Jun 23, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Once flies get inside your home, they not only become a major nuisance, but they can also be difficult to eliminate. While flies can look very similar at first glance, there are different types, each with their own set of characteristics. It’s important for every homeowner to understand their difference to properly prevent them from invading their home! Check out the common flies you can encounter in Florida and tips on preventing them!
Drain Flies
Commonly found in kitchens or bathrooms, drain flies look like fuzzy moths. They thrive in dark and damp environments, such as floor and sink drains. You can tell these flies apart from others as they are light gray or tan in color and have a dark border around their wings. While these flies don’t bite, their presence can trigger asthma in some people.
Fruit Flies
One of the most common flies known to invade our kitchens is fruit flies. These flies are known to rapidly produce and will breed in dark, moist areas of your home, including drains, garbage disposals, and trashcans. These flies can lay around 500 eggs that hatch in as little as 24 hours! These pests are attracted to and will eat rotting food and usually prefer fruits and vegetables. While these flies won’t sting or bite humans, they will contaminate foods with bacteria and disease-causing pathogens.
Horseflies
Horseflies can often be found near bodies of water they utilize for breeding, both in suburban and rural areas. Horseflies are most active during the hotter days of the year and typically rest on paths and roads in wooded areas. Female horseflies can be a risk to our health as they are known to have a painful bite with their mouthparts utilized for cutting open flesh instead of sucking blood. Their bites are also known to cause allergic reactions too.
How to Prevent Flies from Your Florida Home
- Clean up spills and leftover food crumbs as soon as possible
- Frequently sweep, mop, and vacuum your home.
- Store your food in tightly sealed containers, including your pet food.
- Don’t leave your pet bowls outside and clean up any pet waste in your yard.
- If you are going to open your windows to enjoy the fresh air, make sure to use screens to keep flies from entering.
If you’ve noticed more flies around your property than usual, it could be time to reach out to your local pest control company for help. These pest professionals will be able to find a fly prevention method that works best for your home.
Apr 27, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
As a resident of North Naples, Florida, you know hurricane season can bring many challenges, including an influx of pests. It’s important to both prepare your home for the high winds and heavy rain and place preventative measures to prevent a pest infestation that the hurricane season can bring. Check out our tips on preparing for pests during hurricane season:
Secure Your Home
Before a hurricane hits your area, it is crucial to ensure that the exterior of your home is secure. This means checking for any gaps or cracks where pests can enter your home. Look around your windows, doors, and roof for openings. Consider utilizing weatherstripping or caulking these areas to ensure they are sealed.
Keep Food Sealed
While stocking up on food and water before a hurricane hits your area is important, it can also attract pests. Ants and rodents are highly attracted to food, and it’s important to properly seal stored food you have inside your home. Consider utilizing airtight containers to avoid pests from invading them.
Remove Debris
After a hurricane hits, your yard could be littered with debris, leaves, tree limbs, and more. This clutter can be the perfect environment for pests to thrive. Remove any of these items from your property as soon as you can to help prevent pests from utilizing it as a nesting ground or hiding place.
Inspect Your Home
The aftermath of a hurricane can see various damages to your home, including broken windows, water damage, foundation damage, and more. It’s important to inspect your home for any of this damage after the storm. Inspect your home for any cracks in the walls, windows, or doors caused by high winds and debris. These openings will provide easy access for pests, making it essential to repair them as soon as possible.
Consider Pest Control
Sometimes, placing preventative measures throughout your home can only go so far. If you need extra support to deal with pests before, during, or after hurricane season, consider reaching out to your local pest control company. These professionals will identify the pest problem, identify entry points, and provide a treatment and prevention plan to prevent future pest infestations.
Apr 20, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Hurricanes are bound to happen, especially in Florida. These natural phenomena can cause severe damage to our community, homes, and the environment around us. Unfortunately, hurricanes will also affect pest activity, as homeowners might see the emergence of even more pests. After a hurricane, we will often experience a population increase of pests that thrive in warm, moist environments. Check out our list of pests to look out for after a hurricane and what you can do for hurricane pest control.
Mosquitoes
One of the most common pests that emerge after a hurricane is mosquitoes. The water that’s left behind by the storm will provide the perfect breeding ground for these pests. While mosquitoes are a nuisance, they can spread diseases such as the West Nile virus, Zika virus, and dengue fever. To prevent these pests, remove objects that can collect rainwater, including toys, buckets, tarps, old tires, and more. Likewise, look to remove all leaves and yard debris to keep mosquitoes from invading your yard.
Ants
Other pests that will emerge after a hurricane are ants. When an area becomes flooded, it forces ants to seek out a new place to inhabit, often leading them to our homes. Ants, such as fire ants, pavement ants, and carpenter ants, can all be difficult to control, as they can establish their new colony quickly and are highly adaptable. To keep ants from invading your home after a storm, seal all cracks or gaps found on the interior and exterior of the home. Remove and clean up any food source that may attract ants inside.
Roaches
Cockroaches will thrive in the aftermath of a hurricane. A home or building that’s flooded provides the perfect environment for these pests, where they can settle, breed, and multiply. Roaches are known to carry diseases and even trigger allergic reactions. To deter roaches from your home, eliminate as much moisture as possible by regularly checking for leaky faucets or sinks. Take the trash out on a regular basis, placing it in a tightly sealed trashcan with a lid.
Hurricanes can have a significant impact on our environment and the activity of household pests. Utilizing hurricane pest control measures throughout your home before a hurricane or rainstorm will help to prevent a full-blown pest infestation. If you’re still seeing pests after taking precautions, it could be time to contact your local pest control company for help. These professionals will inspect your home, identify the pest, identify areas of entry, and provide you with a treatment and prevention plan that’s fit for your home.
Apr 13, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Miami, Florida is known for its beautiful beaches, lively city, and hurricanes! Unfortunately, hurricanes can bring in an influx of certain pest problems that can cause significant damage and be a nuisance. Check out the common hurricane pest problems that you could see after a storm and how to prevent them.
Common Pests After a Hurricane
Check out the most common hurricane pests you could see after a storm which include:
- Mosquitoes: Standing water left behind by the storm will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Items that hold water are a huge attractant to these pests, including toys, overturned trash lids, bird baths, flowerpot sauces, and more.
- Cockroaches: Flooded areas are an ideal living environment for cockroaches to inhabit as they prefer damp climates and areas. Likewise, once they invade, it can be difficult to control them as they reproduce at a rapid pace.
- Termites: Flooding and moisture can weaken the structure of homes, making them more susceptible to termite infestations. Termites will cause significant wood damage and destroy the structural integrity of your home by eating it from the inside out.
- Rodents: These wildlife creatures will seek out damaged or flooded areas. Rodents, such as rats, carry many diseases and can cause damage to your home, including chewed electrical wires and destroyed insulation.
Preventing Pests Before a Hurricane
Taking precautions before a hurricane or storm arrives is the best way to prevent hurricane pests from invading your home. Check out our top pest prevention tips:
- Keep your gutters clear of debris and standing water
- Place wood debris and tree stumps away from your house.
- Keep your home clutter-free by removing any old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes.
- Eliminate standing water around your home by checking for any leaky faucets, pipes, sinks, and appliances.
- Remove any items from your yard that can collect water, such as toys, buckets, old tires, tarps, etc.
- Seal up any cracks and holes outside of your home, including the areas where utility and pipes enter.
- Ensure your vents are screened and any gaps around your windows and doors are sealed.
- Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home and elevated it at least 5 inches off the ground.
- Keep your home clutter-free by removing any old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes.
If you’ve seen an increase in pest activity after a storm, it could be time to reach out to your local pest control company for a thorough inspection and treatment plan.
Mar 29, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
South Florida Pest Control: Identifying Silverfish
While silverfish are harmless to humans, if infested, they can become a huge nuisance to your home! These pests are prevalent in most Lauderhill, Florida homes and once they get inside, it’s hard to eliminate them as they can live up to 8 years and reproduce frequently. Learn more about these common household pests and how you can prevent silverfish below.
Why Silverfish Infest
These pests look to our homes mainly for food sources and a warm place to inhabit. They tend to eat sugary substances and will eat books, wallpaper, shirts, clothes, and even photographs! They will also look to lay their eggs in an environment they thrive in, seeking out dark, moist hidden areas of homes, such as our basements or attics.
How to Prevent Silverfish
Silverfish are known to rapidly reproduce, making it harder to get rid of if you do end up spotting these creatures inside. Luckily, there are some easy do-it-yourself preventative measures to place throughout your home.
- Keep dry food in your pantry with tightly sealed containers
- Dust your home often as certain particles can contain starches
- Store your clothes in a dry environment
- Utilize caulk to seal cracks, holes, or openings
- Consider investing in a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity inside your home
- Remove piles of brush, old plants, wood, and leaves
How to Eliminate Silverfish
Even after you’ve placed preventative measures throughout your home and they are still infesting, it could be time for some professional help. Your local South Florida pest control company will be able to set you up with a comprehensive treatment and prevention plan.
Mar 24, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Florida springtime is a beautiful time of year, with warm weather and blooming flowers. Unfortunately, with warmer temperatures comes an increase in pest activity. Check out our list of common spring pests in Florida and how you can prevent them from invading your yard.
Ants
Ants are extremely small and are known to enter our homes through the smallest hole or opening. These pests are attracted to our food and water sources and can quickly become a problem if they invade in numbers. To prevent ants from coming to your home, it’s essential to keep it clean and free of crumbs and spills. After each meal, wipe down your counters, sweep up crumbs, and take the trash out regularly. Likewise, inspect the outside of your home and seal any cracks or openings in your foundation to prevent these spring pests from entering.
Termites
Termites, including drywood and subterranean, can cause significant damage to your home’s structure. These pests will typically swarm in the spring, so it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of infestation, such as discarded wings near windows or mud tubes near your home’s foundation. To keep termites from destroying your home, place all woodpiles and other wooden materials at least 20 feet away from your home. For extra protection, consider elevating the wood from the ground.
Mosquitoes
Florida’s weather is known for its humidity, high temperatures, and rain, which is the perfect environment for mosquitoes. These pests can be a major nuisance if they invade in numbers, especially during the spring and summer months. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so it’s important to eliminate them around your home. Remove water from items such as flowerpots, old tires, pet bowls, and even bird baths. Likewise, these pests prefer to inhabit areas near shade. Make sure to keep your yard maintained by trimming shrubs and mowing your lawn frequently.
Cockroaches
Like mosquitoes, roaches also thrive in warm and humid environments. These pests are looking for food and water to survive, invading our kitchens and bathrooms to look for it. To keep cockroaches at bay, keep your home clean and free of clutter. Clean up leftover food crumbs, mop on a regular basis, remove old newspapers, etc. Likewise, seal any openings in your home’s foundation, and store food in airtight containers. Inspect your bathroom and kitchen for any leaky faucets and repair them immediately.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are known to be year-round pests, but their peak activity is in the spring and summer months. These pests are typically found in hotels or other areas with high foot traffic or human activity. To prevent these hitchhiking pests, before you stay in a hotel room, inspect it thoroughly. Look for signs of infestation, such as blood stains on sheets or mattress seams. After returning from traveling, inspect your luggage and clothing for any signs of bed bugs before bringing them into your home. Wash your clothes in hot water and dry them in high heat, as bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures.
Coming across these spring pests in South Florida can be inevitable but placing a few preventative measures throughout your home can help deter them away. If you notice more pests in your house than you can handle, consider contacting your local pest control company for support. These trained professionals can help identify the pest, provide a prevention plan, and treat areas where needed.
Mar 15, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
South Florida Pest Control: Fall Pests
After the humid temperatures of summer, most of us are looking forward to a cooler climate as fall approaches. As we say goodbye to our summer pests, fall pests are quickly emerging. Often searching for a warm place to inhabit and an accessible food source, fall pests will invade your home if proper preventive measures are not in place. Check out our list of fall pests you should look out for, and some do-it-yourself prevention tips to avoid them.
Rodents
There are several species of rodents looking to your home for shelter, including the house mouse, Norway rats, and roof rats. While these creatures have different characteristics, they each need a warm place to nest and a food source to survive. These creatures are often found in our attics, basements, crawl spaces, and kitchens. Preventing these creatures from entering homes starts with rodent prevention measures placed inside and outside the home.
Inspect your roof for any damage, including broken tiles or gaps under eaves, which can be an entry point for mice and roof rats to your attic. Likewise, utility pipes can have gaps; consider sealing around them with steel wool, caulk, or concrete. Rats like to inhabit where there’s clutter; make sure the less used areas and rooms in your home are clean and utilize plastic storage boxes with tight lids.
Ants
Sneaky, small, and often undetected, ants can become a major nuisance if they infest. These pests are attracted to warmth, food sources, and moisture. Commonly infested areas include bathrooms, kitchens, and our food pantries.
The first step in preventing ants from invading is sealing small gaps and holes around your home. These pests can fit into holes smaller than a dime, making it important to check throughout the home’s interior and exterior. Inspect windows, doors, and utility pipes that potentially have these openings. Clean up any leftover food, crumbs on the floor, and spills.
Cockroaches
Known for being a year-round pest, seeing these pests inside your home is always alarming! While these creatures are looking for a food source and water, they can bring diseases into your home and trigger allergies and asthma attacks. Homeowners will usually find roaches in our bathrooms and kitchens.
The best way to avoid cockroaches is to identify how they got inside in the first place. Inspect areas where you’ve noticed they have infested before. Seal any noticeable cracks and crevices that lead from outside to inside your home. Roaches will utilize clutter and hide in it during the day, making it essential to clean out piles of old newspapers or magazines, cardboard boxes, paper bags, or other clutter in your home.
Dealing with a pest infestation is never ideal, especially during the busy months of the year. Consider contacting your local South Florida pest control company for an evaluation and treatment plan.
Feb 20, 2023 | Florida Pest Control, Mosquito
South Florida Mosquito Control: Tips For Your Yard
In Florida, it can be difficult to avoid mosquitoes as our tropical climate is the perfect place for them to breed and inhabit. These pests are known to take over yards, becoming a nuisance to your outdoor fun. In order to establish mosquito control around your home, it’s important to understand what these pests are attracted to and how you can reduce their activity for a buzz-free environment!
Standing Water
Female mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to start the process of breeding. Once mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, they develop into larvae and will float just above the water’s surface. It only takes around five days got the larvae to swim, and within 48 to 72 hours, the pupa will grow wings and become an adult mosquito. It’s essential to remove any standing water and items that can hold water from your yard including pots, tarps, toys, old tires, and pet bowls.
Yard Debris
Mosquitoes look for places to hide, especially during hot and humid days. These pests will often hide in thick foliage, plants, tall grass, and damp woodpiles in our yard. To keep them from invading your yard, keep your grass and shrubs short, mowing often, and cutting shrubs back regularly. It’s also essential to store wood in containers with lids, placing it at least 20 feet from your home.
Your Odor
Did you know that mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide and body heat that our bodies emit? These pests will smell our odor and will target us for their next blood meal. If you’re spending time outdoors, consider placing outdoor fans to help redirect and dissipate the carbon dioxide and body heat. Likewise, when outdoors, consider wearing light-colored clothing, avoiding perfume, and trying to stay cool with a cold compress or water.
If you’ve noticed that the mosquito activity around your home has increased, consider reaching out to our Punta Gorda pest control company for some extra help. These professionals can provide you with a mosquito control and prevention plan for peak mosquito season.
Feb 8, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
South Florida Pest Control: Cockroaches
Spotting a roach inside your home is always alarming! These creatures are known to be resilient and adaptable, surviving in the harshest temperatures and conditions. While we don’t often see temperatures drop too much, we still experience colder weather in Golden Gate, Florida. Your home can provide a warm environment for roaches, food sources, and moisture for survival. We break down three easy preventative measures you can place to avoid a roach infestation below.
Avoid Leaving Dirty Dishes
The kitchen is a paradise for roaches! These pests will often utilize your dish rack, sink, trash can, and countertops to find a food source. Often, what attracts them to this area are the items left overnight. Leaving dirty dishes and food scraps will attract these pests to various kitchen areas. When dirty dishes are left out, it’s an invitation for roaches to go into the sink, roam on the countertops, and eat food not properly stored. This can all lead to contamination and pose a health threat to your family. Wash your dishes and put them away after each meal. Likewise, check underneath your dining table and cooking area for leftover food crumbs and spills, and clean them up as soon as possible.
Properly Store Food
Cockroaches will go to great lengths to find food, often raiding your pantries and cabinets if they have a chance. Once they’ve gained access and food is available, they’ll eat and contaminate it. It’s important to properly seal all the food in your home to prevent them from accessing it. Look to store grains, cereals, and sweets in plastic or glass containers with a tightly sealed lid. If you have bags of chips and other snacks, secure them with a chip clip or utilize plastic bags for the leftovers.
Seal Window, Doors, & Entry Points
Roaches can fit into the smallest hole or opening to get inside a home. A great way to spot any opening from inside is by seeing daylight around a door or window. Don’t forget to inspect the outside of your home for any entry points roaches could enter through, such as the foundation, roof, attic, and crawlspace. If you spot these openings, seal them with caulk, steel wool, or foam, depending on the size of the gap or hole.
If you’ve placed DIY roach preventative measures and you’re still dealing with these pests, it could be time to call in some extra help. Consider contacting your local South Florida pest control company to provide you with a thorough inspection of your home. These professionals will be able to recommend prevention and treatment options customized to your home.
