​Moving can be stressful but adding pest control to your utility list can make it a little easier.
The only was of ensuring your home is pest free is to have pest control before moving in. When your new home is fully vacated and cleaned is the perfect time for your initial treatment. Pest control in an empty home is more effective because pests have fewer places to hid.

​Pavement ants are found throughout Florida. They construct their nests beside and under sidewalks, driveways, pool decks and foundations.
Pavement ants are easily identified by the crater-like piles they build out of excavated materials in cracks in sidewalks.
Pavement ants reach about 1/8” in length are dark brown to black with lighter legs and antennae.
They aren’t considered aggressive and don’t bite, but they do have the ability to sting.
Pavement ants can be a nuisance if they enter your home in search of food because they invade in large numbers.

​Keep your Christmas merry by being aware of what is coming into your home.
Real Christmas trees often come with unwanted passengers looking to hitch a ride inside our warm, cozy house. Aphids are the most common and usually die quickly once inside the home, but bark beetles are much hardier. So, inspect that tree!
Shipping boxes can be an even bigger problem than trees. Silverfish prefer spaces with very little airflow, so boxes are their dream home. Once they’re brought inside they will gladly move into your kitchen cabinets and food boxes.
Cardboard boxes are also a favorite snack for German cockroaches and they are extremely hard to eradicate. So, inspect your packages and dispose of them quickly after opening.
Happy bug-free holiday!
 

​The best way to keep rodents from causing damage to your home is to keep them out. Rodents are crafty, determined and eager to nest in your attic. You can help prevent rodents from entering your home by doing a quick check of your home and fixing any problem areas.

• Seal and caulk all windows
• Close up all holes, spaces, and gaps in your home’s foundation
• Seal all the entry points for utilities, water, power and AC.
• Keep garages clean and organized so you can spot any rodent activity.
• Inspect your pool cage and fix any holes
• Seal up all soffits
• Trim trees and vegetation away from your roof 

​The days are getting shorter and cooler, which means Winter is right around the corner. In Florida that means rodent breeding season is over and nesting season is beginning and unfortunately their favorite nesting place is your attic.
Like most warm-blooded animals, rats are seeking a comfortable place to stay warm and dry during the colder months and attics provide the much-needed protection to have their babies. A Florida roof rat can have as many as eight litters a year and each litter can produce between six to eight rats.
It only takes six weeks for rats to mature, so one rat can turn into 12 very quickly.  If you see or hear rodents in your attic, you should act fast and call a Pest Control professional to assess the situation.

Southwest Florida pest control companies have noticed an increase in the number of calls regarding ant infestations, particularly ghost ants.

The tropical ants arrived in Florida man years ago via boxes, crates, potted plants and other overseas shipments. Ghost ants are excellent nesters and adapt easily. Their colonies are moderate to large and consist of thousands of workers and numerous queens.

Ghost ants got their name because they can be hard to spot due to their size and coloring. The ants measure less than 1/16 of an inch and have small, pale legs and abdomens and dark heads and thoraxes. A fun little fact about these tiny pests is they smell like coconut when crushed.

While ghost ants can’t sting and typically won’t bite, they can cause harm to humans because they easily spread food-borne illnesses like salmonella. This type of ant is attracted to all food sources, but they are especially drawn to sweets .

Since ghost ants can be difficult to spot until hundreds have invaded your space, it is best to take some preventative measures to keep them outside where they belong.

• Keep food tightly stored
• Ensure exterior doors close snugly
• Keep weatherstripping in good repair
• Store firewood away from your house
• Pull mulch away from foundation to create a dry area
• Reduce moisture sources such as leaks around sinks and toilets
• Remove plants that attract insects that produce honeydew

While keeping ahead of the problem with quarterly preventative pest control is the best option to keep pests from entering your home, a pest control professional can also effectively get rid of them by using baits throughout your home.

Florida has always been a popular place to live and vacation, which is due mostly to the 200 plus sunny days each year. The Sunshine State’s warm, humid climate is also a prime location for a variety of pests. And unlike states with low temperatures, bugs are active year-round in Florida.
Pests such as ants, roaches and rodents are always looking for a good source of food, water and shelter and our homes provide them with the perfect setting. Once these pests have infiltrated your home, they can cause damage and be difficult to get rid of if they go undetected for too long. However, there are several easy habits you can develop around your home to keep the intrusive bugs at bay.