Pest Mistakes

This dedicated page is to answering questions and guiding people on pest mistakes and, basically what to do and what NOT to do. Here is a collection of a few things from our experience through the years. We love to talk about bugs, so if you have questions, just call and ask. Beware, we love talking bugs, and we are known to talk ears off. 🙂

Water areas are always monitored and checked.

Let’s start with basic overall tips:

1. Frogs, lizards, spiders, and birds are our best friends. They are the best pest control, and it is FREE (even better)!
2. Some pests infestations you cannot DIY; you will spend MORE money this way. We see it all day, every day. These are typically German roaches, termites, and bed bugs! These are specialty bugs in the industry for a reason. I don’t care what youtube tells you.
3. Research, research, and research some more with the pest that is bugging you. Look at trusted sites, such as University Entomology Departments. Wikipedia is NOT a trusted source for ANY information. Use caution in identifying the right pest; it is easier than you think to misidentify.
4. Remember, you will not receive instant all-encompassing bug death overnight. The infestation took months to become THAT large; it will take some time to get the population reduced. You can’t see all their relatives. —-Think of your family, if someone came to your door, they see you and the people in the home. They do not know all the others affiliated with you that are spread out. Many people who would then come to your aide if needed. Food for thought! Insects are the same, and you see a few, not the whole COLONY.

Tips on PREVENTING pest issues:

1. Trim back all trees, shrubbery and anything touching your home. They give pest, rodent, and wildlife easier access to your home. Make them work for that access.
2. NO MULCH! Mulch is excellent to enhance the look of your yard (if it doesn’t wash away) plus it helps with moisture around lawn and ornaments that you have in the yard. Unfortunately your playing with fire on this one, it has unwanted consequences that may not be worth having mulch. Not only does it serve as a habitat, food source for roaches and ants, it also is an attractant for Subterranean termites.
3. Don’t let water stand stagnant or collect in tubs, containers, old tires and so on. Your providing water source for pests, rodents (much needed for survival) and it serves as a delivery ward for mosquitos.
4. Apply a lawn pesticide per the label regularly to keep pests at a minimum which reduces predator spiders as well.
5. Fix holes or openings in the roof, siding, and doors. These give the pest an easy way into your structure with no effort on their part. It is a neon sign saying; come on in!
6. Seal cracks around doors and windows with things like caulk, door sweeps, and weather stripping. These are entry points for the things you want to keep out. Our BEST Advice and also a saying we coined, “seal it up.”
7. Furniture, deliveries, and even your fruit can bring in a BUNCH of different pest infestations into your structure and cost you hundreds of dollars to eradicate! If possible, take items out of the box and leave it in the sun on a hot Florida day, this will get them more motivated to move on.

Attic inspections.

Tips for bed bugs and German Roaches (myths): 

1. DO NOT THROW YOUR STUFF OUT! Doing this costs more money and only moves the infestation into other rooms making eradication harder, take longer and cost more. The only time things should ever need have been thrown out is if the infestation itself destroys it.
2. Bleach only cleans fecal matter and will not eradicate the issue. Cleaning does not get rid of bugs and having them does not mean you are not clean.
3. Never, ever, ever, EVER use foggers EVER! This method may kill some of the adults running around but, again, makes the infestation worse, costing more money and taking longer to get rid of the population. Why? Pests are not stupid, especially roaches. They can sense the chemicals and will go deeper into the walls and ceilings to avoid it. Females sense something is wrong and will drop the egg sack leaving it to hatch long after the fogging is over. In the end, you still have roaches!
4. Now, I did despise the saying: “bait and wait,” in reality this motto does apply to pests (Right, I had to admit I was wrong! ME!!?). The pest can sense too much chemical used, and they will avoid it like the plague or build a tolerance to it.
5. Use plastic to store everything and anything, and cardboard is food for termites, silverfish, every roach known and the list goes on.

Don’t use IGR (Insect growth regulator) unless you enjoy bugs like that ^^^^^