Dec 27, 2023 | Bed Bug
Understanding what bed bugs are and how they can find their way into your home is the first step in preventing their unwelcome presence. Let’s go over how to properly identify bed bugs and the many ways they can make their way into your home.
What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that primarily feed on the blood of humans and animals. The reddish-brown, oval-shaped creatures are about the size and apple seed when fully grown. Bed bugs are expert hiders, which makes identifying bed bugs challenging until an infestation is underway.
How Do Bed Bugs Enter Your Home?
- Traveling: Bed bugs can easily latch on to clothing, luggage, or personal items, and travel with you from place to place. Infested hotel rooms, motels, public transportation, or even the homes of friends and family can be potential sources of bed bug exposure.
- Secondhand Items: Bringing in used furniture or clothing that has been infested with bed bugs is another common entry point. Items like used clothing, mattresses, sofas, or upholstered chairs can provide the perfect hiding spots for bed bugs.
- Visitors: Unfortunately, your visitors could be unknowingly carrying these pests with them, especially if they have been dealing with an infestation themselves.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs
Preventing a bed bug infestation begins with awareness. Here are some steps you can take:
- Inspect secondhand items thoroughly before bringing them into your home
- When traveling, inspect hotel rooms for signs of bed bugs and keep luggage off the floor and away from walls
- Regularly wash and dry your bedding, curtains, and clothing at high temperatures to eliminate potential bed bugs
- Use mattress and box spring encasements to reduce hiding spots for bed bugs
- Learn the signs of a bed bug infestation
Understanding how to identify bed bugs and how they can enter your home is the first step to keeping these pests away. If you suspect you have bed bugs, reach out to your local pest control company for an inspection and plan of action!
Dec 26, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Purchasing and owning a home brings a sense of pride and responsibility for many Florida homeowners. A home is not only an investment but it’s the place where you can raise your family, so it’s crucial to keep it protected. Having a routine pest control service can bring several benefits to your property and family. Here are 5 reasons to consider it.
5 Benefits to Routine Pest Control Services
- Stops Pest Infestations Early: Professional pest control technicians can identify potential pest problems before they become a full-blown infestation! Once identified, your pest professional will place preventative measures to help keep pests from returning. Likewise, they can give you advice on how to seal entry points, repair problematic areas, and reduce pest attractants around your home.
- Benefits Your Health: Pests, like roaches, can trigger allergies and asthma, while mice are known to contaminate food and surfaces through your home. Routine pest control will help correct these unhealthy conditions.
- Promoted Healthy Environment: Your pest professional will identify moisture issues, leaks, cracks in the foundation, openings around doors or windows, and crawlspace issues. All these issues can lead to water damage utility bills, stress on your HVAC systems, and structural damage. A routine pest service will help identify these issues early so you can repair them sooner.
- Decrease Pest Costs: Catching pest issues early will save you money in the long run. It can be costly to treat a pest infestation, especially if they’ve created considerable damage to your home needing expensive repairs. With a routine pest service, catching the damage early will save you thousands of dollars in the future.
- Scheduled Visits: Ongoing, scheduled visits are included in a routine pest service, saving you time to call around to find help at the last minute for a pest issue. These visits will also guarantee you priority if an unexpected infestation occurs between your regularly scheduled visits.
If you’re interested in recurring pest control services, contact your local South Florida pest control company for more information and a free inspection.
Dec 22, 2023 | Pest Control
Dec 21, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Florida has a unique climate compared to the rest of the southeast, especially in the winter months. Due to the humidity and active pests this time of year, effectively storing your holiday decorations to prevent a pest infestation can require a bit more strategy. Let’s go over the best ways to store holiday decorations pest-free, year-round!
Moisture-Resistant Containers
Opting for moisture-resistant plastic containers with tight sealing lids makes it easier to create a protective barrier against the damp Florida air. This not only guards your decorations against moisture-related damage, but also helps to deter pests attracted to humid environments.
No More Cardboard
Cardboard is susceptible to moisture damage and is an attractant for certain pests. The material is easy to chew through for cockroaches and silverfish, making it a not-so-great option for storing items year-round. Utilizing plastic storage containers is a great way to discourage pests from taking over your décor.
Throw Away Edible Décor
Items like gingerbread houses or even candy canes should be discarded after the holiday season ends. It’s better to remake or repurchase the food-based decorations yearly.
Use Shelving Units
If you are storing boxes in your basement or garage, utilize a shelving unit to place boxes on. When boxes are stacked on the ground or piled up, they can become ideal hiding spots for pests or rodents. Using shelves will keep these boxes off the ground, limiting the chance for them to become an unwanted pest’s home.
Use these tips to store holiday decorations and preserve the holiday spirit in your Florida home! If you notice more pests than normal in your storage space, contact your local pest control company for a customized pest plan and enjoy a pest-free holiday!
Dec 20, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Dealing with a drywood termite infestation is less than ideal since these pests can cause significant structural damage to your Florida home. So how can you prevent termites from invading? It’s important to understand the characteristics of drywood termites, signs of their activity, and the preventative measures to place throughout your home, we break down all these below.
What to Know About Drywood Termites
Drywood termites have an oval-shaped waist, short legs, and a cream-white to light brown colored body. The size of these termites depends on their age, but usually range from ¼ inch to 1 inch long. Unlike their counterpart, the subterranean termite, drywood termites do not need soil to live. Instead, they excavate wood, living and nesting within wooden structures or dry wood, such as attic framings.
Signs of Termites
Since these termites live in the excavated wood, it can be difficult to spot and identify them. However, there are still termite signs you can look out for. Swarms of termites or discarded wings near windowsills or doors is an early indication that a colony has been established at your home. Likewise, spotting their droppings, or frass, is a telltale sign of a termite infestation. These droppings look like small mounds of tiny pellets.
Preventing Termites
Consider implementing these do-it-yourself termite control measures throughout your property to avoid a termite infestation:
- Keep lumber, wood, and mulch away from your foundation.
- Trim all shrubs, bushes, or other dense greenery so it doesn’t touch the side of your home.
- If you have old trees, lumber, or tree stumps, consider removing them.
- If you are utilizing firewood, store it at least 20 feet away from your home and elevated off the ground.
- Before bringing antique furniture or wooden furniture inside your home, make sure to thoroughly inspect it first.
- Inspect your home’s exterior for any openings leading inside and repair them as soon as possible.
- Keep your attic and crawlspace well-ventilated to help reduce moisture and other household pests.
If you’ve noticed drywood termites on your property or would like to get ahead of your termite prevention, contact your local Florida termite control company for more information. These professionals will provide you with a free inspection, a treatment plan based on your home’s needs, and recommendations on preventing termites in the future.
