Avoiding Spring Insect Swarms

A swarm of termites in Florida

The warmth and humidity of spring in Florida draws many species of insects out of their winter habitats to feed and reproduce. Some of these insects are merely a nuisance but some of them can harm people or property. Learn which insects to watch for and what you can do to protect yourself and your home.

Insects That Swarm in Spring

Lovebugs: These small black flies with a red thorax and head are common in Florida during the spring and fall. They are known for their mating swarms, during which large groups of lovebugs can be seen flying together. While they are harmless to humans, their swarms can be a nuisance for drivers and can cause damage to cars if not cleaned off quickly.

Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes are a year-round problem in Florida, but their populations tend to peak in the spring and summer. Female mosquitoes swarm to find a mate and a blood meal, which they need to lay their eggs. Mosquito swarms can be a nuisance for people spending time outdoors, and they can also spread pathogens like West Nile virus and Zika virus.

Termites: Termites are known for their swarming behavior in the spring. In Florida, where the climate is warm and humid, termite swarms can occur as early as February or March. Homeowners should be vigilant for signs of termite activity, as they can cause serious damage to wooden structures.

Ants: Several species of ants are common in Florida, including fire ants, carpenter ants, and Argentine ants. In the spring, these ants may swarm to start new colonies. While they are not usually harmful to humans if not provoked, they can be a nuisance.

Bees: Several species of bees are active in the spring, including honeybees and carpenter bees. Swarms of bees can be dangerous for people who are allergic to bee stings, and homeowners should take care to remove any bee nests or hives near their homes. Particularly carpenter bees, which bore into wood to nest and can do significant damage to wooden structures.

Ways to Thwart Swarming Insects

There are several steps you can take to keep swarming insects away. Here are a few tips:

Eliminate sources of standing water: Mosquitoes and other insects are attracted to standing water, which they use for breeding. Remove any standing water from your property, including in bird baths, flower pots, and other containers.

Be cautious when eating or drinking outside:: Numerous insects, especially wasps, are attracted to food and sugar. If you have a barbecue or picnic, clean up promptly. Put leftovers in sealed containers. Ensure that sugary drinks are covered or sealed.

Maintain your lawn and landscaping: Keep your lawn and landscaping well-maintained to reduce the likelihood of insect infestations. Remove any dead or decaying plant material, and keep bushes and trees trimmed away from your home.

Consult a professional pest control company: If you’re dealing with an insect infestation, contact a professional pest control company, like Florida Pest Control. We can identify the type of insect and recommend the most effective treatment options so you can get back to enjoying your yard or outdoor space this spring.

How to Get Rid of Ants Infesting Your Bathroom

Ants in a bathroom in Florida - Florida Pest Control

All kinds of ant species run rampant in Florida. Our hot and humid climate allows for many varieties of ants to proliferate and thrive, building colonies in our yards and sneaking into our homes for food and water. Additionally, our climate allows ants to survive and thrive all year long. This makes it crucial to know how to get rid of ants when they get inside.

One of the most commonly-infested rooms in the home is the bathroomโ€”youโ€™re probably here because you have ants in your bathroom right now. If this is the case, read on for ant removal advice from our expert exterminators at Florida Pest Control!

Why Ants Infest Bathrooms

Ants commonly infest bathrooms because of the consistent water and moisture sources that they can find there. Small puddles of water pool in your sink, in your shower, and on your floor, inviting ants to gather for a drink and push onward to look for food. Carpenter ants commonly infest bathrooms for the damp wood they find to tunnel through, but youโ€™re likely to find any of several species of common Florida ants in your bathroom. These are the ways they usually make it inside:

  • Ventilation systems
  • Holes around plumbing fixtures
  • Open windows and doors
  • Cracks in the foundation and walls

It is also possible that the ants in your bathroom have traveled there from another room in your home, so make sure you try to find the source of their trail before determining that your bathroom is the main issue at hand.

How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Bathroom

Finding the source of the ant trail is the most important part of ant control because the only way to ensure that ants donโ€™t come back is to take out their colony. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult task when ants find their way into your home through walls, pipes, and vents. This makes ant prevention a helpful measure to take because itโ€™s easier to keep ants out in the first place than to get rid of them. Here are some ant prevention strategies we recommend:

  • Check that your windows and doors can shut completely
  • Seal any cracks leading inside your home with a silicone-based caulk
  • Move mulch away from your siding and trim plants so they donโ€™t touch your home
  • Make sure that your bathroom is well-ventilated
  • Look for and replace water-damaged wood

Best Way to Get Rid of Ants in Florida

Ants in Florida can attack your home from every angle and build inconspicuous colonies that take far too long to find. Thatโ€™s where the help of a trained ant exterminator is necessary. At Florida Pest Control, our ant control team is trained to tackle any kind of ant infestation you might be dealing with. Using top-of-the-line products backed by tested strategies, we will have your home ant-free in no time. Contact us today for a free quote!

4 Most Common Florida Ants

Carpenter ants are a common ant in Florida - Florida Pest Control

If you live in Florida, you know ants are common visitors inside our homes. Even in the cleanest house, itโ€™s not unusual to find a trail of these little six-legged creatures making their way along the floor, across a countertop, or up a wall. Outside, ants are even more prevalent. You canโ€™t take more than a couple of steps in most yards without stepping over an ant pile.

Our state is home to nearly 20 different kinds of ants. At Florida Pest Control, we are dedicated to keeping you safe from each and every one! Our experts are here to share the most common ants you might see in or near your home year-round.

Carpenter Ant in Gainesville FL | florida pest control

1. Florida Carpenter Ants

Florida carpenter ants are fairly large by ant standards, up to 11mm (about .5โ€) long. Their orange and black bodies make them pretty easy to identify. Florida carpenter ants are just as comfortable building nests outdoors in decayed wood, trees, and shrubs as they are indoors in attics, ceilings, floors, and other secluded areas. They primarily forage for food at night and eat insect honeydew, plant juices, insects, or any kind of sweets they can find. They are known to bite when threatened.

Fire ant in Gainesville FL | florida pest control2. Red Imported Fire Ants

 

Red imported fire ants are more aggressive than most ant species and will gladly sting you if you mistakenly walk too near their mounds. They grab ahold of their prey (or sometimes your ankles) by biting and then sting using their abdomens to inject toxins. The location of the bite may be sore and/or itch for several days. For people who are hypersensitive, there can be even greater risks. While red imported fire ants feed mostly on young plants, they can attack and kill small animals. These ants have blackish to reddish bodies with copper-colored heads. Red imported fire ants prefer to nest under logs or rocks but often make dome-shaped mounds in fields or yards.

Bighead Ant in Gainesville FL | florida pest control3. Bigheaded Ants

Mounds of sand collecting along the edges of your driveway or between cracks in the sidewalk? It could be bigheaded ants. These ants love to cover their foraging trails with dirt and debris, so sometimes they are confused with subterranean termites which also create mud tubes as they forage. Inside the home, the dirt piles made by the bigheaded ant can be a nuisance. As their name implies, some of these ants have big heads compared to other members of their colony. They are referred to as major workers or soldiers, whereas the members with smaller heads are called minor workers. Bigheaded ants are omnivorous and will feed on sweets, other insects, and soil invertebrates.

Rover Ant in Gainesville FL | florida pest control4. Rover Ants

Rover ants are one of the smallest pest ants you may encounter. They only grow up to 1.5-2 mm (1/16-1/12โ€) long and are dark brown or black in color. They usually nest in mulch or under debris lying on the ground and, like many ant species, feed on the honeydew produced by sap-sucking insects. In the home, these ants are attracted to areas with moisture such as bathrooms or kitchens. They can also become a nuisance outside when large numbers of the winged swarmers end up accidentally in swimming pools.

Need Help Identifying Ants Near Your Home?

Ants are a fact of life in Florida, but you don’t have to let them take over your home or yard. The ant control experts at Florida Pest Control can help not just identify what type of ant you have but also apply treatment to get rid of them for good. Contact us today to get started!

Common Bathroom Bugs & How to Get Rid of Them

Spiders are a common bathroom bug in Florida - Florida Pest Control

Bugs in the bathroom are never a welcome sight. You want your bathroom to be your own sanctuaryโ€”and, preferably, a bug-free zone! Unfortunately, pests of all kinds love to dwell in bathrooms. This is because a bathroom provides shelter, water, and even food for insects to feast on. In order to avoid the discovery of bugs infiltrating your Florida homeโ€™s bathroom, itโ€™s important to learn not only what bugs are drawn to that room, but also what you can do to get rid of them for good. The experts at Florida Pest Control are here to share everything you need to know. Read on to learn more!

Common Bathroom Bugs in Florida Homes

Out of all rooms in a home, bathrooms are one of the most susceptible to pest problems. After all, leaky pipes, showers, and sinks provide precisely the environment many pests require to survive and reproduce. The culprits behind most bathroom pest problems are as follows:

  • Cockroaches. Roaches love filth and feed on sewer and drain sludge. They easily get into your bathroom through plumbing fixtures.
  • Centipedes. These long, spindly insects feed on other small insects that are common in bathrooms and love a humid environment.
  • Drain Flies. Just as their name suggests, drain flies are found around drains. They often appear when there is a plumbing problem in the main sewer line.
  • Spiders. As predators, spiders like to prey on the smaller insects often found in your bathroom areas.
  • Silverfish. These nocturnal insects are typically found around sewers or drains, and prefer to feed on mildew and mold.
  • Ants. A small ant problem can quickly turn into a large one if ants have found a source of food or water in your bathroom.

How to Get Rid of Bugs in Your Bathroom

The key to bathroom bug control is prevention! By eliminating the things that attract bathroom pests in the first place, you can avoid dealing with a full-blown cockroach or ant infestation. First, itโ€™s crucial to quickly address any leaky pipes or plumbing issues that are contributing to the humid, moist environment. Consider using a dehumidifier from time to time to aid in this process. Lastly, clean your bathroom on a regular basis! By reducing clutter and cleaning every square inch of your bathroom from top to bottom, you can keep an eye out for early signs of a pest problem.

Need Bathroom Bug Control?

No homeowner wants to encounter pests in their home, let alone their bathroom. If you are noticing endless pests in your bathroom, you may have an infestation on your hands. Itโ€™s always best to enlist the help of a professional pest control company that can not only get rid of bathroom bugs but keep them away for good. Contact us today to get started!

Fire Ants in Florida: What You Need to Know

Fire Ants: Floridaโ€™s Red Menace

Fire ants, often called โ€œred imported fire antsโ€ originate from Brazil and it is believed they were introduced to the United States around 1940 via shipping containers. Because these pests can pose a serious threat, itโ€™s important to know how to recognize them as well as how to stay safe from their painful stings. Learn more with the ant control experts right here at Florida Pest Control!

Are There Fire Ants in Florida?

Yes, there are fire ants in Florida. Fire ants’ range stretches across most of the southeastern United States.

Are Fire Ants Dangerous?

These small, yet powerful, insects bite and sting approximately 14 million people each year. For most people, fire ant bites are not a big deal. They will hurt but you are unlikely to need medical attention. However, for those hypersensitive to bug stings, the venom from these ants can be life-threatening. Additionally, getting large numbers of bites can be highly dangerous to people. If you’re ever attacked by fire ants and start feeling tightness in your chest, difficulty breathing, or onset of an allergic reaction,ย seek immediate medical care.

What Do Fire Ants Look Like?

Fire ants measure from 1/8 โ€“ ยผโ€ and are a dull red color. Fire ants are most known for their stinger, which in accordance with their aggressive nature, can lead to bad encounters. Fire ants are best recognized by two bumps that they have between the abdomen and thorax.

The easiest way to identify fire ants is through their mounds. These mounds range in sizeโ€”some are small bumps, others can be up to 18 inches high. If you run into a fire ant mound, it wonโ€™t feature an opening on the top like other ant mounds. A mound that is about 7 inches high can house over 200,000 ants, which is precisely why these ants pose such a huge threat.

Fire ant infographic in Florida - Florida Pest Control

5 Facts About Fire Ants

Fire ants differ from your typical house ant in a number of ways. The most important things to know about these potentially dangerous pests include:

  • If a fire ant mound is disturbed, they will attack as one unit. When disturbed, the ants will begin spilling out ready to attackโ€”and each ant will sting repeatedly.
  • To begin a fire ant colony, queen fire ants mate with males, killing the male in the process, and fly to the site at which sheโ€™ll begin the new colony. The queen will lay up to 800 eggs per day, growing the colony to an average size of 100,000 to 500,000 ants.
  • Fire ants donโ€™t biteโ€”they sting! Their stings can result in a burning sensation, hence their name. The sting site may swell and itch. A small pustule sometimes develops where the stinger enters the skin.
  • If fire ants get on you, itโ€™s important to quickly and repeatedly brush them off your skin. The ants can latch on tight, meaning shaking wonโ€™t repel them. If you develop symptoms from fire ants, itโ€™s important to seek medical attention.
  • Fire ants typically nest outdoors in open areas. Parks and fields are usually primary targets, but yards can be as well. The mounds are often found lining your grass and concrete, and they typically form on humid days.

Fire Ant Control in Florida

Trying to get rid of a fire ant mound yourself is dangerous. Their colonies extend far under the ground and feature multiple queens. If you have noticed a fire ant mound grow in your yard, the safest and most effective solution is contacting your local ant control experts to get rid of them.