Bugs!

[headshotcatcher]

I'm going to America for a year next year (woo-hoo high school year ) and, being from the Netherlands (where the biggest insects are still smaller than most coins) I'm kind of icky about bugs.. So I was wondering

How much of the (North) American flora and fauna is out to kill people?
And how much of it do you encounter normally?

 

[Simon Pettersson]

I like bugs.

OT: I just did a quick google search and yeah there are some dangerous bugs.
Black widows (thou there not dangerous for Adults) and Sac spiders.

http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html

http://www.gooddeals.com/news/32/11-Most-Dangerous-Bugs-in-North-America.aspx

 

[Gxas]

I'm going to America for a year next year (woo-hoo high school year ) and, being from the Netherlands (where the biggest insects are still smaller than most coins) I'm kind of icky about bugs.. So I was wondering

How much of the (North) American flora and fauna is out to kill people?
And how much of it do you encounter normally?

Depends on where you're going. You'll probably hate roaches, they're all over (except for here in NE Ohio!).

 

[SilentCom]

It depends where you're going to in America. Swamplands and forests probably have more/bigger insects than what you'll usually find in cities. The fauna (plant-life) isn't so bad in probably most places. Some places are actually rather nice. When I say nice, I mean natural and clean feeling, like some of the woodlands here in the Pacific Northwest (I live in Washington).

What state were you going to visit anyways?

 

[ajemas]

I've lived in America my whole life, and I'll tell you right now that you can't just say "North America" and expect a proper answer. Each state has its own environment, climate, and ecological factors to take into account. That being said, bugs are not a big health problem at all. You're more likely to die from a car accident on your way from the airport than you are from a spider bite. I wouldn't even worry about it if I was in your place.

 

[headshotcatcher]

I'm going to America for a year next year (woo-hoo high school year ) and, being from the Netherlands (where the biggest insects are still smaller than most coins) I'm kind of icky about bugs.. So I was wondering

How much of the (North) American flora and fauna is out to kill people?
And how much of it do you encounter normally?

Depends on where you're going. You'll probably hate roaches, they're all over (except for here in NE Ohio!).

I have no clue where I'm going yet, and I won't hear for a while either.. It's probably somewhere in the bible belt though, since you mostly end up in rural places

I heard black widows are everywhere and hide in your shoes and toilets.. so stuff like that scares me, but are there any scary bugs or animals besides them? (that is, on state per state basis ofcourse)

 

[Thaluikhain]

I've lived in America my whole life, and I'll tell you right now that you can't just say "North America" and expect a proper answer. Each state has its own environment, climate, and ecological factors to take into account. That being said, bugs are not a big health problem at all. You're more likely to die from a car accident on your way from the airport than you are from a spider bite. I wouldn't even worry about it if I was in your place.

Beat me to it. I was going to mention Hawaii, though, as that's part of the US, but very ecological different to the contiguous states[footnote]It also gives me a reason to say "contiguous"[/footnote].

I'd also add that the most dangerous animal in the US would be the citizens of that country, as is the case of any nation not suffering from plagues spread by mosquitos or the like.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Eh, the largest insect I've encountered in the wild was just a Luna moth roughly the size of a dinner plate.

 

[Gxas]

I'm going to America for a year next year (woo-hoo high school year ) and, being from the Netherlands (where the biggest insects are still smaller than most coins) I'm kind of icky about bugs.. So I was wondering

How much of the (North) American flora and fauna is out to kill people?
And how much of it do you encounter normally?

Depends on where you're going. You'll probably hate roaches, they're all over (except for here in NE Ohio!).

I have no clue where I'm going yet, and I won't hear for a while either.. It's probably somewhere in the bible belt though, since you mostly end up in rural places

I heard black widows are everywhere and hide in your shoes and toilets.. so stuff like that scares me, but are there any scary bugs or animals besides them? (that is, on state per state basis ofcourse)

In my mind, Black Widows are overhyped. I've seen and killed a few. They're actually quite small (which, I guess, makes them a bit more frightening). I don't think you'll have much to worry about though. Might get some dragonflies, but they aren't anything to worry about. Depending on where you go though, you might run into some horseflies. Those can be a *****. Especially when they bite.

 

[Superior Mind]

I've never really considered North America as a place where insects are a major factor, not more than anywhere else anyway. Maybe it's because Australia is my next door neightbour.

South America though, that's a different story.

 

[direkiller]

I'm going to America for a year next year (woo-hoo high school year ) and, being from the Netherlands (where the biggest insects are still smaller than most coins) I'm kind of icky about bugs.. So I was wondering

How much of the (North) American flora and fauna is out to kill people?
And how much of it do you encounter normally?

Depends on where you're going. You'll probably hate roaches, they're all over (except for here in NE Ohio!).

I have no clue where I'm going yet, and I won't hear for a while either.. It's probably somewhere in the bible belt though, since you mostly end up in rural places

I heard black widows are everywhere and hide in your shoes and toilets.. so stuff like that scares me, but are there any scary bugs or animals besides them? (that is, on state per state basis ofcourse)

black widows don't hide in your shoes and tolits(outhouses maybe) they like cramp places and have a distinct web pattern(its a mess) there not that big a deal.

its based on regions but your probably gona have more problems with the mosquito,bees,ticks then the deadly insects,snakes.

but if your wondering

NE US: black widow,coperhead(water snake not that aggressive only time iv had a problem with one was it was trying to eat a fish i had on a stringer),timber rattler(slow and not that much of a bother and they will warn you if you are bothering them).

White tail Deer hurt more people then any of those animals.