Key West Bugs in December/January?

I've lived in Key Largo for 32 years and haven't seen a scorpion yet. No-see-ums and skeeters yes but they were a lot worse 30 yrs. ago.

travelnutz wrote:
Spent many weeks in winter it the Keys, mostly near Marathon and the rest by Key West and the bugs can be horrible depending on precip, temps, and wind. NanciL says it as it really is! Some days are fine but others so bad you don't want to go outside at all.

Not only bugs but lots of scorpions so always carefully check your shoe etc inner before you stick your foot in them. Not once have we been to the keys without seeing scorpions crawling around.

If you go in the water, remember that it's not the inland Missouri waters and there's lots of things and critters that may want to greet you or stepped on that will give you memories you don't want! You can see the jellyfish on the surface but usually will not see the things you'd stepped on etc until it's too late and it will get your attention real quick and you won't be a happy camper.

We're back from Key West at Bluewater Key and had an extraordinary time. We swam off of our boat dock quite a few times and kayaked all around the RV park peninsula.

The bugs description was pretty accurate- the first 6 of our days were 100% bug free. The last 2-3 days were atrocious. Inside the tiki hut, we ran citronella candles and Thermacell and it helped some but my wife still looks like someone decided to setup a connect-the-dots drawing on her legs and arms.

We did not see any signs of scorpions, though we did seem to have a pair of iguanas who lived in our bushes.

Not so Jim !
You can get Thermocells and refills at Home Depot in Marathon and in Bass Pro shops in Islamorada, and the cost is the same as in Wally world

Jack L

Spent many weeks in winter it the Keys, mostly near Marathon and the rest by Key West and the bugs can be horrible depending on precip, temps, and wind. NanciL says it as it really is! Some days are fine but others so bad you don't want to go outside at all.

Not only bugs but lots of scorpions so always carefully check your shoe etc inner before you stick your foot in them. Not once have we been to the keys without seeing scorpions crawling around.

If you go in the water, remember that it's not the inland Missouri waters and there's lots of things and critters that may want to greet you or stepped on that will give you memories you don't want! You can see the jellyfish on the surface but usually will not see the things you'd stepped on etc until it's too late and it will get your attention real quick and you won't be a happy camper.

ependydad wrote:
Interesting. The Thermacell will definitely go- I just wasn't sure if I needed to buy refills before heading out. Sounds like it is not a bad idea...

If you wait to buy when you get there, you can guarantee that you'll never pay more. You'll be 130 miles from the mainland and price competition.

No see um were terrible in March in Long Key and Bahia. My wife swelled up and blistered from there bites. We had to go to the doctor, steroid shot was the answer now to stay out of the sun for 2 weeks. Of course this was probably an allergic reaction to those little critters most people will not react to them.

ependydad wrote:
Interesting. The Thermacell will definitely go- I just wasn't sure if I needed to buy refills before heading out. Sounds like it is not a bad idea...

We are on our way to the Keys right now and I have four extra boxes of refills.
It would be nice to come home with a few, but I doubt it.

Jack L

Interesting. The Thermacell will definitely go- I just wasn't sure if I needed to buy refills before heading out. Sounds like it is not a bad idea...

I hate to disagree with the first few posters, but the no-see-ums are plentiful in the Keys in those two months unless you have a nasty cold spell, and then as soon as it warms up, they are right back.
We winter in the Keys every year and speak from experience.
Bring your thermocell and extra cartridges, and you can sit out at your picnic table while the others rv's are in their rv's

Jack L

Usually I would agree with the no-bug responses, but last year we had one of those waterfront sites at Bahia Honda State Park and the no-see-ums were brutal.

We've seen mosquitoes at twilight in other Keys campgrounds during the winter, again near or on the water. Probably varies by dampness, recent rain amounts, heat, wind direction and velocity just like any other season.

I think it can happen any time, so I'd bring along the Thermocell just in case. It doesn't take that much room.