Been to Florida 5 times, Orlando and Miami Beach, and can't remember ever seeing a spider.

luci

Last time we were there 2006 there was a spider (man thumb size) at the corner of our pool screen frame, it was hairy black spider with a orange broad stripe across its back end. I asked the pool cleaner if he knew what kind it was and he said no just dont go near it, needless to say we got rid off it just in case anyone got bitten.
Does anyone know what type this was, and could it have been poisonous.

I did once "move very quickly" when I was enjoying a Cafe Latte on the chairs outside Starbucks and opposite the Holiday Inn International Drive, when a large black snake slithered briefly from one area of bushes, across the concrete and into another area of plants. I suddenly decided to take my coffee to go! Certainly wasn't expecting that site on International Drive.

Never seen any spiders in Florida at all. Now the blood sucking bats that was another thing.

I also hate spiders but i have never seen any in Orlando before.

Now, ants on the other hand - our room in International Drive was full of them - marching in a nice line right around the walls and into a crack in the tiles in the bathroom - horrible!!!!

Apparently Orlando has fire ants? Dont know what kind had inhabited our room tho!

Everyone is so nice in Orlando though - im sure if you had a spider in your room they would remove it for you

I was been bitten by a fire ant on my toe by the villa pool and boy that was painful. My daughter saw a spider the size of a small rat in Walmart once but by the time I went to look it had disappeared Generally though you don't see many spiders. More ants.

Thank you for your replies!!

Snakes and bats are not to much of a concern. Although I dont like anything that crawls, ants dont terrify me like spiders do!! I will buy ant powder if I need to!

I have had a good look on the net, and it seems that I should be ok !!

I do feel more reassured now and even more excited!!

Thanks again,

Kelly

Hi Kelly - you will have a fabulous time!

You might see lots of tiny gecko lizards - we seen loads of them last year I like them though - they run away when you walk near them lol
Bet you are excited - not long until you go! We are going back in September so still a long wait for us!

Have a good holiday!

GG x

When we go to Publix or Walmart shopping for supplies for the villa we always buy a can of Raid ant spray too.
Now the pests I really detest are the Love bugs

Oh my goodness, totally forgot about the Love Bugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had the misfortune of spending 2 weeks with them in September last year! They were everywhere! We're going back this year in September so will probably see them again!

At least they are harmless - they must be knackered after all the "Loving" lol!

Oh My God!!

I thought that hbrac was joking!!

What on earth is a love bug???!!

How big is it? what does it do? Will I need to hide from it?

Thanks for your message GG, we are soooo excited and it is not long now!! By the time I get back you will only have 3 months to wait! How many times have you been before?

I dont mind the lizards at all, they are rather cute. Spiders are my big fear, closely followed by wasps, daddy long legs, cockroaches and other crawlies!!

Once I find out what a love bug is I will be able to decide where it will fit onto my "how scary is this creepy crawly scale!!"

Kelly

They are flying creatures that seem to want to get in your hair...you may find them preferable to ants

See here for description of love bugs :-

http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/may02/lastword.html

Strange creatures, have seen them on our visits to Orlando, although have not seen many of them and to be honest did not bother us at all, too busy being "loved up" I suppose.

One thing to watch out for is when you visit the Disney water parks (ie Typhoon Lagoon), the ones where you can buy a large cup and then refill it with juice or pop at one of the many machines around the parks, some of these machines especially the ones situated in shady areas under trees seem to attract wasps, which I do not like, they like the sugar in the drinks. The water parks are great fun though so don't let this put you off, just head for the machines that are "wasp free"!!!

Polly

Oh Boy!

Get this.....

*Sorry Kelly, I've had to delete most of your post as it contained material subject to copyright law. Please don't copy text from other websites. Thanks Pippy*

I have decided that I dont like these bugs... they rate about a 6 on my scale. I hope that they don't want to get stuck in my hair.... but... if you see a lunatic running round Disney, shaking her head and screaming... then... you know that they headed for my hair!!

Kelly

They are on the same scale as Daddy Long Legs in my opinion.

sorry Pippy!!

Hadn't realised that I shouldn't do that, thank you for covering for me!!!

Kelly

No problem, just got to keep HT on the right side of the law

Pippy

Dont worry about the Love Bugs - honestly!!! Our windscreen just caught a lot of them last year lol!

They're basically "loving" ALL the time - you never see a single one, put it that way! I have been to Orlando 5 times and i never seen any until last September - must've been the time of year cos they were EVERYWHERE - just like annoying midgies, but they dont bite or anything - you'll just be wafting them away from yourself.

We saw most of them on the car park trolly thingies that take you to the park from the car park. They were usually crawling with Love Bugs
Im terrified of Spiders, but love bugs were fine
Dont know if im allowed to say this or not - but there is a really good website for info on Disney/Orlando called Allears.net - i especially like reading the "Anita Answer" page - find so much information i didnt know about disney!

Bet you are soooooo excited!! x

I agree with you, don't like spiders and bugs, but I think I could deal with them better than the intruder I saw on the news this morning. A croc. (could have been an aligator) had got into someones kitchen. Pushed open 2 doors and caused destruction to lots of thinks in the kitchen with its tail. Now I dont think I could get that in the spider scoop and put it outside