Florida & creepy crawlie?!

[+Bean & Sprout]

We'll be visiting Florida at Easter from England. While we know we are going to come across bugs and creepy crawlies we've never had to worry about anything particularly dangerous before.

 

Can anyone advise what is the general way to behave re alligator encounters? Should we make lots of noise to scare them off? back away slowly? or run like heck? Do they generally avoid humans if they hear us coming or are we fair game?

 

Re snakes and bugs - should we avoid everything and assume it's venomous or are most things generally harmless? Is there anything specific to be avoided which we are likely to come accross? Are thick gloves a must when attempting to retrieve caches?

 

We won't be bringing our hiking boots. Is it generally ok to walk around in sandals or trainers (sneakers I think you call them) on trails? We're not planning to go too far off track.

 

I've heard that some caches are hidden under metal skirts around lamp posts and such which need to be lifted. Is it likely that there will be some kind of wildlife in there with them?

 

Is there anything we need to be aware of re parking restrictions and the like? I've seen some caches and the start of trails which are just off a main road and there is an area you can pull in off the road with a zebra crossing over it for the side walk. Is it ok to pull into these and stop or park? If so must the zebra crossing be left clear?

 

Any other advice or tips greatly appreciated

[+kunarion]

There's quite a difference in climate between, say the Keys and Jacksonville, so here's some generalized info.

 

Easter is at the end of March this year. The alligators have been dormant, have eaten nothing all Winter and are starving. Once the temperature is right (and it could be just about right, depending on where it is in Florida), they will become very active, feeding and nesting. Alligators generally avoid humans. But take care to avoid alligators. Pay attention at the water's edge if you're in their territory.

 

Even a non-venomous snake can be dangerous, but they're rare on the trail. They're cold-blooded and so, like alligators, will try to find a warm place to bask, or a safe place to sleep. Snakes are more active at night. It all changes by time of day, and the weather. If you pay attention to your surroundings and keep an eye out for critters, and leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. You might use a stick or branch to poke around hiding spots for a cache container.

 

I've worn sneakers or sandals on Florida trips, in order to pack light. They're OK.

 

You will find all kinds of things under lamp skirts. Spiders, wasps, palmetto bugs (go look those up!), ants, snakes. Sometimes a Geocache.

 

You can't park on a crosswalk. The Cache Owner may have some suggestions on where to park.

 

Bring some mosquito repellant. I use DEET 25% or higher because the mosquitoes do not mess around. They are focused and will eat you alive, at a bad time to find out your repellant doesn't work. But it depends on where you are (likely rivers, forests) whether you'll encounter them. There are ticks, too, and if you go off-trail, you'll have to check for them on you later.

 

There are other bugs along the coast, gnats and deer flies (yellow flies). Maybe they won't be out yet.

 

You might contact a cache owner in an area you'd like to go, for specific advice.

Edited February 17, 2013 by kunarion

[+Bean & Sprout]

Thanks, that's very helpful.

 

We'll mostly be around Orlando/Disney but have trips planned out to Kennedy Space centre and Tampa and will cache a little on route to wherever we are going. So good to know some general advice for all areas. We're not going to cache lots so, from what you've said, we may just restrict ourselves to one or two urban cache and dashes. Or possibly stick to virtuals!

 

I have contacted a cache owner today who's cache is 15 mins walk down a trail and the photos show picture of alligators, spiders and snakes. Not heard back as yet though. The local cacher I emailed last week hasn't got back to me yet either, hence I thought I'd try asking here too.

[+kunarion]

If you have the chance to go see alligators in the wild, don't miss it. They are awesome! Simply respect that they are faster and stronger than you, and watch from a safe distance (or from inside the car). You might see one sunning beside a road. It's motionless, but it's real (don't go check ). Maybe it will yawn.

[+Fiver1]

Unless you go bushwhacking in swampy areas and the shores of local lakes, you shouldn't have to worry too much about gators. If you want to see some in the wild, just look in most any lake in the area. You'll probably see a few and will be safe.

 

You will be right in the middle of a tremendous number of good caches, in the Orlando area, east all the way to the coast, and west all the way to Tampa. Not far from I-4 in either direction are many caches that are easy to find and shouldn't pose any problems for you. There are some very nice caches in the Titusville area, and down around Port Canaveral. If I were you, I would pick 50 or so caches that would encompass the area I would be in and go the ones that interested me most.

 

Be aware that mosquitoes might be more of a problem than any other form of wildlife. Also, it's a shame you won't be here on the weekend of May 25. That's when GeoWoodstock XI will be held in my home town. Plenty of caches in the area to find also.

 

Good luck and enjoy your visit.

[+Bean & Sprout]

I would have loved to attend, and did look at visiting during geowoodstock, but unfortunately it didn't tie in with any of the school holidays here. I am taking my son out of school for three school days plus the easter break for this holiday which isn't too bad. 14 school days out of a school term would be too much

[+oldrocknmetal]

Thanks, that's very helpful.

 

We'll mostly be around Orlando/Disney but have trips planned out to Kennedy Space centre and Tampa and will cache a little on route to wherever we are going. So good to know some general advice for all areas. We're not going to cache lots so, from what you've said, we may just restrict ourselves to one or two urban cache and dashes. Or possibly stick to virtuals!

 

I have contacted a cache owner today who's cache is 15 mins walk down a trail and the photos show picture of alligators, spiders and snakes. Not heard back as yet though. The local cacher I emailed last week hasn't got back to me yet either, hence I thought I'd try asking here too.

Just a couple of suggestions on your trip. If you plan to go to Kennedy Space Center, try to find some time to visit A Cool Cache . It is reportedly the most favorited traditional cache in Florida. And, it is located at a store totally dedicated to Geocaching. If you make it to the Tampa area, you should try to go a little further to find Travel Bug Plaza Hotel & Suites . The cache page says it all.

As for the creepy and crawly things, stay focused and give them their space.

[+Road Rabbit]

Over the years I've been stung, bitten and sraped by any number of critters. Mosquitos will definitely be your major animal hazard. Use a good insect repellent containing DEET. Ticks are also high on the list of aggravations. If you go into a wooded area, it's likely that you may pick up one or two. I recommend buying an inexpensive lint roller and using it on your clothing before you get back in your vehicle. It'll pick up the ticks from your clothing.

 

You also need to be on the lookout for hazardous plant life. Florida is full of dangerous flora: poison ivy, poison oak, saw palmetto, sand spurs, sawgrass, etc. I've been bloodied many more times by the sharp edges and thorns of plants than by any critters.

 

Also, you need to have a good sunblock and take more water on the trail than you think you'll need. Even in the spring it can get pretty hot in central Florida.

 

I hope I haven't made you uneasy about caching here, but it's good to be prepared.

 

There are a lot of quality caches near the Space Center, and if you get over that way I second the recommendation to visit "A Cool Cache". The cache and the store are 'must sees'.

 

Enjoy your trip.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Road Rabbit

[+Bean & Sprout]

Wow, those recommendations look awesome. Have now added them to the 'must do list'

We'd rather go a little further for a really great cache or location then spend the same time finding half a dozen nanos just for numbers. So these are perfect!

 

Starting to wondering if I should tell my travel insurance company we'll be caching... in case they view it as a dangerous activity!

 

Joking aside, no I've not been put off at all, just want to ensure we're prepared.

Not least because my son tends to tear up the trail ahead of me and duck into the undergrowth to retrieve the cache while I'm still some way off.

While that doesn't matter too much in England I think we'll have to stick together more in Florida, especially if on a trail.

 

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations too.

[+TomToad]

Something you might consider is to buy a disposable phone such as Tracphone or Net10 phone. No need to buy minutes as all US cell phones let you dial 911 for free. I see them at Walmart http://www.walmart.com/browse/cell-phones/prepaid-cell-phones/3944_542371_133261/?search_query=&ic=32_0&search_sort=4&cat_id=3944_542371_133261 for as little as $10. Be sure to read the manual as some phones require special dialing instructions for emergency dialing (for example, a Tracphone I had about 8 years ago required you to press and hold the 9 key for 3 seconds, that would automatically dial 911 for you. If I had dialed 911 directly on the phone, it would have required minutes to be used).

[+Fiver1]

Don't over think this whole "caching in Florida" thing. There are a lot of us here that geocache and you rarely hear of someone injured. The worst injury I've personally heard of is someone getting stuck by some thorns. 15 million + people live in this state and you have a better chance of winning the state lottery than being eaten by an alligator. I cache all over in all kinds of environments and have never had a problem. Just keep your eyes open and don't do anything you wouldn't do at home. I think the worst thing about geocaching here is the drive to the cache area. We have a whole bunch of people here that have no clue about driving. So be careful.

[+coachstahly]

I was in the same boat as the OP. Never having cached in Florida and coming from Indiana, where the only really dangerous things we have to worry about are rabid squirrels, I too was initially concerned about critters and other hazards we don't have. Common sense and a stick (for those areas where you want to search but can't see!) are your best friends and will serve you just fine when you're down there. Bring LOTS of water, as has been mentioned already. It's hot and humid and even if you don't go on a "long" hike, you'll be glad you brought it with you.

 

Dale and Barb have moved their store (and therefore A Cool Cache) and I hope to visit the new one this early summer when I'm down in Orlando again. The COs are great people and the cache is certainly an interesting one!

[+Crow T Robot]

Easter is at the end of March this year. The alligators have been dormant, have eaten nothing all Winter and are starving. Once the temperature is right (and it could be just about right, depending on where it is in Florida), they will become very active, feeding and nesting.

Alligators feed through Florida's mild winters and will not be starving. They will not hunt you down and kill you. I worry more about zombies than I do about alligators and I work around lakes all day.

 

Alligators generally avoid humans. But take care to avoid alligators. Pay attention at the water's edge if you're in their territory.

This is good advice. But you are more likely to encounter biting insects, ticks, and poison ivy if you venture out of the asphalt safety zone. I use a repellant with picaridin instead of DEET. I don't care for the feel or smell of DEET and it has been known to dissolve plastics. I also find that picaridin is much easier to get off of my skin and out of my clothing at the end of the hike. Use it around your ankles and waist if you venture into the woods and it does a pretty good job of keeping the ticks at bay. But I can generally tolerate a few mosquito bites if it means that I don't have to apply anything at all. Poison ivy is more plentiful in wet areas but can sometimes be found in Florida's urban vegetation. Look at some photos to get an idea what the plants look like. Lastly, watch out for fire ants. These little buggers can be found in a variety of habitats. They create dirt mounds as they nest and will be on you in a flash if you disturb the mound!

[+kunarion]

Easter is at the end of March this year. The alligators have been dormant, have eaten nothing all Winter and are starving. Once the temperature is right (and it could be just about right, depending on where it is in Florida), they will become very active, feeding and nesting.

Alligators feed through Florida's mild winters and will not be starving.

That depends on the location in Florida. If it's Jacksonville, alligators have been dormant. Further south, all bets are off. There was no specified area of "Florida", when I made my reply. Now that there's more information of the area in question, I would say they will be nesting, and should definitely be avoided. But I'd expect alligator nests to be rare in Orlando.

 

They will not hunt you down and kill you. I worry more about zombies than I do about alligators and I work around lakes all day.

That's true. But I did not say to worry about alligators, nor that they hunt people down .

 

But to clarify, an alligator eats various animals in the wild, and they aren't starving for human flesh. They don't hunt people down like the zombies do. I hope that clears things up.

Edited February 19, 2013 by kunarion

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

I love "playing" with the gators. Eventually I want to learn a little wrangling. Snakes however annoy me. I'm quite annoyed with the coral snake as you need to remember the rhyme to know it from the non-venomous variety:

 

"Red on yellow, kill a fellow; Red on black, friend of Jack"

 

Pygmy Rattlers are good because they will make a little sound, but they are small, so they hide easy and not easy to spot.

 

Luckily, these two are small and with a strike distance of around half the length of their body, they don't have a large reach.

 

Now...if you are feeling ballsy, and you come across an Asian Python, kill it...they are invasive and Florida Wild life will love you for it! There are specifics to research first though.

[Saw_Bones]

You've come to the right place and have found...A BIOLOGIST!!

 

I won't repeat the plant warnings but it is helpful to look at the web and state resources ( college and otherwise) for plant warnings and native bugs and animal warnings.

 

For snakes you have 6 known species that are poisonous.

 

Here's a link for UF's snake guide, its useful and printable I believe. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-guide/onlineguide.htm

 

You have the Coral Snake ( Red touches yellow you're a dead fellow. Red touches black won't hurt jack),Pigmy Rattler, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Eastern Diamondback, and Timber Rattlesnake.

 

Most snakes you will come across in Central Florida are Black racers. They are harmless but don't touch as they will bite and it will hurt. Rat snakes are harmless. Again look at the guide.

 

You have Wild Hogs, Black Bears, and Coyotes but they are usually not around populated areas and not around Disney.

 

As for bugs...TICKS! Of all the things in the woods you are guaranteed to find and pick up its ticks. Florida has no tick season and they are here all year round. If you go into the woods anywhere you will get ticks, the best way to keep them off is to get OFF deep woods and spray it on your clothes. To keep them off your legs stick your pants into your socks, wear boots and tape the top of the boots with duck-tape or tape. Wear long sleeves if you can and spray your boots and clothes with the OFF!Deep woods or other repellent. Make sure it says DEET and tick repellant.

 

You will come across giant roach looking things called palmetto bugs they are harmless but nasty. There's a good number of spiders but watch out for brown recluses as they cause a necrotic wound. We also have scorpions.

 

Fire ants build big mounds that are easy to see, stay away from them and watch your feet.

 

There is a geocaching store in Brevard County near the cape called the Space Coast Geocaching store

 

Here's a link to their facebook https://www.facebook.com/scgastore?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

As for alligators they are slow, you can outrun them easily as they can't run fast for miles and if you aren't in the water in the first place you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Now one big thing, if you go into any area where there is hunting allowed ask the rangers what season it is and where there is hunting. Hunters can easily mistake someone for an animal.

 

Hope I helped

Edited February 21, 2013 by Saw_Bones

[+Fiver1]

I agree with what Saw_Bones said for the most part except about bears near Disney. There are most certainly Florida Black Bears in the Disney vicinity. Disney actually has warning signs about them posted in Fort Wilderness now. I have seen them in the general area, but not in the parks themselves. Not too far away, there are several neighborhood bear encounters every year. But relax. These bears are generally shy and harmless if you use good sense. Never approach one especially if it has cubs with it, never leave food scraps out if you are camping in the area, and keep your pets under control. From Disney to the east and north is one of the few places left in Florida where bears exist in any numbers. I don't know of any attacks on humans in my life time, but there may have been a couple.

 

As I said in my previous post, don't worry so much about the dangers that exist in Florida. I think they are grossly overemphasized by the media and people that don't live here. Just do as you would do at home. Keep and eye out and use common sense and I think you'll have a great time.

[Saw_Bones]

I agree with what Saw_Bones said for the most part except about bears near Disney. There are most certainly Florida Black Bears in the Disney vicinity. Disney actually has warning signs about them posted in Fort Wilderness now. I have seen them in the general area, but not in the parks themselves. Not too far away, there are several neighborhood bear encounters every year. But relax. These bears are generally shy and harmless if you use good sense. Never approach one especially if it has cubs with it, never leave food scraps out if you are camping in the area, and keep your pets under control. From Disney to the east and north is one of the few places left in Florida where bears exist in any numbers. I don't know of any attacks on humans in my life time, but there may have been a couple.

 

As I said in my previous post, don't worry so much about the dangers that exist in Florida. I think they are grossly overemphasized by the media and people that don't live here. Just do as you would do at home. Keep and eye out and use common sense and I think you'll have a great time.

 

Thanks for catching that Forgot about OC's bear problems. I know Lake and Orange (some Volusia) seem to have problems with Coyotes as well, mostly in rural areas but I've heard on the news they've been seen in some neighborhoods.

[+Wadcutter]

The most dangerous animal you'll encounter is the Florida Bluehair. The older the more dangerous they become. They range in size from about 4'9" to 5'5" and weigh about 100 lbs. They are very common around Walmarts, grocery stores, and flea markets. Very common hanging around buffets from 2PM to 5 PM. Often seen in Cadillacs and Buicks. When you see one coming your way head to the side of the road preferably with concrete barrier protection.