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Florida Winter Pests   arrow

I know it’s August, and I know this may sound crazy if you live in Florida. But winter will be here soon. And I realize that “winter” in Florida doesn’t really mean much anymore. But even a slight drop in temperature can change the behaviors of particular insect and rodent species. That’s why today, we’re going to talk about Florida Winter Pests, some you should expect, and what to do to keep pests out of your home in general.

Florida Winter Pests: Overview

Florida is home to some of the largest insect populations in the nation. And not just outdoor insects, either. In fact, central Florida is the largest pest control market in the country. And there’s good reason for that. Florida has a hot, balmy weather pattern all year round. Even in the winter, the temperature only drops about ten degrees in most places. And when you combine that with swamps, low-lying woodlands, and shrubby coastlines, you can see why Florida winter pests are a real issue.

And in winter, the snowbirds flock down to Florida in the millions. Any state with that much of an influx would see an uptick in pest control issues. More people means more waste, more bed bugs, more rented rooms, and more human activity. All of these things lead to bug populations increasing.

And sure, some places like Jacksonville may have cold snaps where the temperature falls down to fifty degrees. But that only happens in the panhandle and northern parts of the state. Long gone are the days of frost on the ground outside in Tampa on winter mornings. So you combine mild weather, perfect pest ecosystems, and travel involving elderly people which tends to bring more issues like bed bugs, you can see how Florida winter pests are a real problem.

What pest species are a problem during Florida Winters?

And while a cold snap of fifty isn’t much, it’s still enough to send some bugs and rodents scampering for shelter. So let’s touch on some of the pests that may run into your home during those chilly evenings. We’ll start with one of the most famous and frequent Florida pests.

Cockroaches

In Florida, most homeowners will deal with a cockroach infestation at least once in their time living here. It’s a simple fact of life in the Sunshine State. There’s too much good, quality roach environment here for them not to be an issue. In Tampa, it’s estimated that at one time, thirty percent of houses have an active cockroach infestation. They were here first, and they’ll likely be here after we’re gone.

In Florida, there are two species you tend to run into. The first is the American Cockroach. These roaches are, to say the least, very startling to run into. They’re the largest home invading species in North America, averaging about two and a half inches in length but reaching to over an inch long sometimes. Not only that, but they can fly- and they’re attracted to light. In Florida, if you leave a kitchen window open at night, there’s a good chance one of these monsters can fly right in and smack you in the head!

The other species is, unfortunately, the most common home infesting insect in the roach family. And that’s the German cockroach.  They’re only medium sized for a cockroach, reaching about an inch in length most of the time. They’re also pale yellowish in color and have two parallel bands running down the length of their shell. The real kicker is the way the females reproduce. After mating once, these roaches can lay three hundred thousand eggs in their life and can get pregnant at any time! They hold the sperm of the male inside their bodies after that initial mating and can have offspring their entire life afterwards.

bed bugs

And with snowbirds, come bed bugs. Well, with any travel, bed bugs are a risk. But the snowbirds come down in such huge numbers that it’s almost a guarantee to have a large uptake in this Florida winter pest population.

Bed bugs are small, apple-seed-sized parasites that love to frequent hotels, motels, and connected housing like townhouses. They’re nocturnal parasites and live in places like electrical sockets and bedframes. You’ll find them coming out at night for a blood meal, which they take from sleeping human hosts.

If you get an infestation of bed bugs, contact a pest control specialist immediately. This isn’t an infestation you want to deal with on your own.

Florida Winter Pests: Pest Prevention Tips

For this article, let’s specifically touch on the two bugs we’ve already covered. With roaches, I think the answer is pretty obvious. This is a bug that needs access to two things primarily: food and water.

With the food, that’s going to come down mostly to cleaning. Don’t drop crumbs and ignore them in Florida. If the ants don’t find them, the roaches will! And make it harder for them to get food in the first place. Use reusable, air-tight containers to store your food instead of the plastic or cardboard packages they come in. On top of that, deal with any leaky pipes or water spillage in your home as well. Roaches can go for a very long time without food. Water? Less so!

Moving on to bed bugs, they’re a little more complicated. Look out for signs that they’ve fed on you at night. This can be anything from itchy marks on your leg that you can’t explain in the morning to blood streaks on your sheet from open wounds or moving bugs. And when you travel, make sure to stay at clean places that you inspect for bed bugs the moment you enter the room. All Florida winter pests are serious, but one that sucks your blood is just another level to me!

When you travel, use plastic suitcases and keep your clothes in air-tight plastic bags inside of them. That way, even if you do pick up a bug, you can inspect your clothes easily before coming inside, possibly preventing an infestation.