SUMMER – Florida Seasonal Advise

Florida summer = bugs’ paradise. When we think of summer, we think of bugs. This is the time of year when we get an increase in rain, humidity, and temperature. All of this leads to an increase in insect activity.

Over the next several months there will be an increase in white footed ants, big headed ants, ghost ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, caribbean crazy ants (in South Florida), mosquitoes, and fleas. Keep an eye out for heavy ant trails around the walls, driveways, windows, fences, and throughout the yard. Interior activity will probably be around the kitchen and bathrooms, or near any possible water source.

Carpenter ants and white footed ants usually originate from trees and bushes, so you will want to check these areas for ants. You may also notice insects swarming (flying) in and around your yard. Insects spread and mate this way. If the bugs are swarming inside of your home, you could have an infestation problem.

Fleas are also very common at this time of year. The most common flea problem we encounter is with the cat flea. They breed in sand and dirt, and the hotter it gets outside the worse a cat flea problem can become.

The summer rains and temperatures make it easy to loose control of foliage growth. As plants grow out and touch the side of your house ants are able to use the tree limbs as a bridge to your home. Trimming new tree limbs and foliage away from the house will help decrease the chance of these pests getting inside.

Outside lighting is another factor. Insects are attracted to bright white lights so we recommend using standard yellow lighting. Keep pet dishes inside and trash away from the house so you don’t draw ants, rodents, or other wildlife toward the home. Yard debris should be bagged and taken away from the property to decrease harborage areas for insects.

Termite: It’s termite swarm season!

Summer begins drywood termite swarming season, which generally occurs at nighttime as opposed to subterranean termite swarms that generally occur in the daytime. Drywood termites live their entire life inside wood with no ground contact and their swarmers tend to be brownish in color.

Lawn & Ornamentals: Watch out for chinch bugs and damaging worms!

Insect pressure is very high in the summer months. Common problems at this time of year involve sod webworms, army worms and chinch bugs in grass areas. Ornamentals tend to have problems with whitefly and scale.

German cockroaches winning the war against pest control baits

Filed under Research, Health, Environment on Wednesday, December 6, 2006.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The German cockroach — one of the most common and hated household pests — is winning the war against some of the newest insecticides and baits, according to University of Florida researchers.

“Whatever you throw at them, they have an amazing ability to quickly adapt and overcome adversity,” said Phil Koehler, an entomology professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “We know that they have developed resistance to many of the most widely used insecticides, and now they are turning up their noses at baits, including some that were very effective just a few years ago.”

"In Florida, pest control operators say that 60 percent of their customers have German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) that are refusing to eat most commercial baits, indicating there is something in the baits that roaches do not like," he said.

"Often measured in weeks, the roach's rapid reproductive cycle allows the pest's population to double every two weeks," Koehler said. "One female roach and her offspring can produce more than 100 million roaches in a year. Female roaches only need to mate once to lay eggs for the rest of their lives. And, if they are able to avoid baits, then you've got a real serious roach problem in no time."

Hide All | Show All