You saw something move in the corner, got bit in the middle of the night, or thought you got rid of an unwanted bug or rodent and more are appearing. Either way, you need to know what they are and whether you can get rid of them on your own. Below you will find the 8 most common pests living in your Florida home. If you can’t get rid of them on your own, contact All American Pest Services and we will take care of your pests!
1. Spiders
Of the thousands of spider species, you can probably name only the few most common. Daddy longlegs, wolf spider, and black widow spider are three you may know. Because spider bites can range from a little itchy to deadly, knowing the type of spider(s) you are dealing with will influence what measures you take. Having a number of daddy longlegs in your house won’t do any harm but having one widow spider could result in a fatality. Here you can see photos and information about 59 of the species found in Florida https://spiderid.com/locations/united-states/florida/.
2. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny, nocturnal creatures that live in crevices of wood, flooring, and furniture. They can also live in mattresses or anywhere that allows them to hide during the day and feed (on animal or human blood) at night. They need to eat often.
Identifying Bites
Bed bugs are difficult to find but you can find signs of their presence. Unfortunately, when bed bugs eat, they bite their host which leaves a red circle mark that is raised in the center. Bed bug bites come in threes or fours and in a line. They can be itchy and unpleasant but do not need a doctor’s attention unless the bites become infected from itching or super sensitive skin or last more than 10 days. After feeding bed bugs defecate and they leave behind small marks that look like permanent marker. You might find the stains on bed sheets or walls.
DIY Bed Bug Removal
You can DIY bed bug removal but the process is intense and can take months. If you miss one bug it will lay eggs and your process will begin again. In short, removing bed bugs on your own will require vacuuming, bagging everything you want to keep, throwing away anything that’s not necessary, and using insecticides.
Call Professionals
Choosing to call a professional pest control company like All American Pest Solutions can save you time, money, and a lot of stress. After your situation is assessed and confirmed, an expert will walk you through how to prep your home for treatment. AA Pest Solutions uses specialized equipment that can heat entire rooms to temperatures that will kill bed bugs and insecticides that will kill on contact and also remain in furniture and cracks to eliminate any that may hatch in time. These are not available DIY options.
3. Termites
Termites can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Springtime is their favorite time to reproduce but in Florida the hot and humid weather allows for active termites all year long. The most common types of termites found in Florida are eastern subterranean termites, dampwood termites, and drywood termites.
If you are planning to DIY termite removal, you will need to treat the soil around your home, use insecticide, purchase termite baits, spray your floors and walls with a boric acid solution, or choose a different method that fits your termite type. Calling an expert is the only way to be certain and can save money in the long run by treating the problem the right way the first time.
Eastern Subterranean Termites
These are small, cream colored, and they do a lot of damage very quickly.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites live in swampy, damp areas. They like light and can fly very well. When there is exposed wood near a home, you may find them there.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites are also known as powderpost termites. They can be identified by the small holes they create in wood, by the wings they shed, and by the fecal matter they leave behind.
What can you do to prevent a termite infestation in your home before it happens?
- Protect any wood by keeping it off the ground. That stack of fire wood you have right outside your door? It’s a breeding ground for termites. Move it onto a shelf a few feet off the ground. When building, remember to use termite-resistant wood (it really does make a difference!).
- Be sure there are no leaky faucets or places where mold may grow.
- Have an expert be sure your home is sealed – you will need to think about the foundation, side boards, door frames, windows, etc.
4. Rodents
Pantry pests, otherwise known as rodents, are a problem across North America and also in Florida. They can be identified by their scratch marks, tracks, droppings, smells, and nests. They can reproduce incredibly fast so if you think you have a mouse or rat, dealing with it as soon as possible can make a huge difference.
If you have just one or two rodents, you probably see or hear them only at night and can fix the problem with a trap. There are classic snap traps, poison blocks, shock traps, live traps, and others. If using a live trap, be sure to check it everyday and release any mice as far as possible from your home so that they don’t find their way back.
If the population has grown, and you are seeing or hearing mice or rats during the day, you will probably want to call a pest control professional to help.
5. Roaches
There are lots and lots of kinds of roaches. In Florida alone, there are over 50 distinct species. Let’s face it: cockroaches like dingy and dirty places like the garbage. Keeping those places clean and dry is the key to your success in eliminating roaches.
If you would like to take the DIY approach, stores sell baits or you can make your own using boric acid and diatomaceous earth. Mixing it with some sugar can attract and will instantly kill any cockroaches that eat it. Besides keeping your home clean and dry, to keep cockroaches out of your home you must properly seal all cracks and crevices, especially the ones in the walls.
If you are finding that roaches continue coming even after you have done all you can do, it may be time to call an expert. AA Pest Solutions is here to help by getting the job done right the first time.
6. Wasps
Most people can tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. Wasps can live alone but if they are a nuisance, they are probably living in a colony. In a colony, thousands can live together. Wasps have two pair of wings and a pinched waist. The are black and yellow and can be shiny blue or green. They are tiny up to a few centimeters long.
Because of a wasp’s life cycle, late summer is the best time to rid your home of them. There are DIY ways to rid your home of wasps using sprays or bait, available at general home improvement stores. Never try to knock down, spray with water, or burn a wasp nest. Keeping yourself safe requires proper eye protection, a face shield, gloves, and covering any part of your skin that may be stung. Dusk and dawn are the best time to remove a wasp nest and a flashlight can help get the wasps out of the nest.
To be sure you have completely eliminated the wasps and kept yourself safe, it is best to call a professional team.
7. Ants
Ants are small enough to get into every home…and they do. Even though there are ants in your home, do not assume that they are living there too. They are looking for food and can enter a home, get a crumb, and return to its hill. This becomes a problem when they come marching two by two into your home.
DIY Ant Eliminator
Most ants can be easily eliminated but sometimes they keep coming back. To rid your home of ants, decide which method you will use. Here are three easy ways to get started:
- Cornmeal – Ants are not able to digest cornmeal but they think it is food so they take it back to their nest and try eating it but end up starving. This method is slower but safer than poison. Another option is mix nine parts cornmeal and one part boric acid. This will cause them to die but faster but if you have pets or children, you will need to be very cautious about where you are putting the bait.
- Vacuum cleaner – Your vacuum can clean the ants off the floor but do not assume they die in the vacuum bag. If you decide to vacuum up your ants, the bag must be immediately removed from your home and taken far away. If your vacuum cleaner has a container (instead of a bag), you should empty it into a plastic sealed bag and then throw it into the outside trash receptacle. You will most likely need to choose another method in addition to vacuuming.
- Borax – Borax is a mineral that you can purchase in the laundry aisle of many stores. After mixing 1/2 cup of sugar with 2 tbsp of borax and then adding 1 1/2 cups of warm water, place it in a container ants can get into easily. They will ingest some and take it back to their colony, sharing it with the other ants. You can also use this outside or around your garden by forgoing the warm water and using powdered sugar with the borax. Note that it is not safe for ingestion so keeping it away from pets and kids is important. dish soap, hot water, and store bought bait are just a few of the choices.
If you have tried or are overwhelmed, just leave your red ants (fire ants), small black ants (sugar ants), carpenter ants, or any other type of ant to a team of experts.
8. Fruit Flies
No one enjoys getting into their kitchen and seeing a swarm of flies around their fruit. How did they get there? A female probably laid her eggs on produce that you just brought home from the grocery store. Because they lay hundreds of eggs at a time, you may have gone from zero to 500 overnight. Fruit flies are attracted to produce that is ripe, rotting or decaying and fermented drinks so eliminating those things from your kitchen counter is a necessity (storing them in the fridge is a good option).
Clean up anything that is spilled right away, wash down your garbage can more often, wash your produce as soon as you get it home, and get rid of overripe produce.
DIY Fruit Fly Traps
If you are looking to DIY this problem, you are in luck! It can be done easily, effectively, and with very little cost. Here are two easy methods:
- Apple cider vinegar trap – Pour a small amount of apple cider vinegar into a cup (you won’t need much), cover the top of the cup with plastic wrap and hold it in place with a rubber band. Poke some holes in the plastic wrap. Fruit flies will get in but cannot get out. The apple cider vinegar itself does not kill them but it attracts them to the trap where they get stuck.
- Dish soap and vinegar – Put some vinegar in a small bowl, add three drops of dish soap, and leave it uncovered. The dish soap will cause the fruit flies to drown.
Conclusion
All American Pest Services provides safe and quick removal of all kinds of pests including but not limited to insects, spiders, and rodents. If you have pests or have tried to eliminate a pest on your own without success, call us today and get things under control. We are serving Sarasota-Bradenton areas.