First of bugs, pests, and other vermin.

Let's just start with huge cockroaches. Some people here call them Palmetto Bugs- obviously an attempt to give them some charm and decrease the threat perceived. However, the first overall impression is captured perfectly by this video clip from "Damnation Alley":
Ok, they're not quite as aggressive, but in size and number- it's about correct. The exterior of our house was crawling with dozens of these shiny creepies after sunset. Apparently these local celebrities live outside and eat plant matter....Usually. Every rule has exceptions- for one, they will make way indoors during dry times to seek water.  Ooops: Memphis is experiencing an unusually hot and dry summer, we've only had one thunderstorm since we've arrived. (Here's the latest Weather Channel 10-day forecast: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/37501 ) And we've seen three of these dino-bugs in the house in the last two days (the first one ran out of the kitchen melting from the (organic) bug killer I sprayed on it's shiny back; #2 was stunned by a powerful swat with a rolled up magazine, but came back to consiousness as it swirled around the toilet bowl on its way to doom; #3 was impervious to the rolled up magazine...but I finally cornered it in the closet and crushed it (twice!) with a shoe.

Excuse me while I fill a bucket of water for the backyard. I know it will breed misquitos but look at our new 'NoSquito' device outside my (dirty-wow!) home office window: