Florida's warm and humid climate is a magnet for many insect pests that often threaten your home. It would be great if we could wave a magic wand and insects would be gone from your lives forever!
Unfortunately, this will never happen as fossilized insects like silverfish (order thysanuran) have been discovered that date back to about 390 million years ago. However, with the proper Integrated Pest Management program (IPM), we can work together to keep your home as pest-free as possible.
Noted below are some simple tips that you can use to reduce the number of pests that might enter your home. Let’s start our emphasis from the outside perimeter of your home where most pest activity originates.
Prevent Trees and Bushes from Having Direct Contact with Your Home.
Many ants and roaches take advantage of this condition, which provides above-ground access to your home. Remember to keep tree branches from hanging over your home where leaves may fall and accumulate in your rain gutters.
Also, rodents enter a home through the attic. These pests gain access to the roof by jumping or climbing from nearby tree branches.
Inspect the Outside of Your Home for Possible Entry Points that Provide Inside Access to Insects and Rodents.
Seal cracks and crevices with a weather-resistant caulk to discourage ants and to keep out water from rain and irrigation.
Subterranean termites have an aggressive attraction to moisture. Most termite infestations and subsequent termite damage originate from conditions like water that enters a home from roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or water intrusion through siding or around windows.
Reduce your risk of Encephalitis or West Nile Virus (disease spread by mosquitoes) by removing containers that become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. West Nile Virus is active throughout the U.S. and becoming a larger threat. 9682 people were infected and 264 died from West Nile Virus transmitted by mosquitoes in 2003.
Many species of mosquitoes need only a small amount of water for the larval stage to develop and mature. To reduce mosquito breeding sources around the home cleanout leaf clutter from rain gutters and remove objects that can hold water like flower pots and buckets.
In recent years DEET has been recognized as the most effective active ingredient found in mosquito repellents. Unfortunately, DEET products often have an unpleasant odor and are not suitable for all ages.
Alternative chemicals with comparable effectiveness have become available in recent years including picaridin that is found in various products including Cutter Advanced.
Central Florida Continues to Be One of the Worst Areas of the Country for Termite Damage with Orlando Ranking 5th.
Two key suggestions for you that will greatly reduce your risk of a termite infestation; first, eliminate any water intrusion to the home as referenced in tip #2 above. Second, make sure you have no exterior wood in direct contact with the soil like with exterior siding, porch support posts, etc.
Subterranean termite colonies are located under and around most homes in Florida, and eliminating their colonies is key to preventing and eliminating infestations.
Experts agree that liquid treatments are not known to eliminate termite colonies and that Do-It-Yourself treatments have little to no impact on controlling them.
Entomologists (bug scientists) all agree that the Sentricon System is the most effective system for eliminating subterranean termite colonies and is currently protecting over one million sites including the White House and the Statue of Liberty.
In 2005 Dr. Jack’s discovered Formosan termites (Coptotermes formosanusn) in Orlando, which are known to do 10 times the damage of native subterranean species.
Local affiliates of CBS and ABC covered the discovery of these “super termites,” which can be seen on our website at www.drjacks.net.
Contact our office for a free Doctor’s Exam to ensure that your home is not at risk of subterranean termite infestation.
Remember, termites are not known to make their presence obvious, and when they are discovered the damage often requires thousands of dollars in repairs.
As Central Florida residents we have no choice but to take this threat to your homes and family seriously.
Ants Are the Number One Household Pest Problem Our Homeowners Face.
Many new ant species have been introduced to Florida from cargo ships through the coastal ports during the last decade. Two of the more challenging species (White Footed ant and Argentine ant) require specialized service programs to eliminate their infestations.
Using insect sprays often increases the spread of ant colonies because the ants will detect the spray and split up their colonies in defense.
Ant baits can be effective but often provide limited results in many instances because target-specific formulations are necessary to obtain bait acceptance from different ant species.
It is common for homeowners to become frustrated and unsuccessful in their efforts to control ant problems because of the many different ant species and their highly specific elimination requirements.
For example, some ant species prefer carbohydrates and some prefer protein-based formulations. Carpenter ants can be increasingly challenging because residual sprays and baits are generally ineffective.
Having an understanding of which ant species is of concern, combined with the knowledge of which treatment method is effective is necessary for successful ant control.
Florida is a Breeding Ground for Ticks and Fleas.
Fortunately, pesticide manufacturers have developed effective products that can be prescribed for dogs and cats (through veterinarians) that often keep fleas and tick activity to a minimum.
Some of these products are administered to pets orally, and others are applied directly to the coat of the animal. It is important to keep your animals on the prescribed program all year round or you risk the chance for an unforeseen infestation.
Some home surroundings contribute to a higher level of flea and tick populations. These conditions include areas where there is an abundance of landscape or where animals like raccoons, possum, and squirrels are present.
These conditions often require insecticide treatments applied to both the inside and the outside of the home to maintain a low presence of ticks and fleas.
When a home becomes infested with ticks or fleas, it is usually necessary to use the services of a qualified pest control company to eradicate the infestation, which can take up to 30 days or more.
Free Doctor’s Consultation Let’s You Get the Answers to Your Tough Pest Questions.
Thank you for taking the time to read our e-book about keeping you and your family and home healthy and pest-free. The scary thing is that sometimes you may have problems you are unaware of that can cause harm to you and your home.
Other times we talk with people who notice problems but are not sure what to do or don’t have the time to take care of it themselves. These people have come to realize that Doctor Jack’s is here to help them keep their family and home safe, healthy, and virtually pest-free. We make this process easy, affordable, and convenient for you and your family.
Call us to discuss your pest prevention needs. We can write a custom prescription just for you. We do this because we know the challenges that Central Florida presents to residents like you and are dedicated to making your life safer and healthier. We have been doing this for over 30 years and we’ll be glad to do it for you!
Don’t hesitate! Call for your Free Doctor’s Consultation now. It costs you nothing but could save you thousands of dollars in structural damage and prevent the anxiety and headache associated with unwanted pests.
We'd love to hear from you! Call (407) 479-4235 today for a free consultation and quote.