Pest infestations only get worse if you wait. If you currently need help with one, either visit our website at insectfree.com or call us at 1-800-634-1313 for a free consultation today!
I’ve lived in central Florida for a very long time. I was born in Brandon and have lived in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, and even Monroe counties. But no matter how much the state is changing, one thing stays constant: the bugs are everywhere! And if you live in Polk County, one of the few forested counties left in the state, you know that goes double. So today, we’ll touch on some of the pests you can expect to find in the county and when you should call the Polk County Exterminator for help.
Polk County Exterminator: Are the pests bad in Polk County?
Down here in the Central Florida swamp lands, there really aren’t a lot of places to go and expect to be bug-free. The closest you’ll get is the urban areas, but that just changes the diversity of pests. Instead of having a wide range of possibilities, you’ll end up with just more cockroaches and bedbugs.
But here in Polk County, thanks to the fields, farming, and intact nature, we have more pest species than you can shake a stick at. Because of this, we have a wide variety of pest insects that you have to be at least familiar with to be able to pick out and spot an infestation before it gets out of control. So today, we’ll touch on a few of the most common, the habits of their species, and what to look out for when it comes to an infestation.
Polk County Exterminator: Cockroaches
Now, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, but the roaches are bad out here in the sticks. We’ve got species from all around the world thanks to global trade and travel, and we are also home to the largest species in the continental United States. So, let’s touch on that first.
The American Cockroach
Let’s start with the bug often confused with the palmetto bug, the American Cockroach. Here in Polk County, this is probably the second most common species of roach you’ll find inside. You can recognize them in a couple of ways. For one, these pests have a ring of yellow around the base of their heads on their shells that forms a half-circle outline. Second are their wings, which are a species of roach capable of flight. And finally, these roaches are huge! Adult males can reach up to three inches in length and are a mahogany brown color.
While normally an outdoor insect, these roaches have no qualms about moving indoors when invited. They’re also attracted to lights, so it’s not uncommon to see them flying in through an open kitchen window if you have the light on. They’re clumsy, too, and will often fly into people on accident when trying to run away.
German Cockroaches
Up next is the German Cockroach, probably the most common species of home infesting insect in the world. In fact, it’s believed that this species no longer really exists in the wild. They’ve become exclusively human-adjacent pest. You can identify them from their pale yellow coloration with two parallel stripes that run down their shells.
The reason this pest is so bad when it comes to infesting homes is their breeding methods. A single female only needs to mate once in her life. After that, she stores the semen from the male and can use it to create a new batch of babies whenever she needs to. In fact, a single female German cockroach can have up to three hundred thousand offspring in her lifetime, which means one pregnant female in your home can lead to a full-blown infestation!
Signs of a cockroach infestation
Now, when it comes to a cockroach infestation that will have you running for a Polk County Exterminator, let’s talk about some of the signs you need to look out for.
Number one that you’ll usually run across is the droppings. Cockroach droppings look like grounds of coffee or pepper and will be found on kitchen counters, in the corners, or in drawers. The droppings can also be smeared by the cockroach as they walk, so droppings and smear marks are both signs of roach activity.
Molted skin is another telltale sign. As cockroaches grow, they molt between five and eight times before they become adults. If you have a roach problem, you’ll likely find shed skin around the home.
And obviously, living cockroaches. If you see a cockroach scampering around your home, especially if it happens regularly, there’s a good chance that you have a real infestation. They say for every one roach you see, there’s a lot more that you don’t.
Polk County Mosquitoes
In Florida, every single county in the state has a mosquito problem. And that’s no different in Polk County. During the winter, they’re mild enough, and going outside at night will only get you one or two bites, but during spring and summer, you can find yourself running from swarms of them.
Thankfully, Earth’s Best offers a mosquito surveying and control service called the Mosquito Smack!
Polk County Exterminator: What do I do if I have an infestation?
Well, the unfortunate truth is that pest infestations are not easy to take care of as an individual layman. The chemicals and techniques you need to use, combined with having to squeeze into small spaces to deal with the root of many pest problems, means you should leave it to a professional. In fact, improper application of pesticides on fast-breeding insects can lead to them mutating to gain resistance to the poison.
Instead, give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website insectfree.com, and fill out the popup form for a free consultation today. Let us show you why Earth’s Best natural pest management has been in business for three decades!
