The beautiful state of Florida! Florida is the state that many long to establish residence in, and for good reason. Tropical atmosphere, surrounding ocean, blue waters, beautiful birds , but most of all, the WEATHER!
We all know Florida is notorious for hot weather in the summer, but we also know that we have the most perfect winter as well. One other thing Florida is known for besides alligators, is BUGS! that is correct, Florida leads the pack in the top ten buggiest states!
One of the main reasons for this is due to the fact of the weather. Temperatures rarely reach a point of freezing. Even some counties of Florida do not even experience a frost during the winter! Sounds awesome right? However, when the temperatures do start to cool down and drop, our insect friends look for a new shelter and place to hide. In most case, they will try and invade your home, and some of these bugs can pose a real threat to your home, family, pets, or even your health! This is small composed list of a few of those unwanted house guests.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are in abundance in Florida. In this segment and blog, we will be referring to the species type that typically live outdoors. The reason most American, Florida woods, and other common Florida outdoor roaches migrate to your home in the winter primarily falls under two reasons. Number one is the fact that they are cold blooded. Any drop in temperatures resulting in the cooler weather will ultimately cause the cockroach to seek warmth. Unfortunately, a house provides the perfect temperature, and shelter for cockroaches. Once inside, the cockroach can pose an indirect threat to the health of your family. As the cockroaches travel over countertops, floors, food prep locations etc. When they walk over these locations, they will defecate and urinate uncontrollably. They will / can also contaminate these locations with food bone illnesses, bacteria, and are known to be carriers of harmful diseases and allergens. Having your home exterminated by a pest control company like Imperial Pest Prevention on a frequent basis or at least during these cooler months will stop the cockroaches dead in their tracks and will help protect you and your family.
Rats / Rodents
One of our least wanted house guests can also be one of the most detrimental to health and even possible destroy our homes! You heard that right! DESTROY your HOME! Rats and mice all year long will look for ways to make your home a part of theirs, however, cooler temperatures will really cause these guys to seek a little more aggressively. Rats do not hibernate, so when it gets colder outside, they will look for warmth as well. Once inside rodents will also defecate and urinate throughout locations that they walk across. These destructive unwanted guests are known to be parasite ridden, transmit bacteria, can bite if encountered, and chew. That's right, CHEW! This is the part were they can DESTROY your HOME! As rats and mice make their way to your attic, wall voids etc, they can cause major damage. Gnawing on electrical wires can result in fires, chewing duct work can cause pathogens to be passed by HVAC systems etc. Rodents are no joke! at the first sign of possible rodent activity, it is imperative to contact a pest control service or rodent exterminator such as Imperial Pest Prevention. You will need a professional to handle quick eradication of these furry pests. Treatments can vary from trapping, baiting, and rodent exclusion work. Typically a pest professional will come out and observe the level of infestation and put a pest control plan in action for your situation.
Ants
Ants like the cockroaches are also cold blooded. With this being said, they also regulate metabolism from ambient temperatures. This the main reason why these little pests, you guessed it!, will also try to get into your home. Ants have the easiest time with this venture due to their size. No matter how secure your home is, the smallest crack is like you or I walking through a hallway. Like the other above mentioned unwanted house guests, the Ant has also been known to carry bacteria, contaminate food prep areas, and can be a nuisance. Although sealing those cracks, keeping windows caulked, replacing worn weatherstripping, keeping shrubs and trees from touching your structure can help, Ants will still find their way in to your home.
If you notice ants in your house, it is imperative to contact a pest control company. Proper identification is the key to a proper treatment. Some ants have multiple queens and using the wrong pest control solution can cause satelliting or budding making the matter worse. Contacting a pest professional such as Imperial Pest Prevention is the best way to ensure the safety from these pests and protecting you family, pets, and health.
Silverfish
This creepy looking insect also likes to seek warmth. They also love moisture. Like the ant, they can easily sneak into a home in much of the same ways. Although they do not pose much of a health risk as the others mentioned, they can and will feed on a multitude of items. They will readily attack books, cardboard boxes etc. Although this does not seem so much as a big deal, I have first hand seen the after results at a customers home that discovered them after opening up filing cabinet and revealing a destroyed social security card, birth certificate, and passed down from generation to generation pictures and papers. Having a regular pest control service helps keep these pests under control. Sometimes its better to pay for an inexpensive protection service than it is to loose invaluable non replaceable heirlooms.
Humans aren't the only creatures that love your home as much as your family does. If you see any of the mentioned pests or any other bugs in your home give Imperial Pest Prevention a call, For years, we have protected thousands of homeowners, business owners and families in the quest to rid and protect their home from bugs. Pest control services are much less than many consumers think. Imperial Pest Prevention offers a range of pest control programs, frequencies, and can assist with most anyone's budget. Give is a call! we are here to help. Imperial Pest Prevention (386) 956-9506