# Man Bitten by Water Moccasin Outside Marriott in Orlando!



## Rush (Oct 6, 2010)

YIKES!

I'm headed down there in a few weeks...

 

http://www.wftv.com/news/25291714/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss


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## scrapngen (Oct 6, 2010)

While this article is scary, and water moccasins are nothing to shrug off, I'd say you have little to worry about. I've seen fewer articles on snakebites for tourists in Florida over the years than shark attacks, etc. - neither is very common. Most water moccasins are near/in fresh water, although I almost stepped on one while walking on a boardwalk to the ocean in Panama City, FL. I jumped about three feet back  and luckily wasn't bitten. The snake 
went on its merry way...

There are 5 types of poisonous snakes residing in Florida, and alligators, and other creepy dangerous things. Chances are, you won't have any too-close encounters. However, it is always good to be aware of any dangers in areas you plan to travel. I would say that the Marriott will be one of the safer places in the near future, especially if they are getting bad press due to this unfortunate encounter. They will probably be extra vigilant for the next several months.


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## jes999 (Oct 6, 2010)

scrapngen said:


> While this article is scary, and water moccasins are nothing to shrug off, I'd say you have little to worry about. I've seen fewer articles on snakebites for tourists in Florida over the years than shark attacks, etc. - neither is very common.



From the linked article:

_Experts say water moccasins are extremely common in Florida. There are about *50 reported bites in Central Florida each year*. It's one of the most venomous snakes around and they don't normally fear humans._

I know that most of the the bites are not tourists but snake bites are MUCH more common than shark attacks and the extremely rare alligator attack.


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## scrapngen (Oct 6, 2010)

jes999 said:


> From the linked article:
> 
> _Experts say water moccasins are extremely common in Florida. There are about *50 reported bites in Central Florida each year*. It's one of the most venomous snakes around and they don't normally fear humans._
> 
> I know that most of the the bites are not tourists but snake bites are MUCH more common than shark attacks and the extremely rare alligator attack.



Ok - I stand corrected, but my point is still that they are rare for tourists and that the OP should not be overly concerned about his upcoming trip.

 I would suspect that most of those bites are from people boating/swimming/living near fresh water lakes, or hanging out in less well-groomed areas. (overgrown backyards, local fishing areas, etc.)  (ie - not resorts/Disney/etc.) 

I lived in Panama City, FL for several years, and spoke with medical friends about the dangers of water moccasins due to waterskiing/fishing/boating on fresh water lakes and seeing them quite often.  We always stayed out in deeper water when waterskiing - away from the brushy areas where they like to have their nests. I was not native to the area and asked lots of questions and read quite a bit as well. Sometimes people can die from the bites, especially if they are baby snakes, or medical attention isn't gotten fast enough. I did say in my post that they shouldn't be totally discounted and that education about the dangers of an area is a good thing...


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## sparty (Oct 6, 2010)

Cypress Harbour has warning signs posted around the resort. I don't remember seeing any at the JW


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## kjd (Oct 6, 2010)

While these types of stories make big news because of their shock value it is extremely rare that someone like this gentleman gets bitten.  We have a population close to 20 million plus all of the visitors that come here.  Fifty bites in a year is not anything to be concerned with.  Unless of course, you're the person who was bitten.

Those of us who live here do take certain precautions because of our close encounters with nature. (My wife killed a water moccasin next to our front door.)  Visitors however are not as aware or as cautious about it. When close to potential snake habitats it is not wise to march into a clump of underbrush as you would in some other places.  Pigmy rattlesnakes are also common in many areas. In the rainy season these creatures can end up anywhere. 

On golf courses beware of tall grasses and wooded areas.  Do not reach with your hands to pick up a golf ball in these areas.  I never get out of a golf cart without a club in my hands.  Those signs at Cypress Harbour mean business.  You never know what is behind the signs.

The closeness to nature is one of the attractions of Florida. Everyone should be aware of the potential danger but it need not be a distraction if caution is used.


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## MichaelColey (Oct 6, 2010)

> From the linked article:
> 
> _Experts say water moccasins are extremely common in Florida. There are about *50 reported bites in Central Florida each year*. It's one of the most venomous snakes around and they don't normally fear humans._


To put that in perspective, there are about 2500 traffic fatalities in Florida every year.


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## davewasbaloo (Oct 8, 2010)

This is one of the many reasons I am not a fan of Florida. I must confess, I always try to get a villa or room on an upper level as I find I am too scared to sit on the toilet,  I know the odds are low, but having been bitten by a rattle snake in California and a Water Moccasin in Texas, I hate snakes. One of the many reasons why I love being in the UK, not too many snakes here!


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## laurac260 (Oct 8, 2010)

jes999 said:


> From the linked article:
> 
> _Experts say water moccasins are extremely common in Florida. There are about *50 reported bites in Central Florida each year*. It's one of the most venomous snakes around and they don't normally fear humans._
> 
> I know that most of the the bites are not tourists but snake bites are MUCH more common than shark attacks and the extremely rare alligator attack.



I lived in central Florida for 3 1/2 years and I can tell you it's a well known fact:  Water Moccasins *only* bite tourists, never residents!


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## UWSurfer (Oct 8, 2010)

As the crazy open water swimmer from California, I was disappointed when the HGVC on I-Drive we stayed at a year or so back wouldn't let me swim across the man made lake.

Now at least I can see a reason why they wouldn't permit it, other than a crazy open water swimmer from California asked. :ignore:


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## bobcat (Oct 8, 2010)

UWSurfer said:


> As the crazy open water swimmer from California, I was disappointed when the HGVC on I-Drive we stayed at a year or so back wouldn't let me swim across the man made lake.
> 
> Now at least I can see a reason why they wouldn't permit it, other than a crazy open water swimmer from California asked. :ignore:



Gators could be in the water.


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## UWSurfer (Oct 8, 2010)

...and yet another reason...


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## bobcat (Oct 9, 2010)

UWSurfer said:


> As the crazy open water swimmer from California, I was disappointed when the HGVC on I-Drive we stayed at a year or so back wouldn't let me swim across the man made lake.
> 
> Now at least I can see a reason why they wouldn't permit it, other than a crazy open water swimmer from California asked. :ignore:



U W Surfer, You may want to listen to what I have to say. We had 22" of rain last week in 3 days. One of the Bridges was flooded so you could not cross. When the water went down, there were several  dead Water Mocs on the road. Just because you do not see them in the water, that does not mean that the water is safe. A few years ago my friend who lives on a pond killed a Water Moc in his garage.  Where we live there are Gators, chiggers, two kinds of ticks, 4 kinds of poison snakes and two poison spiders. You have to keep your eyes open all the time. What gets me, on all the golf courses there are signs not to go into the thick stuff. Guess what, vistors will go in.  Now and then we play golf, when I enter the Pro shop I ask about the snakes. Stay safe...


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## bobcat (Oct 9, 2010)

bobcat said:


> Gators could be in the water.



U W surfer, One more thing, We live on the coast. Twice during the summer, Gators were seen swimming in the ocean. A local person took a picture of one and it was in the local paper. Who would think that this would happen.


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## UWSurfer (Oct 9, 2010)

Mostly I'm an ocean swimmer.   Jellyfish, diving birds and great white sharks are all I have to worry about most of the time.


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## dougp26364 (Oct 9, 2010)

UWSurfer said:


> Mostly I'm an ocean swimmer.   Jellyfish, diving birds and great white sharks are all I have to worry about most of the time.



Gee, is that all?  

Having lived in snake and spider priority area's all my life, neither bother me much. I'm just aware that the reason people shake their shoes before putting them on isn't to get dirt or gravel out of them.  

As to the original article, all I can say is it must have been a slow news day. There was probably an article in the same edition about norovirus on a cruise ship that week as well.


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## Bunk (Oct 14, 2010)

For those who believe in reincarnation, what's the likelihood that the snake will come back as a timeshare salesmen?


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## jme (Oct 14, 2010)

Bunk said:


> For those who believe in reincarnation, what's the likelihood that the snake will come back as a timeshare salesmen?



I never believed in it until now.... and those guys bite, too......in every state.


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## Born2Travel (Oct 15, 2010)

laurac260 said:


> I lived in central Florida for 3 1/2 years and I can tell you it's a well known fact: Water Moccasins *only* bite tourists, never residents!


 
I hope owning a 2nd home qualifies us as a resident - but our home is on a pond and since we are from the Northwest I know nothing about the critters in Florida. I need to educate myself! At least we don't have lots of brush around the pond so I think that's good - there are houses all around the pond. But... there are also lots of frogs and I think that's good food for snakes, right?  So we need to shake our shoes before we put them on... what else do we need to do? I've heard of Snake Away - or something like that - does it work? I already plan to move a bush near the garage that looks like it could be snake country... and add a screen porch to the back patio - what about inside the house? Precautions? Can you tell I'm really scared to death of snakes? Spiders don't bother me - but are there poisonous spiders in Florida too? Never thought much about them before...


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## bobcat (Oct 15, 2010)

Born2Travel said:


> I hope owning a 2nd home qualifies us as a resident - but our home is on a pond and since we are from the Northwest I know nothing about the critters in Florida. I need to educate myself! At least we don't have lots of brush around the pond so I think that's good - there are houses all around the pond. But... there are also lots of frogs and I think that's good food for snakes, right?  So we need to shake our shoes before we put them on... what else do we need to do? I've heard of Snake Away - or something like that - does it work? I already plan to move a bush near the garage that looks like it could be snake country... and add a screen porch to the back patio - what about inside the house? Precautions? Can you tell I'm really scared to death of snakes? Spiders don't bother me - but are there poisonous spiders in Florida too? Never thought much about them before...



Keep your garage door closed when not in use. Do not have a low bush. Snakes can hide under them. Spiders like to hide in the garage.  Always scan ahead before walking. Do not have a woodpile in the backyard. Use a gas fireplace. Never put your hands in anything underground. Like water meter, this is a cool place and snakes like to lay in them. Do not have pine straw around your house. Critters like to hide in there.


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## tombo (Oct 15, 2010)

Born2Travel said:


> I hope owning a 2nd home qualifies us as a resident - but our home is on a pond and since we are from the Northwest I know nothing about the critters in Florida. I need to educate myself! At least we don't have lots of brush around the pond so I think that's good - there are houses all around the pond. But... there are also lots of frogs and I think that's good food for snakes, right?  So we need to shake our shoes before we put them on... what else do we need to do? I've heard of Snake Away - or something like that - does it work? I already plan to move a bush near the garage that looks like it could be snake country... and add a screen porch to the back patio - what about inside the house? Precautions? Can you tell I'm really scared to death of snakes? Spiders don't bother me - but are there poisonous spiders in Florida too? Never thought much about them before...



Most snakes run from you and only bite if you get too close or step on them. Moccasins can be aggressive. I have had moccasins come after me when I was fishing in a boat and try to get in the boat with me. I don't know why they are agressivesome times and just swim by other times.And don't believe the myth that they can't bite underwater because they can and do. Gators help keep the moccasin population down, but then you got gators which can become a problem themselves.

We had a moccasin that found our koi pond 2 years ago. My wife saw it one day and she told me there was a big snake that ran under the rocks. I went out and counted fish and I was one Koi short. The next night I was 2 Koi short. My wife called me at work the next day and said she found the mocassin and killed him with an ax. She turned over some rocks, held his head down with a crab net on a pole, and chopped him with a dull hatchet. She put him in the garbage can in the net. I lifted the net out of the garbage can to look at him when I got home, and he looked back at me. He wasn't dead. She was lucky she didn't get bitten. I put the snake and net back into the garbage can, took the garbage can off into the woods, dumped him out and off he went. Good riddance. The bad news is that we found a snake skin by the pond yesterday but so far we aren't missing any fish.

Be careful with any poisonous snake but the 2 meanest, most aggressive poisonous snakes in the south are the water moccassin and the copperhead.


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## GregT (Oct 16, 2010)

tombo said:


> Most snakes run from you and only bite if you get too close or step on them. Moccasins can be aggressive. I have had moccasins come after me when I was fishing in a boat and try to get in the boat with me. I don't know why they are agressivesome times and just swim by other times.And don't believe the myth that they can't bite underwater because they can and do. Gators help keep the moccasin population down, but then you got gators which can become a problem themselves.
> 
> We had a moccasin that found our koi pond 2 years ago. My wife saw it one day and she told me there was a big snake that ran under the rocks. I went out and counted fish and I was one Koi short. The next night I was 2 Koi short. My wife called me at work the next day and said she found the mocassin and killed him with an ax. She turned over some rocks, held his head down with a crab net on a pole, and chopped him with a dull hatchet. She put him in the garbage can in the net. I lifted the net out of the garbage can to look at him when I got home, and he looked back at me. He wasn't dead. She was lucky she didn't get bitten. I put the snake and net back into the garbage can, took the garbage can off into the woods, dumped him out and off he went. Good riddance. The bad news is that we found a snake skin by the pond yesterday but so far we aren't missing any fish.
> 
> Be careful with any poisonous snake but the 2 meanest, most aggressive poisonous snakes in the south are the water moccassin and the copperhead.



Right about now, I'm loving our Great White Sharks.   

I never, ever thought I'd say that.


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## davewasbaloo (Oct 16, 2010)

And this thread is one of the many reasons why I do not like going to the Southern US.


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## Bunk (Oct 16, 2010)

*Yankee Fans*

In honor of the playoffs, do you remember the name of the Yankee pitcher who was bitten by a rattlesnake on his throwing hand when working in his yard in Tampa about 8 years ago.


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## dougp26364 (Oct 16, 2010)

davewasbaloo said:


> And this thread is one of the many reasons why I do not like going to the Southern US.



I don't know, when I was in Scotland, I noticed there was a lack of trash cans and asked, why isn't there anything to throw my trash in. The answer I recieved (right or wrong) was that they made great places for the IRA to hide bombs. 

It doesn't matter where you travel. There's always something (or someone) to be concerned about. In the mountains it's animals large enough to kill and eat you. Someplaces it's snakes and spiders. Sharks and jelly fish with deadly stings inhabit the oceans. You just have to remain aware of your surroundings and take appropriate actions.


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## davewasbaloo (Oct 16, 2010)

dougp26364 said:


> I don't know, when I was in Scotland, I noticed there was a lack of trash cans and asked, why isn't there anything to throw my trash in. The answer I recieved (right or wrong) was that they made great places for the IRA to hide bombs.



The answer at the time was quite correct. That is why it is rare to find trash cans in train stations in London too. Still though, I hate snakes *shudder*


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## FlyerBobcat (Oct 16, 2010)

Bunk said:


> In honor of the playoffs, do you remember the name of the Yankee pitcher who was bitten by a rattlesnake on his throwing hand when working in his yard in Tampa about 8 years ago.



That might be:  Randy Keisler


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## Bunk (Oct 16, 2010)

FlyerBobcat said:


> That might be:  Randy Keisler



You're right.  I'm impressed.

Hope tonight's game has the same results as last night's.


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## FlyerBobcat (Oct 16, 2010)

Bunk said:


> You're right.  I'm impressed.
> 
> Hope tonight's game has the same results as last night's.



Not to hijack this thread...  but it indeed was a good one!


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## laurac260 (Oct 17, 2010)

Born2Travel said:


> I hope owning a 2nd home qualifies us as a resident - but our home is on a pond and since we are from the Northwest I know nothing about the critters in Florida. I need to educate myself! At least we don't have lots of brush around the pond so I think that's good - there are houses all around the pond. But... there are also lots of frogs and I think that's good food for snakes, right?  So we need to shake our shoes before we put them on... what else do we need to do? I've heard of Snake Away - or something like that - does it work? I already plan to move a bush near the garage that looks like it could be snake country... and add a screen porch to the back patio - what about inside the house? Precautions? Can you tell I'm really scared to death of snakes? Spiders don't bother me - but are there poisonous spiders in Florida too? Never thought much about them before...



hmmm...critters in Florida?  Let's see armadillos, wild boar (they will destroy your landscaping), sand hill cranes (4 foot tall birds..never attempt to feed one, they can drive their beaks thru your hand), wild turkey, water moccasins, fire ants (those are horrible--never, ever poke at their hills, never step on the hills-they will swarm and bite you in seconds), love bugs (mostly just a big nuisance), alligators (yes, they will go in salt water as well), lizards, eastern indigo snakes (not poisonous, we had a 4 foot one that used to look in our front door), lots and lots of frogs, palmetto bugs and many other big beetles, coyote, and those are just the ones I saw in my neighborhood!    But, no houseflys!


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## Born2Travel (Oct 18, 2010)

laurac260 said:


> hmmm...critters in Florida? Let's see armadillos, wild boar (they will destroy your landscaping), sand hill cranes (4 foot tall birds..never attempt to feed one, they can drive their beaks thru your hand), wild turkey, water moccasins, fire ants (those are horrible--never, ever poke at their hills, never step on the hills-they will swarm and bite you in seconds), love bugs (mostly just a big nuisance), alligators (yes, they will go in salt water as well), lizards, eastern indigo snakes (not poisonous, we had a 4 foot one that used to look in our front door), lots and lots of frogs, palmetto bugs and many other big beetles, coyote, and those are just the ones I saw in my neighborhood! But, no houseflys!


 
Wow, I am learning... I haven't seen most of those critters yet and I didn't realize some of them lived in Florida I was introduced to fire ants and love bugs on my last trip and I think I can deal with those... lizards don't bother me too much... I don't know what palmetto bugs are yet and I guess I better find out. But... no houseflys??? didn't know that either - that's good to know and I'm very happy to hear that, (and surprised) but I don't think it makes up for those awful snakes! I saw one when I tried to walk in our neighborhood last trip - didn't walk any more that trip and I have no idea what kind of snake it was but it still bothers me to even think about it - I can still see it and I shudder every time I think about it. One more question - is it true that they sometimes come up in the plumbing? That we really need to keep the toilet seat down? I will be afraid to lift the seat if that is true - or go in there in the dark... ugh!!! I'm getting creeped out again


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## laurac260 (Oct 18, 2010)

Born2Travel said:


> Wow, I am learning... I haven't seen most of those critters yet and I didn't realize some of them lived in Florida I was introduced to fire ants and love bugs on my last trip and I think I can deal with those... lizards don't bother me too much... I don't know what palmetto bugs are yet and I guess I better find out. But... no houseflys??? didn't know that either - that's good to know and I'm very happy to hear that, (and surprised) but I don't think it makes up for those awful snakes! I saw one when I tried to walk in our neighborhood last trip - didn't walk any more that trip and I have no idea what kind of snake it was but it still bothers me to even think about it - I can still see it and I shudder every time I think about it. One more question - is it true that they sometimes come up in the plumbing? That we really need to keep the toilet seat down? I will be afraid to lift the seat if that is true - or go in there in the dark... ugh!!! I'm getting creeped out again



ok, now that I've sufficiently scared the bajeezus out of you ....

Love bugs are just nuisance pests.  They don't bite, they don't eat your plants.  In fact, they don't eat at all.  They just well, "love", for up to 12 hours a day (which is why they are always connected to each other when you see them).  Fire ants can be treated, in fact I'd highly recommend treating any hills you have.  The bites are nasty.  Palmetto bugs are cockroaches.  Orkin or Terminix is your friend in Florida!  Lizards are harmless, but difficult to catch when they get in your house.  Snakes, well, a quick google search will acquaint you with snakes of Florida.  The one on our property (Eastern Indigo  Snake) was not venomous, but they do bite.  It had grown to 4ft long by the time we moved.  I never saw a water moccasin, but our across the street neighbor, who used to hunt on the land where our subdivision was built, killed one with his rifle one afternoon, because it was swimming in a pond surrounded by houses full of kids.  It was about 6-8 ft long.   

Coyotes seem to be attracted to subdivisions, not sure why.  I saw one or two wander across the walking path when I would ride my bike.  

The best advice I can give you, don't go in the woods, and don't swim in the lakes or ponds.  Always assume that every pond has an alligator in it.  But I think you'd have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than attacked by an alligator.  They typically keep to themselves.   However, Scruffy the terrier will look like a pretty tasty snack, so don't let little dogs out loose if you are near a pond!  

As far as snakes coming up in the plumbing, I suppose it is possible, but I've never met anyone that it has happened to.


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## LisaRex (Oct 18, 2010)

I've come face-to-face with exactly one water moccasin in my life. There were about 20 of us -- 8 adults and 12 kids -- boating on a lake in Southwestern Kentucky.  We stopped near the bank to let the kids swim, and had just called them in for lunch, when we caught a glimpse of an animal entering the water about 30 feet away. He made a beeline for our boats, and passed by verrrry slowly, his body standing about two feet out of the water -- high enough to get into the boat -- showing off his white mouth and fangs.  We leaned firsthand how the cotton mouth got his name.

We all stood completely still, mesmerized and terrified at the same time.  I think he actually thought about getting into our boat until he met my eyes. At that point, I'm pretty sure he realized that the chick holding the purple noodle was, indeed, crazy enough to pummel him to death with a piece of styrofoam, if he was stupid enough to try and board our boat. 

And so he passed on by. 

Brrr!


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## Born2Travel (Oct 19, 2010)

laurac260 said:


> ok, now that I've sufficiently scared the bajeezus out of you ....


 
Laura - thanks! - yes, you've scared me but I want (and need)  to learn   Thanks for sharing!   I wonder how the man who got bitten is doing - has anyone heard any updates?


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## luvsvacation22 (Nov 30, 2010)

GregT said:


> Right about now, I'm loving our Great White Sharks.
> 
> I never, ever thought I'd say that.



I am right there with you!


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## Quilter (Dec 1, 2010)

Wow!  Now I'm thinking my childhood was a big adventure growing up in Plant City.  Swamp behind the trailer, playing by the creek (yes moccasins) then in the woods next to the house and along the railroad tracks.  I was a girl scout and we camped in the woods in Thonotosassa and Withalacoochee.  Swam in the Thonotosassa River.

We knew better that crawl under thick bushes but every tree was sized up for climbing.  Watch for small scorpions in oak trees.

Had a girlfriend with an eccentric dad with his own alligator pit.  Now that's an interesting sleepover.  

Now I live in MI with just 1 poisonous snake 



laurac260 said:


> ok, now that I've sufficiently scared the bajeezus out of you ....
> 
> Love bugs are just nuisance pests.  They don't bite, they don't eat your plants.  In fact, they don't eat at all.  They just well, "love", for up to 12 hours a day (which is why they are always connected to each other when you see them).  Fire ants can be treated, in fact I'd highly recommend treating any hills you have.  The bites are nasty.  Palmetto bugs are cockroaches.  Orkin or Terminix is your friend in Florida!  Lizards are harmless, but difficult to catch when they get in your house.  Snakes, well, a quick google search will acquaint you with snakes of Florida.  The one on our property (Eastern Indigo  Snake) was not venomous, but they do bite.  It had grown to 4ft long by the time we moved.  I never saw a water moccasin, but our across the street neighbor, who used to hunt on the land where our subdivision was built, killed one with his rifle one afternoon, because it was swimming in a pond surrounded by houses full of kids.  It was about 6-8 ft long.
> 
> ...


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