Utah Relocation Package: An Itchy Topic!
As you make your way to Utah through your military relocation or job transfer or just because you love the state of Utah and what it has to offer, there is an “itchy topic” that we need to cover to keep you safe during your residency here.
If you are the outdoorsy type and want to venture into the great outdoors of Utah to take in all the beauty that is available here for you, there are a few things you will want to keep your eye out for to prevent any injury or illness. In addition to your safety in the outdoors, your indoor environment has some precautions as well.

Poison ivy, oak or sumac: Each of these plants release a poisonous oil called urushiol which makes you itch. In most cases these plants are found in the mountains or rural areas where there is a lot of rainfall year round. The great news is that if you do come across the itchy vegetation, it is highly treatable. If you do come across any of these plants, make sure you wash your skin with soap as soon as possible. Remove any clothing that has touched the plant and wash them immediately. If you have any symptoms beyond itching and a rash contact your doctor. Read more
Rattlesnakes: These slithery, scaly reptiles inhabit every part of Utah. I personally have never seen one before and have spent a lot of time outdoors throughout my life from the North end of Utah to the South end. The important thing to remember is they don’t have ears and they are not searching for you. Generally what occurs is the human steps in their path unexpectedly and that is what triggers the attack. If you do come across a snake near your residence, don’t kill it, call animal control so that they can remove it properly. When you come across one in nature steer yourself clear of the snake and don’t be tempted or if you have children, don’t let them throw things at it or poke it. If you are the victim of a rattle snake bite contact emergency asap. Read more…
Brown Recluse and Black Widows: Both spiders can be found anywhere in Utah and it’s important to be aware of
what they look like and what to do if you do get a spider bite. Generally these spiders hang out in uncommonly used areas in your home such as a storage area or basement. They are not aggressive spiders however their bite can be horrible. I would highly recommend hiring a pest exterminator to keep you and your family safe. We have one come into our home and spray around the foundation, the yard and inside our home. You can find some companies who use a child safe, pet safe and environmentally safe product. If you are bitten by one of these spiders make sure you contact your medical doctor asap. Read more…
None of this is to scare you at all, it’s provided to you so that you will have greater awareness of your surroundings as you make Utah your home. I have lived in Utah my entire life and with all the outdoor adventures I have had with my family we have never been in contact with any of these things.
Utah is awaiting your residency and we all look forward to having you here. For more information about Utah relocations and military relocations, please Contact Me for a relocation package or you can refer to my blog.
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Julie Neerings, GRI- Heart of Utah Real Estate Copyright © 2008- If you are considering buying, selling, military relocations to Hill AFB or relocating to Utah, you deserve local expertise and advice to be provided by a professional in real estate. Julie Neerings is a Utah REALTOR® providing full time, professional real estate services to buyers and sellers in the cities of Layton, Bountiful, Woods Cross, West Valley, West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton, Herriman and all surrounding cities.
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Julie--These are important considerations for anyone new to an area that might not be aware of some of the dangers in the weeds.
Great info Julie, I am always forgetting which looks like which on the poison stuff. We have brown recluses here and boy they are fast, one of the signatures of this spider. Great blog post!
Hi Julie,
Great information! I never knew what those plants looked like, now I will know the difference. Thanks :)
Julie, This post has me running for cover and taking a Benadryl. LOL Great info!
Ginger
Julie - This is great information on all the itchy, scary things out there! I do not like spiders or snakes, but this is such great reference for anyone in your area. It could even help save a life or serious injury.
Hi Julie,
You and I might now be referred to as "AR's Poison ladies". LOL.
Information and knowledge is power and you have provided your locals with that power.
Hi Julie, what a great post and not something most people would consider. I know I wouldn't because I'm not allergic...except to the snakes! LOL
I have friends who are highly allergic and would LOVE this information if they were moving to a new area. Excellent post, my friend!
Hi Julie - Yikes! None of this sounds like fun at all :) Good things to be aware of for sure!
Julie
There isnothing worst than poison sumac.
Excellent post!
Sincerely
Tom Braatz
Julie, this is a nicely written post about some of the natural dangers that people need to be aware of in Utah. Those spiders look awfully scary!
Excellent local post! My son is so allergic to poision ivy, it is terrible. We love to hike but need to be careful.
Julie.... are you sure you are trying to sell me on Utah.. just kidding, we have those same things here too in Alabama. These are some good things to know about though since different parts of the US have different climates and different plants, and different critters. Knowing what is ahead of you sure does help with preparation.
Julie- If you do not win this contest for creativity genius the judges are crazy! WOW, your whole relo package is incredible.
Julie, these "itchy topics" all have to do with having abundant nature in your area. It just goes with the terrain. Terrific package of information you have put together.
Hey Julie..spiders and poison ivy...my two favorites.
Really nicely laid out...you got it in just under the wire. I didn't make my three this week!
Teri: Utah provides so many opportunities for one to get out in the great outdoors that it is definitely important to be aware. Thank you for your comment.
Vanessa: I completely understand on the poisonous plants, it is hard to figure out, which is which. Oh and those creepy spiders are my nightmare, literally. I have a major fear of spiders so I make sure our house gets sprayed. Thank you for commenting.
Suzanne: Me and my sweet hubby were scout leaders for some time and that is one of the lessons we made sure we covered with all of our boys. Imagine hiking up a mountainside for 4 hours with 12 boys who are all 11 years old. That could be a mark for disaster. Thank YOU for your comment.
Ginger: You crack me up my friend. I'll have to admit though, as I was writing this story I felt the hairs on my arms stand on end. I'm completely creeped out by spiders. Thank you for commenting and oh, can you send me some benadryl?
Candy: Thank you so much for your wonderful comment and I hope this does make a difference for somebody relocating to Utah. As far as spiders and snakes go, yes I'm with you on that one too.
Cynthia: I have some catching up to do, how did I miss that post? I'm on my way over to comment and join in your itchy adventure. Thank you for your kind comment, my poison lady buddy! :)
Linda: Don't you have snakes out in Texas and big spiders or is that a myth? I do hope this information is very helpful to those who make their way to Utah. Thank you for commenting my friend.
Bill: Yikes for sure. The good news is it's so rare to see any of this, but it's important to be aware of it, just in case. Thank you for your comment.
Tom: Have you had a run in with poison Sumac before? That sounds awful to run into any of this. Thank you for commenting.
Brian: Those spiders are at the top of my list on any worry I have, even running into a bear. They completely creep me out to no end. Thank you for stopping by my friend.
Karen: Oh, I feel bad for your son. The symptoms alone would not be pleasant, but being allergic would multiply that affect by 10 I'm sure. Thank you for commenting.
Stephen: You are so funny! That's hysterical that you said that though, because I worried about that. I can't wait to read up on the critters you have in Alabama. Will that be an upcoming post? Thank you for commenting.
Katerina: You are such a great support to me. Thank you so much for your incredible comment. I'm still waiting for you to call me. You mentioned you needed some help on something. Call me anytime. Big hugs to you!
Gary: Thank you for joining in on the "itchy topic". We do have a lot of terrain to cross and these localism posts have been so much fun to write.
Joan: You are a very observant gal. Yes this one was under the wire indeed. You will get your 3 in this week I'll bet. Thank you for commenting my friend.
Hi Julie - Great awareness post for prospective buyers while they do their research. We don't' have the itchy stuff here in the Valley of the Sun, however we do in our northern country. We have scorpion's, but like you all the years I have lived here, and building a few homes I have never encountered a scorpion personally. I have seen them on the job sites and in newer constructed homes, but not mine! As for the Brown Recluse my second son had a little battle with one while lodging up north in the White Mtns. The little brown fella' took a few bites from my son and his buddy while snowboarding up north a few years back. It landing them both in the hospital for a week and both had to have some serious antibiotics and a little surgery. It worked out well for both but gave us a good scare that week. It's important to be aware of such earthly critters and to be honest, up until that point I had never really paid attention. Our family has always been an avid outdoor type and I always left it up to the 'men' to be up on the critters, well that has since changed. Great informative post and links. Sorry for the long winded comment...
Candace: Oh my gosh! That is absolutely horrible that your son and his friend had that happen. That is so scary, really. I'm so sorry you guys had that experience. You know we hear every once in a while on the news about people who run into those creepy little things, but not often at all. I really have to make sure our house is sprayed because I have a major phobia with spiders. I'm putting that in my next meme. It's so bad that in a way it's brought a lot of laughter to my family with what I've done to avoid or my nightmares about them. Uggh! Thank you for your wonderful comment and you can get winded on my posts any time. That's one of the things I love about you my friend, you engage conversation beautifully.
Julie, now where was this post BEFORE I had poison ivy awhile back...LOL, great job on your package!
Excellent localism post although snakes....yuck !
Lisa: Ouch! You had poison ivy? That is horrible from the sounds of it if you don't get it off quickly. Thank you for your kind comment and keep your eye's out for that itchy stuff.
Melissa: I hear ya! Snakes and spiders creep me out to no end. Thank you for your comment.