Winter Pests to Lookout for in Florida

Winter Pests to Lookout for in Florida

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean pests can’t invade your home! Unfortunately, there are several overwintering pests looking to your home to provide them with food, shelter, and water. Let’s breakdown the most common winter pests to lookout for at your Florida property.

Roaches

Cockroaches
Cockroaches are common household pests seeking a warm environment to provide them with food and water. These pests can pose a serious health risk to humans as they transmit diseases and trigger allergies and asthma. Roaches will utilize any small hole, gap, or cervices to enter your home. They are also known to hitch a ride inside grocery bags, boxes, and used appliances.

Rodents

Rodents
Rodents, including rats and mice, are year-round pests but they can become a major problem as the winter season approaches. Rodents will seek out warmth, food, shelter, and water inside our homes, squeezing through small holes and gaps to get inside. Mice and rats can cause damage to our homes and be a health risk to humans as they are known to chew through insulation, wiring, wood, and contaminate surfaces through their droppings.

Silverfish

Silverfish
These pests will look to your basements and bathrooms to seek a damp, cold place to live in. While silverfish are harmless to humans, they can invade in numbers, and cause them to be a major nuisance to remove them. These pests will often gain access to your home by hitching a ride through the items you’ve taken out of storage in your garage or attic. Silverfish will also feed on your books, glue, wallpaper, and boxes.

Preventing Winter Pests in Florida

It might seem impossible to deter wildlife creatures from your home during the winter but by placing certain preventative measures throughout your property, you can avoid their infestation! Check out these winter pest control tips when you want to keep these pests away:

  • Inspect the exterior of your home for any cracks, gaps, and holes, seal them as soon as possible.
  • Avoid leaving your pet food and water out overnight.
  • Fix any leaky faucets or pipes found as soon as possible.
  • Take your garbage out on a regular basis and utilize a trashcan with a tightly secure lid.
  • Declutter your home by removing old newspapers, mail, and cardboard laying around your home.
  • If you’re using mulch in your landscaping, place it at least 1 foot from your foundation.
  • Consider reaching out to your local pest control company to get a customized plan to prevent pests from invading your home.
Understanding Bed Bugs: How They Enter Your Home

Understanding Bed Bugs: How They Enter Your Home

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!

The Importance of Routine Pest Services in Florida

The Importance of Routine Pest Services in Florida

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

How To Manage Pantry Pests

How To Manage Pantry Pests

Pantry pests can be a persistent nuisance in Georgia homes, causing damage to food supplies and creating unsanitary conditions. In this blog post, we will explore the common pantry pests found in Georgia, how they infiltrate your home, effective ways to eliminate them, and crucial prevention tips to keep your pantry pest-free.

Common Pantry Pests in Georgia:

  1. Indian Meal Moths: These common pantry pests are often found in grains, cereals, and dried fruits.
  2. Flour Beetles: They infest flour, cereal, and other grains.
  3. Weevils: Known for infesting rice, grains, and beans.
  4. Cigarette Beetles: Often found in tobacco products, but can infest a variety of dried goods.

How Pantry Pests Enter Your Home:

Understanding how pantry pests gain access to your kitchen is crucial for effective pest control. Common entry points include:

  1. Infested Grocery Items: Pests can hitch a ride into your home through contaminated products.
  2. Cracks and Gaps: Pantry pests can enter through small openings in doors, windows, or walls.
  3. Improper Storage: Inadequate sealing of food containers and improper storage can attract and harbor pantry pests.

Eliminating Pantry Pests from Your Home:

  1. Inspect and Discard Infested Items: Regularly check your pantry for signs of infestation and discard any contaminated food.
  2. Deep Cleaning: Thoroughly clean and vacuum your pantry, paying special attention to cracks and crevices.
  3. Sealing Entry Points: Seal any cracks or gaps in your home’s structure to prevent pests from entering.
  4. Professional Pest Control: If the infestation persists, it’s time to call in the experts. Our pest control services are tailored to effectively eliminate pantry pests and prevent future infestations.

Pantry Pest Prevention Tips:

  1. Proper Food Storage: Store food in airtight containers to prevent pests from gaining access.
  2. Regular Cleaning: Keep your pantry clean and clutter-free to reduce hiding places for pests.
  3. Inspect Grocery Items: Examine products before bringing them into your home, ensuring they are pest-free.
  4. Maintain a Dry Environment: Pantry pests thrive in humid conditions, so ensure your pantry is well-ventilated and dry.

Don’t let pantry pests disrupt the harmony of your kitchen. Take proactive steps to prevent, identify, and eliminate these unwanted intruders. If you find yourself facing a pantry pest problem, our experienced pest control company is just a call away. Request a free pest control quote today and let us safeguard your home from pantry pests. Together, we can ensure a pest-free and enjoyable kitchen experience for you and your family.

Strategies To Store Holiday Decorations in Florida Homes

Strategies To Store Holiday Decorations in Florida Homes

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!

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