Are you a long-time Florida resident? If so, then you probably know that the Tampa area is thick with pests. Be they pests that fly, crawl, swim, or walk. If you can name it, we probably have it. Thanks to our swampy environment, the bugs in this area can breed and be active year-round. So as a homeowner in Tampa, you have to be vigilant. SO today we’re going to talk about Bloomingdale pest control. Specifically, we’ll cover some common pests you may contend within the area and some signs of infestation.
Bloomingdale Pest Control: Overview
Tampa, as I said above, is home to dozens of species of pest insects. Below, we’ll go through the details bug by bug. Starting with…
Cockroaches
Anywhere you go in Florida, you’re going to end up bumping into a cockroach. I’m sorry to say, but that’s just how it is. Most people tend to blame roach infestations on a lack of hygiene. And don’t get me wrong, cleaning your floors, bathroom, and kitchen especially helps in reducing the attractiveness of your home to these pests. But they usually can get in and establish an infestation even without an excessively dirty home. Cockroaches can hide on infested items and be brought inside that way. They can also enter your home via outdoor sources such as cracks and gaps in your home’s exterior walls. Even drains and sewer pipes can lead them into your home, or their wings if they’re attracted to the lights at night.
These insects are nocturnal. They prefer living and feeding in the dark, so a roach seen during the day is usually the first sign you’ll see of an infestation. Cockroaches hide in moist, dark places to breed. You’ll find them behind refrigerators, under sinks and stoves, as well as under floor drains and inside of appliances and drawers. And due to their shocking ability to almost completely flatten their body, you can also find them under rubber mats, behind wallpaper, and inside cracks in your walls.
Your home, unfortunately, is an ideal breeding ground for certain species of cockroaches. Species such as the German cockroaches, for example, can’t even exist outside of human settlements anymore. And they’re fast reproducing creatures. For everyone one you see, assume that there’s many more.
Fire Ants
Another familiar sight to people looking for Bloomingdale pest control, the fire ant. This non-native species of ant is black and red in coloration, and about five millimeters long. But in the U.S., there are many species of ant simply known as “red ants” for ease of identification among regular people. However, the fire ant is the most commonly known of the red ants.
They often nest in soil and other moist environments such as irrigated lawns and edges of riverbanks and ponds. These galleries are traveled by many ants, mostly in the mind to keep colony breeding running smoothly and moving larvae between the tunnels. A colony like one of these may contain multiple queens, sprawl out for a shocking distance underground, and contain thousands of ants. The ants feed on seeds, young plants, and small insects such as crickets. They’ve even been known to attack and capture small animals, biting them with their jaws to keep them still while stinging them.
What really sets about red imported fire ants, though, is their behavior and bites. When provoked, these are vicious insects. Their bite is similar to the sensation of being touched by a lit match. And when the ants grab you, they hold onto their victims with their jaws and use their stinger to repeatedly deliver their venom. Most people experience pain and red bumps, though a few individuals are allergic to the red imported fire ant and may experience a severe reaction. Emergency services should be contacted immediately if a sting victim experiences nausea, headache, or difficulty breathing.
Biting Flies
As a homeowner in the Tampa area, I’d be shocked if you haven’t considered Bloomingdale pest control at least once on this front. Biting flies love the sunshine state, and peak in numbers I haven’t seen anywhere else in my life. There are several species of biting fly that plague the state as well.
For instance, the deer and horse flies are aggressive, closely related flying pests. The females of these species are the biters, and they prefer to do it in the daytime. Many people find themselves allergic to the anticoagulant that they inject into the bite. Sometimes, the bite becomes infectious, as these flies are known to transmit disease between animals and humans.
Horseflies are like flying tanks. With a wingspan of two and a half inches, I understand the intimidation factor that comes with these pests. But of the two, the deer fly is a much more prolific biter of humans. Smaller than horse flies and usually yellow in coloration, deer fly are usually only about a third of an inch long with transparent wings. Their coloration is actually similar to those found in honey bees. They like to attack the neck and head, so the best way to prevent their bites is to cover both.
Sandfly
As a quick aside, the sandfly or “no-see-ums” is another prolific biter of humans in the Tampa area.
They have a piercing mouthpiece that drinks blood. They range in size between 1.5 to 3.5 mm in length. Sandflies are hairy with stilt-like legs and big black eyes. They do not look at all like common house flies.
The female sandfly is the one that bites humans because the blood helps them produce eggs. They also like to eat sweet plant juices and secretions. They do not fly well in the wind. So, if you are outside and have electricity, put a fan near you. They prefer to feed at dusk and during the night when humidity builds.
Bloomingdale Pest Control: Call Today!
If you’re looking to deal with a pest problem in central Florida, give us a call! We’re a natural pest control company with years of experience serving the area, and will make sure you’re one hundred percent satisfied with our service. Feel free to contact us online or over the phone at 1-800-634-1313.
