How to identify insects around your property.

If you’ve lived in Florida for any length of time, you’re probably very aware that the state is full of many different types of insects that require the service of an experienced residential pest control and commercial pest control company. Learning how to identify insects have invaded your property so you can protect your home or business and assist exterminators with preparing for a job has become a necessity.

Insect identification isn’t typically very complicated, but many homeowners and business owners aren’t exactly sure what they should be looking for. To help you out, we’re going to show some of the most obvious signs that will illustrate how to identify insect infestations that are most commonly found on Florida properties.

Roaches

Although cockroaches are the things of nightmares and can easily be identified by sight, you don’t really see these brown and black creatures moving around a lot since they avoid the light whenever possible. You may see one or two scurrying outside, but the real problem is when one skitters across your floor or surprises you when you open a kitchen cupboard.

Termites

A termite infestation can cause devastating structure damage to your home or business, resulting in a high cost of repair. If you want to protect your property, then routine inspection and termite control is an absolute must. These wood-eating insects aren’t typically visible, but you can identify their presence by looking for damaged wood, mud tubes, piles of wings, and bubbling, buckled paint.

Various Ants

Fire ants, ghost ants, and white-footed ants are often found across the state of Florida. If they get into your kitchen or any other part of your home or office, you can identify them by their small size and the long line they often create to relay food to their nest. As for outside, the existence of ant hills will clue you in, even if they’re no longer populated.

Beetles

Beetles come in all shapes and sizes. They’re typically easy to identify as an overall classification of insect but differentiating the various types can be tough. In Florida, you will typically come across cigarette beetles, granary weevils, red flour beetles, and rice weevils, just to name a few. Evidence of infestation includes swarming and chewed-up plants.

Bed Bugs

You can usually identify a bed bug infestation by the red, itchy spots found on your skin in the morning after a long night of them feeding on you. Other signs include red or reddish-brown stains on your sheets from the insects being crushed and small brown spots in your bed, which would be their droppings. If you identify an infestation, don’t hesitate to call a professional.

Fleas/Ticks

Most people can identify fleas and ticks by sight, but you won’t typically find them walking or jumping out in the open. Look for them in your pets’ fur and pick up a flea and tick treatment right away so that the animals don’t suffer irritation or potential disease. You should also pick up a flea and tick collar to help prevent future infestations.

Bees/Wasps

Bees are essential for pollination, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have them safely removed from your property, especially if someone in your household or office may be allergic. Wasps are more aggressive than bees, so those should be removed, too. You can usually identify bees by the presence of a hive whereas wasps often built nests out of dirt, branches, and other debris.

Prohealth Pest Control in Clearwater Will Teach You How to Identify Insects

The professionals at Prohealth Pest Control have spent years learning how to identify insects, even if they’re not visible to the naked eye. If you have any questions about insect identification or are interested in an evaluation of your residential or commercial property and how our exterminators utilize organic pest control in Clearwater to get rid of all sorts of critters, call us at (727) 308-2543 to schedule a no-cost consultation.