A Quick Guide to Summer Pest Control in Fort Lauderdale
Summer is quickly approaching in Fort Lauderdale, and you probably have a lot on your mind. The kids are out of school and you might be planning your family's summer vacation, or you might be looking forward to more pool days or beach days. The months of June, July, and August are a great time to spend time with family and friends.
With so much on your mind, one key thing you're probably already thinking about is summer pests. Your kids are starting to complain about mosquito bites, and you're complaining about them!
And it's not just the mosquitoes. What are those bugs that are flying around outside the house? And why are ant mounds starting to pop up in the yard?
And finally, you're wondering, should I get rid of these summer pests all by myself, or should I call a local exterminator who specializes in summer pests?
This guide is here to answer all of your questions about Fort Lauderdale summer pest control. We'll go over the most common pests you'll find around your home and yard in the next few months and, more importantly, what to do about them.
The Most Common Summer Pests in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a haven for pests year-round, but there are still seasons where certain pests are more active. Summer is one of those seasons, particularly at the start of the rainy season, which is usually in July.
As it starts raining, some pests will be seeking the rain, while others will be trying to escape the rain. Either way, the increase in rain means an increase in pests.
In this blog, we're going to go over a few of the most common summer pests in Fort Lauderdale: ants, mosquitoes, and termites.
Summer Ant Control
It's easy to know if you have ants in your home or on your lawn. The tough part is knowing the difference between ant species. There are plenty of different ants in Fort Lauderdale, but a lot of them look alike, and all of them are common in the summertime.
Let's go through a few of the most common ants you'll find in Florida this summer:
Ghost Ants
Ghost ants are little ghosts walking around. They're the tiniest ants in Florida at 1.3-1.5mm long and have yellow transparent bodies with blackheads.
These ants are completely harmless, but since they're the most common ants in Florida, infestations can get a bit out of hand.
If you have a ghost ant infestation, it can be tricky to understand the source. You probably jump to the conclusion that you have an ant infestation because your home isn't clean enough. While that could be a factor, it isn't the source of the infestation.
The source of a ghost ant infestation is almost always the sap-sucking insects in your trees and shrubs. These sap-sucking insects are whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids, and other scale insects. As they suck the sap from your plants, they excrete a sugary substance called honeydew that attracts ghost ants to your yard.
As the ants feed on the honeydew, they eventually get thirsty, so they go inside your home for water. Water sources for ghost ants are often leaks or other plumbing issues. If ghost ants are inside your house, you could have a plumbing issue.
The most effective way to get rid of ghost ants is to get rid of the sap-sucking insects producing honeydew. Native Pest Management has lawn care experts that can eliminate these lawn pests to end the ghost ant infestation in your home and yard.
Request a free lawn inspection today to learn more about our lawn pest services.
Carpenter ants
Carpenter ants get their name from tunneling and nesting in wood, often in Florida homes. These ants are bigger than most ants, ranging from 1/4 inch to up to 3/4 inch, which is about the length of a screw.
They can be easily mistaken for fire ants since they can be a reddish color. What distinguishes carpenter ants from fire ants, however, is their nesting site. Fire ants will usually nest in dirt mounds, while carpenter ants stick to living in moist, decaying wood, whether it's indoors or outdoors.
Some common nesting areas include:
- Furniture
- Trees
- Firewood
- Doors and windows
The hardest part of carpenter ant control is searching for the ant nest. Reach out to Native Pest Management to have our ant control experts speed up that process.
Fire Ants
I don't know about you, but fire ants scream summer to me. The fire ants we know and love are red imported fire ants (RIFA). RIFA are an invasive species that you'll often find outside in ant mounds.
These ants bite and sting, so you don't want to mess with them. If you see tiny red ants, use caution. While it could be a similar-looking and less aggressive ant species, it can be difficult to tell exactly.
To identify fire ants, look for two teeny tiny bumps on the waist, and a stinger. Next, back up and reach out to Native Pest Management so you can avoid any painful fire ant bites!
Summer Mosquito Control
Mosquitoes. I could just end this paragraph right there because I'm sure you know the deal. Mosquitoes are just plain bullies in the summertime, biting and bothering anyone they see.
But, there are a few important things to understand about mosquitoes as we head into summer.
- We're allergic to mosquitoes. Mosquito "bites" are an allergic reaction to the saliva they inject into human skin as they draw blood.
- Mosquitoes breed in still, shallow, standing water. If you have objects in your yard that pool water, remove them.
- Mosquitoes can also breed in ponds, bird baths, and unmaintained pools. If you have a pond, you can add an electric aeration pump to create movement in the water, making the pool not still enough for breeding. For bird baths, make sure you replace the water regularly, and if you have a pool, make sure that you are cleaning it often enough.
Native Pest Management's mosquito services are the best way to control summertime mosquito infestations. We use a combination of mist application and insect growth regulators (IGR) to disrupt the mosquito breeding cycle and reduce mosquito populations in your yard.
Request a free quote to learn why our mosquito control is the fastest and most effective way to get rid of mosquitoes.
Summer Termite Control
It's common to not notice a termite infestation until it's been active for years. Customers often won't notice something's up until you see little bugs flying around and clear wood damage.
The "little bugs flying around" are termite swarmers. Termites don't start swarming until they've been infesting a home for at least three years. If you find termite swarmers in your home, you should get in touch with Native Pest Management right away---but don't panic. After all, they've been there for three years.
Swarmers are most active in the spring and summer, but if you think you see them in the winter, don't ignore them thinking they must be another pest. As we all know, Florida has a subtropical to tropical climate depending on how far south you are. This fact means it's warm and humid enough for termites to swarm year-round.
There are two main types of termites: dry wood termites and subterranean termites.
Drywood termites are the most common termites in Fort Lauderdale. They nest in and eat wood, often in homes, or outside in trees.
In this case, DIY tips won't be very helpful. The only way to control dry wood termite infestations is to hire a termite professional who offers tent fumigation or no-tent termite spot treatments.
Subterranean termites nest underground, so you can't control them with tent fumigation. They use mud tubes to tunnel through the ground and into your home via the walls or floors.
Just like with dry wood termites, you can only control a subterranean termite colony with professional help. Subterranean services include trenching and termite bait stations.
Native Pest Management offers professional termite control for drywood termites and subterranean termites. If you've noticed any signs of termites such as swarmers, frass, or mudtubes, we recommend you request a free inspection.
Summer Pest Control Near Me
By signing up for summer pest control, you can spend more time relaxing outside and less time worrying about pests. Native Pest Management's worry-free pest control is designed to get DIY methods off your hands. Why spend time stressing about pest infestations when you can relax by the pool?
Request a free quote today for the best summer pest control in Fort Lauderdale, FL!