Tag: Animal Control Services

Cockroaches are one pest that receives very little sympathy from homeowners, business owners, and exterminators alike. While they are fascinating and unique pests, they are not very welcome anywhere they go. In today’s blog , we will talk a little bit about what cockroaches are, signs you may have them, and how to remove them from your property. For help removing cockroaches from your property, get in touch with one of our cockroach exterminators at Dave’s Pest Control today.

What are Cockroaches?

Cockroaches are notoriously difficult-to-get-rid-of pests that carry diseases and give nearly everyone the heebie-jeebies. They are a species that has been around for millions of years and has thousands of different varieties. Many of them are unobtrusive and have little to no effect on mankind. However, there are a few species that make their way into our homes and businesses and create problems. Here in Florida, we most commonly encounter Palmetto Bugs. Palmetto Bugs are in fact another name for the American Cockroach. Cockroaches excel at surviving in practically any conditions, which is what makes them so difficult to get rid of.

Signs You Need Cockroach Extermination

There are a few things that you can look for if you suspect that there are cockroaches in your home or business.

• Seeing a cockroach: Perhaps the most obvious sign that there are roaches on your property is seeing one. Cockroaches are nocturnal which means they are mainly out and about at nighttime. This means that if you spot one in the day time, you may have a serious roach infestation.
• Seeing droppings: Like many other pests, you would call an exterminator for, cockroaches leave behind droppings that make you aware of their presence. Droppings vary in size depending on the size of the roach. Cockroach Droppings can look as small as grains of pepper or be larger than coffee grounds and pellets.
• Roach Eggs: Roaches don’t lay individual eggs, they instead have something called oothecae. An oothecae, in essence, is a sack full of cockroach eggs. There can be anywhere between 10 and 50 eggs in each one and they are often found in areas that are not easily accessible.
• Odor: As the cockroach infestation goes untreated, it will create a stronger and stronger odor. If you notice a musty, unpleasant odor that is getting stronger, it could be a sign of roaches — or children’s laundry.

How to Remove Cockroaches From Your Property

At Dave’s Pest Control, our exterminators never recommend trying to deal with cockroaches on your own. Unfortunately, by the time most people notice they have a roach problem, it is too late to handle it without professional assistance. Additionally, cockroaches are incredibly difficult to exterminate. They are astonishingly adaptable and have the ability to withstand almost anything you can throw at them. In order to be certain that every roach is taken care of for good, you need the help of a professional exterminator.

If you see or suspect that your property is in need of cockroach control, don’t wait. Call our exterminators at Dave’s Pest Control and get a free estimate for your home.

Unfortunately, rats and mice can easily make their ways into homes through tiniest gaps. While rodents have an easier time calling a messy property home, they can set up shop in a wide variety of conditions.

In today’s blog, we will talk a little bit about what are rodents, their common types, signs you need rodent control, rodent infestation in homes, preventing them and how you can get rid of rodents.

What Are Rodents?

When we say “rodents”, we are mostly referring to rats and mice. However technically speaking, rodents can be chipmunks, hamsters, squirrels, and many more. The common rats and mice that make their way into people’s homes can carry disease, leave droppings throughout your home, make noise in the middle of the night, and be overall nuisances.

If you need help safely dealing with rodents on your property, be sure to contact an exterminator at Dave’s Pest Control today!

Common Rodents in Florida

Florida is home to a variety of rodents. Here are the most common types of rodents found in Florida.

1. Norway Rats

Also known as brown rats, these rodents are found throughout Florida, especially in urban areas. They are known for their burrowing habits and ability to thrive in human environments.

• Size: Up to 16 inches in length, including the tail
• Diet: Omnivores—they eat anything from garbage to grains
• Habitat: Sewers, basements, warehouses, and docks
• Interesting Fact: Norway rats are strong swimmers and can enter homes through sewer systems.

2. Roof Rats

Also called black rats, roof rats are common in Florida, especially along the coast. They are excellent climbers and are often found nesting in attics, trees, and palm fronds.

• Size: Around 13-18 inches long, including the tail
• Diet: Fruits, nuts, seeds, and bird eggs
• Habitat: Roofs, attics, and high places
• Interesting Fact: Roof rats are highly adaptable and are often found in citrus orchards and near agricultural areas in Florida.

3. Eastern Gray Squirrels

Eastern gray squirrel is known for its bushy tail and love of acorns is mostly found in parks of Florida.

• Size: 9-12 inches long, with a 7-10 inch tail
• Diet: Acorns, nuts, seeds, and sometimes insects
• Habitat: Hardwood forests, suburban areas, and urban parks
• Interesting Fact: Eastern gray squirrels bury nuts in the ground, which helps plant new trees when they forget where they hid them.

4. Cotton Rats

Cotton rats are more common in rural and agricultural areas of Florida.

• Size: 5-7 inches in body length, with a tail about half the body length
• Diet: Grasses, seeds, and other vegetation
• Habitat: Fields, farms, and grassy areas
• Interesting Fact: Cotton rats are an important food source for many predators, including hawks, owls, and snakes.

5. Beavers

Beavers are found in wetlands across northern Florida. These industrious rodents are known for building dams and creating small ponds, which benefit many other species.

• Size: Up to 3 feet long and weighing up to 60 pounds
• Diet: Bark, twigs, leaves, and aquatic plants
• Habitat: Wetlands, rivers, and ponds
• Interesting Fact: Beavers have large, orange teeth that never stop growing, allowing them to chew through tough tree trunks.

Common Signs of Rodents Infestations

Even if you don’t see rodents, there are still other signs that may suggest that rodents are in your home. It’s always wise to keep an eye out and call a rodent exterminator near you when you see any of the following signs.

Droppings

You may notice little round droppings under your sinks or in cabinets and cupboards. Rats and mice go wherever and whenever they’d like. So if there are rodents in your home, you will likely stumble upon droppings at some point.

Chewed Food Items

Rodents are scavengers. They may chew through thin plastic bags or other food containers in order to snack on the food in your home.

Chewed or Scratched Areas

You may have noticed chewed or scratched areas where rodents have tried to take shelter in your walls, cabinets, or other wood structures around the home.

Strange Pet Behaviors

If you have a cat or dog, sometimes they know the rodents are there before you do. They may sit and stare intently at one location for hours on end. This can serve as a sign of rodent in your home.

Urine Smell

In some cases, you will smell the rodents before you ever leave them. Over time, a urine smell starts to develop if the rodents go unnoticed.

Scratching/Rustling Noises

Mice and rats aren’t always quiet. In many cases you can hear them scratching are rustling things around your home or in the walls.

Common Problems Caused by Rodents

Rodents are not being removed because they look creepy. There are a lot of other problems caused by them that residents of Florida want to get rid of.

Property Damage:

Rats and mice chew through walls, insulation, and electrical wiring, which lead to costly repairs.

Food Contamination:

Rodents contaminate food with their droppings and urine potentially spreading diseases like salmonella and leptospirosis.

Disease Transmission:

Some rodents carry diseases like hantavirus, plague, and rat-bite fever, which can be transmitted to humans through direct contact or through fleas and ticks.

How to Prevent Rodent Infestations in Florida

Rodent infestations can be prevent through several ways, lets discuss:

Seal Entry Points:

Rats and mice can enter your homes through tiny holes, insulation pipes or cracks. Seal any gaps around doors, windows, and pipes.

Eliminate Food Sources:

Store food in airtight containers, and keep garbage in sealed bins as rodents attract towards food.

Clean Regularly:

Remove food scraps and clutter from your home or yards.

If you suspect a rodent infestation, you should instantly contact a pest control professional to remove the infestations and prevent them from coming back.

How to Exterminate Rodents

There are common rodent control methods that many people use like mouse traps, glue traps, bait boxes, and more. These methods work well for some people, but it never hurts to work with an exterminator — especially if you have a more serious infestation. Contact the exterminators at Dave’s Pest Control today for rodent control in Florida!

Most people have heard of termites before, but not many know much more beyond the fact that they have a propensity for eating wood. Unfortunately, having termites can become a serious problem very quickly if they aren’t taken care of right away. If left untreated, they can compromise the foundation of your home, weaken major load-bearing structures, and create a very unsafe environment for you to live.

In today’s blog at Dave’s Pest Control, we talk a little bit about what termites are, how to spot them, and how to get rid of them. If you suspect that you may have a termite problem, be sure to contact our exterminators right away.

What Are Termites?

Termites are tiny little creatures with six legs that feed on the cellulose found in wood. Termites live in colonies similar to ants, but they have a different look than ants do. Ants have multiple distinguishable sections of their bodies where termites don’t have quite the same separation. Additionally, termites often have a whitish transparent color to them and make an effort to go undetected.

It’s important that you reach out to an exterminator as soon as possible if you believe that you have termites on your property.

Common Signs You Need Termite Control

Just because termites don’t always want to be found doesn’t mean that they don’t leave signs behind. Sometimes, there are more obvious signs like when you see them with your own eyes. Some types of termites can fly and can be seen flying around your property in small swarms. Additionally, termites have a similar appearance to ants. If you see tiny ant-like creatures that are lighter in color, appear to be white and somewhat transparent, and have a straight antenna, then you are looking at a termite rather than an ant. These are the few signs of termites which makes you feel worried and you should call a pest control to get rid of them.

Other more subtle signs of a termite infestation include:

• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
• Very small holes in drywall
• Very squeaky floorboards
• Termite droppings (appear as small piles of salt)
• Discarded wings
• Mud tubes

How To Get Rid Of Termites

There are common products that you can purchase that are specifically made to target termites. These products are made to be placed in the soil surrounding infested areas and the wood termites are in. For some people in some scenarios, these products work just fine. However, our team at Dave’s Pest Control always recommends calling an exterminator.

An exterminator is a professional who can ensure that all of the termites are gone for good and won’t come back. With something as dangerous and damaging as termites, though, do you really want to risk DIY pest control? Work with an exterminator to ensure that your termite problem is taken care of swiftly and completely.

Termite Exterminator Services at Dave’s Pest Control

At Dave’s Pest Control, we offer years of termite exterminator experience. All of our exterminators are well-trained and armed with multiple different solutions to tackle any pest control problem you have. Contact us at Dave’s Pest Control today and get a free estimate for the termite service of your home.

Depending on where you’re at and who you ask, you could point to the same exact bug and have two people call it two very different names: palmetto bug or cockroach. In today’s blog, our exterminator talks a little bit about palmetto bugs, how they differ from cockroaches, and other species palmetto bugs are falsely identified as. Many people are of the school of thought that they don’t care what type of bug it is and they just want it gone.

If this is the case for you, don’t hesitate to contact us at Dave’s Pest Control for our exterminator services. No matter where you are in southern or central Florida, we can help you get rid of roaches (or palmetto bugs) quickly and completely. 

Palmetto Bug vs German Cockroach

Palmetto Bug

Simply put, the palmetto bug is a roach, but a roach isn’t necessarily a palmetto bug. Much like a Kleenex is a tissue, but not every tissue is a Kleenex. The term palmetto bug is commonly used to identify any cockroach in the Southeastern United States. However, the palmetto bug is actually a species of cockroach. Cockroaches encompass thousands of species and palmetto bug is one specific species of pest. Palmetto bugs are technically the American Cockroach but got their nickname from the leaves of the palmetto tree where they live. 

Palmetto bugs are large roaches in comparison to many of their cockroach relatives. They are also generally dark brown in color, are winged, and have markings just behind their heads that are two colored circles that resemble sunglasses. Palmetto bugs generally prefer damp environments very different from inside most homes. It’s not unheard of for palmetto bugs to be in a home, but typically people have a problem with them outside their home around their property. If you have palmetto bugs in your home or on your property, contact our exterminators at Dave’s Pest Control today. 

The German Cockroach

The German cockroach is the most common cockroach that people find in their homes. Their ideal environment is a kitchen, bathroom, or any area where food is stored or prepared. They also can go from one or two cockroaches to an entire infestation very quickly. This is no only unsettling because of the fact that there are bugs in the home, but it is also dangerous because they carry many forms of diseases and can be very harmful to the residents’ health. Whether it’s a German cockroach or a different species, it’s a good idea to contact an exterminator sooner rather than later. If you spot any roaches or signs of any roaches in or around your home, contact our exterminator right away.

Dave’s Pest Control

We hope that you have found today’s blog post helpful and that you can more easily identify the difference between palmetto bugs and other cockroaches. Now you’re sure to impress everyone with your vast knowledge at your next social gathering! And as always, if you have any questions or need exterminator help, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Dave’s Pest Control.