If you’ve lived in the sunshine state for a while, you know how bad the bugs are! We have everything down here. There’s nothing that bugs love more than warm weather and moisture. And can you guess what we’ve got in droves? Both of those things, obviously! That’s why today, we’re going to talk about some of the worst indoor Florida pests, and what you can do if you’re infested.
Worst Indoor Florida Pests: Overview
Alright, today we’ll cover three of the worst offenders, and any subspecies that warrant special attention. After that, we’ll discuss a few prevention methods and what to do if all else fails. To start off, let’s talk about the most “popular” pest in America.
Cockroaches
That’s right, the cockroach. Down here in the Southlands they get big, too. But surprisingly enough, it’s not so much the big boys and the palmetto bugs you have to worry about. No sir, they’re not really infesters. If you see a giant roach in your house, it’s likely he got there by accident- drawn to the lights outside or something similar. No, it’s the medium-sized and smaller roaches that you really have to worry about.
This ancient pest has been on the planet in some capacity or other for over three hundred million years. And they can thank their notorious durability for that. In fact, it’s been theorized that they’d be the primary survivors of a nuclear apocalypses. With nearly five thousand species on the planet and seventy calling the U.S. home, you’ll likely have a run-in with this gross little thing at some point in your life as a homeowner.
In the natural world, these insects have more than their fair share of work to do. They function as decomposers, existing by feeding upon dead and dying plant matter, as well as dead animals. That’s why you find them so frequently in piles of logs or in old, dead trees. But once they become an indoor Florida pest, that’s where your problem begins. And there are one species that does most of the infesting.
German Cockroaches
An invasive species originally, German cockroaches can be found living and breeding indoors. They prefer humid spaces with water sources nearby and plenty of warmth, which is why they’re so prolific in the Southeast. They spread quickly, and reproduce even faster. They’re aggressive infesters, and the second they have a foothold in your home or business they’re going to start multiplying faster than rabbits. Let’s cover some ways you can identify then and more quickly diagnose your issues.
Roaches from this species are about one-eighth of an inch in length and get up to about half an inch long as an adult. They’re light brown in color and have two stripes just behind their head. They have wings, but cannot fly. German roaches are fast runners and have long antennae which are just slightly longer than the length of their bodies.
Bed Bugs
Up next we have a year-round source of consternation. That’s right, one of the very few insects that are completely weatherproof since they live inside. The bed bug. Honestly, among all of the indoor Florida pests, this is one of the most inconvenient to end up with. If you miss just one pregnant female bed bug, you can be reinfested with over three hundred adults in as short as three months. This really isn’t a pest to mess around with as a layman.
Bed bugs multiply quickly, and in just half a year a handful of them can turn into upwards of ten thousand or more. That’s why the second you see one in your home you need to start making the moves to get them out. For one, identify the pest. Bed bugs are small, but they can be seen with the naked eye. Once you catch a specimen many counties offer extension services that can positively identify the specimen. Treating your sleeping area with pesticides without confirmation of active bed bugs can lead to unnecessary pesticide exposure. This is 100% a pest you want to leave to the pros.
Bat Bugs?
While less of a common issue than the bed bug, this indoor Florida pest also needs treatment the second you find them in your home.
Unlike the common bed bug, however, bat bugs do not prefer to feed on human blood, though they will if need be. However, as their name suggests, their first choice of food is bat blood. There’s a good reason for this choice, too. Bat bugs cannot reproduce without their bat hosts.
Additionally, they’re most commonly found in the places bats like to roost, such as attics or chimneys. However, if the bats take off for a new home or die out, bat bugs will move downstairs and can show up in mattresses and beds.
Ants
And finally on our list of worse indoor Florida pests, the common ant. Sure, they may seem a little harmless at first. Just a few here and there, not even marching in a line or anything. But if you give them enough time, they will find food and water, and after that, they’ll likely establish a foothold in your home. Soon, you’ll have them marching single file to and from your pantry, raiding anything they can!
Mind you, most species that tend to infest a home aren’t that damaging. Little things like ghost ants and the like can simply be cleaned up around and they’ll eventually die out and move on. But species like the fire ant present a clear and present danger to your health. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and having a legion of them crawling and stinging on your skin! That’s why if you see more than a few of those little biters in your home at a time, the best thing to do is contact a natural pest control company A.S.A.P. Outside of that, make sure to keep your house clean and tightly secure any food, especially in your pantry. And that concludes our list of worst Indoor Florida pests!
