Four of Florida's Most Common Pests

March 05th, 2015

Each area of the country struggles with a unique combination of pests. Insects, rodents, and other pests can cause damage to buildings. They can also create unsanitary living conditions.

These are four of Florida's most common pests. If you have an infestation, you'll need to find a professional who has experience removing them from homes and businesses.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are annoying insects that go through a flying season. During the flying season, you may feel as if thousands of ants are infiltrating your home. The good news is that Florida's carpenter ants don't cause building damage. The bad news is that the ants have powerful bites.

Carpenter ants usually try to live in unoccupied parts of buildings. This makes them common in attics, basements, and crawlspaces that are difficult to access.

Termites

Eastern subterranean termites are found all over Florida and most of the United States. These are extremely destructive insects that you should have removed from your property as soon as possible.

This type of termite prefers to form underground colonies that have tunnels leading to several food sources. That means they can attach your home and your trees. Left alone, they can cause thousands of dollars in damage. They can also create safety hazards by weakening trees.

Mice

Mice tend to visit homes during Florida's cool winter months. When the weather warms, many of them return to their homes outside. Some, however, prefer to remain indoors.

Mice are smart and versatile enough to make themselves very annoying to homeowners. They can access all areas of your house, chew holes in food packaging, and leave droppings wherever they please.

Getting rid of a couple mice isn't too difficult. Removing an entire family of mice, however, usually takes the work of a professional. The sooner you get help, the easier removal is. Mice breed quickly, so you want to get them out as soon as possible.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches present a particularly difficult problem for Florida residents. Just a couple cockroaches can multiply by the thousands within a year. They also tend to live in kitchens and bathrooms, which makes them an unsanitary addition to any home.

The worst thing about German cockroaches, though, is that you cannot spray or bomb them. Doing so only encourages them to seek shelter, where they will continue to live and breed in hiding. Hiring a professional is really the only way to get these roaches out of your home for good.