. Shoe in one hand, can of RAID in the other I finally got it in the open and it turned out to be a crab. My husband is still laughing.

Faina

Tracy, I think your question solved a puzzle. I never knew why south people are called red-necks. You've mentioned red sores on legs. Probably the term red-necks came from the bug bites in the neck area - men's legs are covered.

bubbette

Don't y'all know that everthin is bigger in Tejas????

OliveOyl

Lawsy Faina! Don't you know where the term red neck came from? Laborers, farm or otherwises, working out in the sun, shirts on of course, sunburned necks.

And for others who don't get down this way, chiggers aren't walking around on the sidewalks or creeping under the doors. They are in underbrush. In nearly two decades living in Texas I was bitten once, after hiking at Lake Texoma with my family. Son and I got bites, daughter and husband, right with us, did not.

True story to tell on my Yank self: until moving to TX, I thought chiggers were transmitted by um...close intimate contact with one of the opposite sex. OL

I think FL has TX beat for bugs, having had first hand experience in both locales. I too chased CF's little crab with a can of Raid. They love it don't they CF? LOL Didn't phase him a bit. It wasn't until I had him cornered that I realized it was actually a little crab that had gotten in, not a huge spider.

lisa

Fum whut I've read, th' term redeck acshully comes fum Scotlan', way back in th' 1600's. ah's sho'nuff yo'll find sumpin about thet on th' internet.

As fo' th' bugs, most thin's hyar in Texas is sho nuf huge - but I've lived in Flo'ida an' they haf us beat as far as bugs go! Fry mah hide!

Duke

Sure them bugs are big! But in Texas you just buy you a ZAPPER and hang it in the tree in your back yard. Then them bugs will get attracted to the light on the ZAPPER and fry their butts off when they hit. The sound is great and this is a backyard sport in Texas.

Ask anyone....they all either have a ZAPPER or know someone that does. ZAP! Got me another one!!!!!

icky critters!

It's not necessarily the BIG bugs you'll need to worry about --- now the 'squitos are the problema. West Nile virus (transmitted from mosquitos to birds) has been found in Houston area and just made its' appearance in Dallas.

T.J.

To answer your ? It is true that we have
bugs. "June" bugs are a beetle that comes out from the ground. I'm not sure if this is true or not but, I've been told they are originally grub worms. They are seen on your
porch at night and dead in the morning??
(could be the heat.)
Another "bug" that can be seen is slugs.
They are a snail. Get the salt ready and watch them slime. YUK!!!

michele

Hmmm, I live in a suburb north of Houston and do not have any problems with bugs at all. Have not seen a coackroach in my house since moving in three years ago. Haven't had a mosquito bite in years. Of course, I take common sense precautions like not leaving food out, keeping my kitchen very clean, and securing my trash. I must say I think Texas' reputation for bugs was invented by people from other states trying to deflect attention from their own bug problem.

anon

those aren't bugs- those are texans

Jane

There are large horse flys, ticks, and fire ants too!

Texas

clarification

I believe the term "red neck" came from sunburned necks due to the intensity of the Texas sun and the cowboys out in it all day - or maybe from the back window of the Chevy, beating down on the bare neck.