First Florida Termite and Pest Control

Happy Friday!! It’s termite season.  Did you know, pound for pound, the weight of all termites in the world is greater than the total weight of humans. It is estimated that for every human on Earth there may be 1000 pounds of termites. The question is not if you are going to get termites, it is when are you going to get termites in your home. Don’t let the termites eat away your home, give us a call for your free annual termite inspection.  Don’t wait until is it too late. Call for your free inspection. 727-541-6400, 813-814-2600 or 941-355-9700.  Prevention is the key to success. Serving St. Petersburg, FL, Tampa, FL, Largo, FL, Seminole, FL & surrounding areas.

The rodents have been more active lately than usual because of the cold weather. There are a few things you can do to keep them out. 1) Rodents do not like open areas (especially mice). It makes them vulnerable to predators. Removing old boxes, piles of wood, old leaves, and any other debris around your house will make it more difficult for them to hide. 2) Trim back trees at least 3 feet from the roof. They use them for jumping on your roof and getting into your attic. 3)Rodents only need a quarter of an inch opening to gain access into your home. If you were to inspect your house you would probably find many small cracks and openings that rats and mice can get into. You can easily close these openings by replacing old screens, patching small holes, using aerosol foam that comes in a can or close the holes with steel wool. 4) Keep an eye out for runways that they use to come in and out. You will be able to recognize the runways because they will most likely have droppings or smudges caused by the oil in their skin. 5) Rodents, particularly the House Mouse, love nuts and grains (They’re actually not too fond of cheese), so be sure that any food made from these things are sealed in a plastic container. This includes dog food and garden seeds. If you use a mouse trap to catch them you want to put a small corner from a snickers bar on the trap (that will help to attract them better, plus you can eat the rest of the snickers)
Catch those little guys.

Happy Thursday! Don’t let those pesky bugs get out of control. Prevention is the key to keeping ants, roaches, spiders & other pests from taking over your home. This is the time of year you want to take preventative measures if you don’t want unwanted guests in your home. For the one bug you see there are more that you don’t see. Seal all outside cracks and holes, that will help keep outdoor pests outdoors. Be sure to seal plumbing, electrical, phone and TV cables.
Also, seal around doors and windows. By doing this it not only will keep pest out, but will help to reduce your electric bill. Taking care of roaches, ants, termites and rodents in St. Petersburg, FL and surrounding areas. Let’s get rid of those bugs for good.

Don’t let the ants, roaches & rodents get into your home. Trim back the trees so they are not touching the roof this will prevent any insects from using the roof to gain access inside your home. It also helps to keep rats, squirrels & possums out of your attic. Make sure your dryer vent has a cover on it as well.

Also, sealing all outside cracks and holes will help keep outdoor pests outdoors. Be sure to seal windows, doors, plumbing, electrical, phone and TV cables.
Sealing around doors and windows not only will keep pest out, but help to reduce your electric bill.

Sweeping your outside eaves will help keep spiders away. It also keeps the outside of your house looking nice. Having trouble with ants. Give us a call & we can take care of those pesky ants for you.
Doing pest control in St. Petersburg, FL, Tampa, FL, Largo, FL, Clearwater, FL and surrounding areas.

With the rain that we have been getting make sure to empty any extra standing water around the outside of your home. Mosquitoes are not only bothersome; they carry diseases (Zika Virus, etc.). Reducing them around your home should be a priority.
First check around your property for standing water in containers. Containers include: Trash cans, buckets, and empty planters. Water is required for the first stage (larva) of the mosquito’s life. If you have a boat; make sure the bow is higher than the stern so water will drain out. Don’t be out at dusk or dawn because then the mosquitos will stay there.

With this cold weather the bugs are wanting to come in to your home.  Take care of the bugs before they get out of hand. For the one bug you see there are hundreds you don’t see. Make sure to eliminate any standing water (that includes where you sit your cup down on the table). Seal up any cracks or openings around windows, doors, A/C units or the bottom of your home. Store firewood or building materials away from your home. Cut back tree limbs from the roof, that is an access to the attic for bugs & rodents. Clean up leaves from your yard. Don’t let the bugs get out of hand. Give us a call to schedule your free annual inspection. We have different services to offer you depending on your needs.

It is termite season. Here are a few things to look for.

1) You will see a powder like substance that looks like coffee granules or sawdust around doors, windows, or your garage.

2) You may find small transparent wings near your doors, windows, bathroom, or your garage.

3) There may be tiny holes on wood surfaces in or outside of your home. Look for sagging or bowing walls inside your home.

4) You may find mud tunnels lining the foundation of your home.

5) And finally, you may see flying termites inside or outside of your home, usually near light sources.

 Did you know that termites can cause more damage to your home than hurricanes, floods or fire combined? Insurance does not cover the damage that termites cause. So often, home owners discover too late that their home is destroyed or seriously damaged due to these silent, destructive insects. It is very important to have your home inspected every year by a professional for termites.

Don’t Wait until it is too late.  Call for your free annual termite inspection today.  Servicing Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee & Hillsborough counties. St. Petersburg Termite, Tampa Termite, Bradenton Termite.

 Controlling carpenter ants can be difficult. However, there are ways to prevent them. Remove all standing water around the house inside & outside.

To reduce nesting sites for these ants, remove all unnecessary wood, such as old logs or stumps. When removing trees, be sure to remove the roots, as they also provide the ants with shelter.

Keep fire wood and other lumber as far away from the house as possible, and elevated off the ground.  Do not bring the wood into the house until you are ready to use it.

Pick fallen fruits and vegetables off the ground immediately to reduce their food sources. Be sure to keep your garden free from aphids or other honeydew making insects as well, as these also provide a food source for these ants.

Be sure to trim all trees so that the branches are not touching your home. Make sure the branches do not touch any wires leading into your home, as they can provide a pathway for ants to get in.

Queen ants can live for many years and have millions of babies. When the queen of the colony dies, the colony can only survive a few months. Queen ants are rarely replaced and the workers are not able to reproduce. When killing ants you want the ants to take the bait to the queen in order to kill the nest.

Prevention Is The Key. Be sure to clean up any spills right away. Wash your dishes regularly and do not leave pet food out over night.-Roaches love water! It is one of the key factors of their survival. Be sure to drain water out of the sink and tub, and wipe down any tables or counters that water has spilled on. Make sure to pick up any drinks that you may have on the table or in your bedroom because of the condensation from the drink will attract the roaches. Also make sure to fix any leaky faucets or drains. Always check boxes and bags for roaches before bringing them inside.-Preventing cockroach infestations when moving is critical, especially if you are leaving an area that already has a current infestation. The last thing you want to do is bring cockroaches with you. Check all boxes that you pack for any signs of cockroaches, as well as furniture. Spraying your new home before you move in is also a good idea. After you have unpacked make sure you throw out any cardboard boxes or papers , because that is where they like to hide. Did you know for every cockroach you see there are hundreds you don’t see? Finally, you should contact a professional to deal with any cockroach infestation before it gets to worse.

Cleaning is the best method of spider prevention, so go through your home vigorously sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming. Make sure to keep clothes off of the floor, that way they have less places to hide. Do this weekly for a couple of months to destroy existing nests, not giving spiders time to rebuild and lay eggs. Make sure to seal around the widows & doors so that the spiders can not get in.

Outdoors, use a broom to knock down their webs from eaves, garage, doorways & window frames. Repeat weekly or as necessary. Keep grass and weeds that grow near the house cut low, and likewise keep shrubs near the house small and neatly maintained.

If it persists please give us a call. 🙂