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4 Tips to Prevent Summer Lawn Pests

Grubs are a common summer lawn pest in Florida lawns - Florida Pest Control

Here in Florida, maintaining a healthy and lush lawn doesn’t come without its troubles. With our climate, it can be difficult to keep a lawn in good shape throughout the seasons—especially in the warm summertime. To make matters worse, lawn pests are a common nuisance dealt with by homeowners all year long. Lawn insects target grass and yards that are unkempt and unhealthy to begin with, making it all the more important to take proper care of your lawn and grass. The lawn care experts at Florida Pest Control are dedicated to helping our customers achieve a green, healthy lawn. We’ve provided our top 4 tips to prevent summer lawn pests to assist you.

Summer Lawn Pests in Florida

Florida is home to many types of pests, including a number of lawn pests! These insects commonly live just under the grass in your lawn, making it difficult to notice them until they’ve done their damage. Here are the most common lawn insects in our region during the summer:

Sod webworms chew through small areas of grass. They create tunnels out of their silky web that will run under the grass. Signs to look for include raggedly-chewed grass and smaller brown spots- around the size of a baseball.
Armyworms are small caterpillars that grow into moths. The females lay up to a thousand eggs at once in patches of fresh grass. These can hatch as quickly as 2 days. To spot these guys, you’ll want to look on the outside of dead or damaged grass areas.
Chinch bugs attack your lawn by sucking the liquid out of grass blades. In doing so, patches of grass on your lawn will dehydrate, turn yellow, then brown and die.
Mole crickets feed on and chew through the grassroots, causing your grass to die off. When dealing with mole crickets, your grass will feel spongy when stepped on and be covered with brown patches.
Grubs are beetle larvae that remain dormant through the winter. In the spring, they make their way toward the surface to feed on grassroots.

Top Tips For Lawn Pest Prevention

The key to lawn pest control is prevention. The key to preventing lawn pests is taking care of your yard! To ensure your lawn is healthy, thriving, and pest-free, follow these tips:

Learn how to properly mow your lawn. Long grass that is never cut will attract all types of pests and weeds. Mowing your lawn in a timely manner will deprive lawn insects food and shelter.
Avoid over- or under-watering your lawn. Pests of all kinds love moisture. If your lawn is soggy from overwatering, you are sure to create a haven for lawn pests. Learn how to properly irrigate your lawn depending on the season.
When you see weeds, remove them! Wild, unkempt weeds attract a number of insects and pests. Weeds also negatively affect the health of your grass, leading to a number of diseases and problems.
Fertilize your lawn as needed. Similar to your irrigation system, failing to fertilize your lawn correctly can lead to a plethora of problems. A lawn made unhealthy due to over-fertilization can contribute to pest problems.

Your Local Lawn Pest Control Experts

At Florida Pest Control, we know how frustrating it can be to diagnose your lawn problems. If you think you have a lawn insect problem, our lawn care experts can help. Contact us today to get started!

Coronavirus FAQ for Residential Customers

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As a business, Florida Pest Control is committed to protecting people, therefore we are closely monitoring the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation and providing informative updates to our customers via our websites and direct communications. In the interim, we want to reassure you that we are taking steps to remove potential risk factors, both for you in your day-to-day interactions and in those with our Colleagues.

1. How is Florida Pest Control working to help protect its customers and Colleagues?
To best protect our customers and Colleagues, we are focused on education. With our Colleagues, we continue to reinforce the enhanced need for good hygiene practices during this period of heightened concern around Coronavirus Disease 2019, such as the importance of frequent hand washing, wearing gloves, face masks and cleaning with disinfectant for common areas.
Florida Pest Control Colleagues who are sick are encouraged to speak with their Manager and stay home when they are ill.

2. If my Pest Specialist is diagnosed with Coronavirus, what precautions has the organization established to prevent exposure to me or my family?
We are taking all precautions to reduce the chances that a Florida Pest Control Colleague would have exposure to Coronavirus. However, should one of our Colleagues be diagnosed with Coronavirus, we will:
• We are educating our Colleagues on the signs and symptoms of the virus. If a Colleague feels ill, they have been instructed to not continue to work and to notify their manager immediately.
• If a Colleague has been diagnosed, we will remove that Colleague from their work environment or service route immediately.
• We will follow all U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health department guidance on notifying anyone who has been in close contact with that individual.
• Guidelines have been established to maintain our Colleague’s privacy by following all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) guidelines.

3. Should I alert Florida Pest Control if a member of my household is diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019?
Out of an abundance of caution, we ask that if you or a member of your household is diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019, that you please alert Florida Pest Control by calling your local Florida Pest Control office. Customer confidentiality is of the utmost importance and this information will only be used to help us modify your service plan to ensure your home remains protected from pests.
Florida Pest Control is committed to doing our part to limit the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in our communities. Because Coronavirus Disease 2019 can be spread person-to-person, if you or another member of your household is diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019, your Florida Pest Control Branch Manager will contact you to discuss modified service options for a limited period of time.

4. How do I keep up-to-date on Coronavirus Disease 2019?
You can keep up-to-date with local government guidance and the current recommendations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC.

5. How contagious is Coronavirus Disease 2019?
According to the CDC, it is important to note that how a virus can spread from person to person will vary greatly. Sustained person-to-person spread in the community has been reported in countries around the world. As this is an evolving situation, there is still more to learn about the transmissibility and severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019. Visit the CDC website in the U.S. for more information.

6. What can individuals do to prevent the spread of the virus?
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. (Close contact is defined as 6 feet.)
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray and wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for a minimum of 30 seconds.

7. Is pest control considered an essential business?

Our services are critical for many businesses because we provide protection from the risks emanating from pest infestation. There are significant risks for both people and institutions; from food supply chain to hospitals to utilities to aged care. At a time of increased pressure on the core areas of food and health it is crucial we protect these premises from further risks. For that reason, we are still considered essential in most areas across the United States.

Pest Control is an Essential Business

florida coronavirus seal - keep pests away from your home with florid pest control

Dear Valued Customers,

As communities around North America band together to determine the best course of action to stop the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), I wanted to reach out to let you know how Florida Pest Control is planning to move forward during the coming weeks.

As it always is, our mission is to protect and enhance lives by providing safe, reliable pest control to keep your homes or businesses pest-free. As such, we want you to know that we are here to serve you and are conducting scheduled services without interruption.

With many cities and states ordering shutdowns of non-essential businesses, in most areas, Florida Pest Control is able to continue operations because pest control is considered an essential service critical to the protection of public health. Rodents and insects that can invade your home and yard can carry and spread diseases to you, your family, and your pets. In addition to homes, we also provide pest control to businesses that serve the public, such as hospitals and grocery stores, as well as critical organizations in the supply chain, such as pharmaceutical facilities, food processing, and consumer goods manufacturers.

Our Pest Specialists remain equipped with all needed materials to ensure that your service is conducted safely. In this time of heightened awareness, we are also taking the following additional steps:

Our business is adhering to U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus, including enhanced cleaning schedules at our offices.

We continue to regularly update and reinforce with our Colleagues the increased need for safety, sanitation, and hygiene measures, such as frequent hand washing.

Our teams are closely monitoring the need for additional resources in our branches in the event of increased call volume.

We’ll continue monitoring the situation and provide additional information should it become necessary.

Thank you for your continued business with Active. As your local pest control experts, we believe in the importance of community and are committed to working with our customers to ensure that their homes and businesses are protected from pests, even in these times of uncertainty.

Sincerely,
John Myers
President & CEO
Florida Pest Control

Winter Cold and Frost Damage

A patch of grass affected by frost damage - keep pests away form your home with florida pest control

It seems that winter is almost over! In the past, some parts of Florida have experienced freezing temperatures well into April. So, there’s still plenty of time for some freezing cold winter nights that could take a toll on your lawn and shrubs.

With all that being said, if you suspect your lawn has received some cold or frost damage, there are some steps you can take to determine the extent. Start by raking the dead areas to expose the base of the grass. If it’s cold damage, all parts of the grass will be dead all the way down to the roots. With frost damage, the base of the grass will still be green. Frost-damaged grass should recover when the spring warm-up rolls around. Any areas that have died should be renovated to prevent weeds from taking over.

A heavy layer of leaves still left on the grass can promote disease, so these leaves should be raked up or mowed. Mowing the leaves will allow the smaller pieces to decompose faster and return nutrients back into the soil.

Don’t be tempted to remove or prune a shrub that may appear dead or damaged from the cold. The brown leaves are just a sign of what is happening on the surface of the plant. If you scrape a small section of a branch, you’ll reveal what’s going on below the bark. If it’s green at the cambium layer, which is just below the bark, the branch is still alive. If it’s brown, then that part of the branch is dead.Some branches may fail to show signs of life in the spring while other branches are sprouting buds. If this occurs, you should prune back the dead branches on the shrub. If you have plants that don’t respond in the spring, replacing those plants is recommended. Now is a good time to transplant shrubs while they’re still dormant. Transplanting during dormancy will help prevent the plant from going into shock, allowing a smoother transition into the spring greening.

Spring is a great time to fertilize your shrubs. Your shrubs will be healthier, look better and the fertilizer may even help in resisting next year’s cold weather. Florida Pest Control has a wonderful program that controls pests on your shrubs and fertilizes your shrubs, as well. For more information, contact us. Your shrubs will thank you for it!

Spanish Moss and Your Florida Landscape

Spanish moss hanging from a tree - keep pests away form your home with florida pest control

This is a very good time of year to evaluate the condition of your trees concerning the amount of Spanish moss they may have. Most will agree that a large oak tree draped with Spanish moss is a familiar image of the “Old South.” However, in many cases the limbs are heavily laden with moss and many twigs have no leaves because the moss is competing for space on the limb. The tree may be struggling and the moss is contributing to a slow decline. Consider the following moss facts:

Spanish moss is an air plant.
Just like other air plants, Spanish moss receives its nourishment through photosynthesis and rainwater, not from the plant it’s attached to.
Moss will not kill the tree; however, it will compete for space on limbs and twigs.
Because moss adds considerable weight to limbs and twigs, broken limbs can occur, especially when the moss is wet.

So, how much moss is too much moss? How much is acceptable? That decision is entirely up to you. Florida Pest Control can apply a product that will control Spanish moss. This treatment is less expensive and more complete than hand pulling. If your trees are overwhelmed by Spanish moss and you’d like them treated, contact us.

Brown Recluse Spider, Probably Not!!

Did you know there are no brown recluse populations in Florida? Still, there have been an overwhelming number of reported brown recluse spider bites in the last decade.

The size of the brown recluse spider may vary, however the average size of an adult with its legs extended is about the size of a quarter. Their most prominent characteristic is the violin shaped mark on the back of the head. However, there are other spiders with similar markings such as the male southern house spider. The brown recluse has six (6) eyes (three sets of two) while most other spiders have eight (8), arranged in various ways depending on species.

Although recluse spiders have been collected in our state (less than 15 ever collected), the evidence shows they do not survive and reproduce here. While experts still debate over the actual range of this spider, the majority agree its bite is over-diagnosed.

The natural range of the brown recluse is the central Midwestern states. It extends as far north as Nebraska and East to Ohio. The southern boundaries are primarily Texas east to Northwest Georgia.

But still, people from outside these areas believe the brown recluse inhabits their area. Everyone has a cousin or a friend of a friend who has been bitten by this spider. Or have they?

There are many conditions that can cause necrotic wounds and all too often, are misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites. Some are disease related in which a spider or an insect was not even involved. Others are bacterial, viral or fungal skin infections. In one case a woman was being treated for a spider bite, yet the spider bite therapy was ineffective. Further screening found that is was a fungal infection called sporotrichosis. Even if a spider or any other insect is suspected, the physician should first consider the ones that seek mammals for blood meals. The bites from ticks, fleas, bedbugs and conenose bugs can cause a variety of reactions. Tick transmitted Lyme disease can cause the “bull’s-eye” pattern which is characteristic of a brown recluse bite.

In conclusion, not all so-called “brown recluse spider bites” are indeed brown recluse spider bites! In order for a physician to give accurate diagnoses, wouldn’t a specimen culture taken from the wound determine more accurately the source of the necrotic infection? This is a question one should ask their physician if a brown recluse spider bite is suspected.

Keeping Pets Safe During Pest Control Treatments

When you have a pest problem, it’s likely you have a lot on your mind. And while it may be easy to overlook things when scheduling your appointment, keeping your pets safe should not be one of those things! Most treatment methods used for household pest control are pet-friendly, but there are still some precautions you can take.

Your first step should always be to speak with your pest control professional. They will be able to help you determine what treatment is necessary for your home, and what preparations should be made prior to your appointment.

Regardless of the scale of the pest control treatment, you should always make an effort to contain your pets, both for their safety and the safety of the pest control technician. Although your dog may seem docile and harmless around family and friends, she may not behave the same when a stranger enters her home.

Also, your pets may simply want to figure out what is going on with a stranger in their house – but it is this curiosity that could put them in a harmful situation during a pesticide application. An easy solution is to make sure that they are kept in a kennel or carrier while the pest control expert is in your home. If a carrier is not available, simply move them to an area of your house that will not be included in the pest service.

Most common household treatments are confined to cracks and crevices in areas of pest activity, but spraying for fleas and other more involved treatments may require extra considerations – possibly finding a safe place for you and your pet to stay away from home for a short time.

Different types of pets may require different preparations, and some pets are more sensitive than others. Based on the treatment being performed by your pest control professional, they will tell you any additional preparations to make.

Please inform your pest control expert of all the pets you may have living in your home. Oftentimes, we think of pets only as the furry four-legged variety, but birds, reptiles and fish are common pets as well. Making your professional aware of these friends with feathers or scales before your appointment will allow you ample time to prepare should they need to be removed from the home on treatment day.

When it comes to in-home services, it’s always a good rule of thumb to consult with the experts – pest control is no different. Florida Pest Control has a team of well-trained and certified professionals to help you make any necessary decisions, and make sure that your family is safe throughout the entire process.

How to Identify a Hidden Wasps’ Nest

You may not realize you have a wasp problem until one chases you around the yard. Fortunately, most wasp nests are easy to find if you know where to look. Under the eaves, attached to soffits or on exterior walls – all are likely locations for a wasp nest. However, many wasps’ nests often go undetected for weeks or months, and these can quickly become more than a nuisance!

In the case of many common wasps, their nests are often not easily visible. They may be hidden within gaps in the exterior of your home, in shrubbery, or in the case of yellow jackets, they may be hiding underground! If you’ve been pestered by wasps, here’s how to track them back to their nest.

Areas to Check for Wasps’ Nests

Springtime is typically when wasps begin to re-emerge, but it takes until about mid-summer for most nests to fully establish themselves. By summer, you’ll definitely notice any wasps that are in the area.

Wasps commonly build nests in protected areas: along exterior walls, under wooden decks, on nearby trees and, occasionally, inside a home. Once a wasp nest becomes fully established, you’ll typically see a steady stream of wasps hovering around the nest entrance. So, if you know where to look, you can usually spot an active nest without much trouble. If you know you have wasps, take a look in these usual spots:

Along your eaves
Underneath windowsills
Garden sheds or garages
On or under playground equipment or lawn furniture
Gaps in soffits, exterior fascia or wooden decks
Around electrical equipment or wiring, such as your utility box or swimming pool equipment
Check trees near your garden if you’re being pestered during the day. Scout wasps often alert the nest to sources of food commonly found in gardens.

If You Find a Nest, Should You Leave It Aline?

While it may make sense to remove a wasp nest near your front door, porch or garage, some wasp nests can be very beneficial, especially if you spend time gardening or are plagued by other pests. Even though wasps can be intimidating (and painful), they are also incredible predators of other pests. Unless the nest is actively bothering you or causing you to run away from your front door each morning, you may want to consider allowing the nest to remain – at a reasonable size – to help control other pests.

How to Remove a Nest

Of course, nests in trafficked areas usually have to be dealt with. Small, free-hanging nests can usually be removed using retail sprays with minimized risk, but no wasp removal is without risk! For nests that are hidden within the fascia or in the ground, it is much safer (and cheaper) to get professional help for wasp control. At Florida Pest Control, we have decades of experience dealing with wasps and can safely destroy a dangerous nest. Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive inspection.

Lone Star Ticks in Florida

The adult female Lone Star Tick displays a white spot near the center of her back while the male has white streaks or spots along the margin on the top side of its body. They are found throughout most of Florida and the Southeastern United States with populations spreading to the Midwest and the Northeast.

A female Lone Star Tick can lay up to 5000 eggs all in one sitting. Imagine seeing thousands of tiny seed ticks emerging all at one time, but that’s what happens day after day. You can see right away how populations can get out of control and why they are spreading to new areas so rapidly.

Lone Star Ticks have three life stages (larva, nymph and adult) and must feed on a host before moving on to the next stage. Upon hatching, the six legged larvae will feed mainly on mammals and birds. They rarely, if ever, feed on small rodents. The nymphs will feed on birds, small rodents and other mammals. Adult Lone Star Ticks host on medium to large mammals, but will also feed on wild turkeys and rodents.

Lone Star Ticks are known to carry several pathogens including Rickettsiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Tularemia. They have also been said, by some scientists, to be carriers of Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI).

There have been many red meat allergies reported over the past several years that are said to be associated with Lone Star Tick bites. Symptoms are swelling, hives, problem with breathing, diarrhea, vomiting and a drop in blood pressure. Scientists say that Lone Star Ticks have a sugar in their system that humans don’t called alpha-gal. This same sugar is found in red meat. When the tick bites, it transmits this sugar which triggers a response from our immune system which in turn sends out antibodies to deal with it. Then later, when a person eats red meat, an allergic reaction could develop.

If you’re concerned that you may have Lone Star Ticks or any other tick species on your property, contact the Florida Pest Control office nearest to you. We’ll be glad to come out and perform an inspection.

Most Common Bugs Found in Florida

a tick burrowing into a person's skin - keep pests away from your home with florida pest control

When the weather is warm, we all want to go out, be adventurous, soak up some sun and enjoy the great outdoors. But when the weather is warm and especially rainy, it’s also when some of our most common bugs come out to play. We’re going to talk about the 5 most common bugs you’ll find this season so you can learn how to protect yourself against them.

Ticks

There are over 80 species of ticks in the US alone, and they can cause serious illnesses such as Lyme disease. They appear commonly on your pets so it’s good to have them treated and to carry tick repellent with you when staying outside for a long time.

Fleas

Fleas are most prevalent during the spring and summer, and with Florida’s warm climate year-round, they thrive. The hotter it gets, the more they become a problem in your home, so it is best to take care of them early on. Just like ticks, you can find these on your pets, so it’s best to treat them right away and frequently.

Ants

If you live in Florida, even if your home is as clean as possible, these pesky little creatures are quick to invade at the sight of the smallest crumb. Although there are numerous types of ants, the most common you will find include Carpenter ants, Red Imported Fire ants, Big-headed ants, and Rover ants.

Roaches

Just like us, roaches don’t like to be outside when it’s too wet or dry, too hot or cold. When we have extremes in weather, you will most likely see one of these 6-legged menaces in your home. In the case of larger outdoor roaches, making sure gaps and cracks in your home are sealed will help to keep them from entering uninvited.

Termites

Every year, termites cause over $1 billion worth of damage to homes across the US by eating parts of them! The 2 main types of termites that damage homes are the Drywood termite and Subterranean termite. Drywood termites can live their entire lives inside wood whereas Subterranean termites generally need some contact with the ground.

If at any point you find yourself having a problem controlling these or any other pests, be sure to give us a call. We’ll send one of our experts out to your property and help you get rid of the problem once and for all.