Best Pest Control in Orlando, Florida

Florida’s year-round warm climate makes it particularly susceptible to invasive pests, especially in central-to southernmost areas like Orlando.

Insects, rodents, termites, and ants are all common threats to homes, as well as wildlife pests like armadillos, moles, bats, snakes, possums, squirrels, and raccoons.

As a homeowner, it is your duty to learn how to prevent these critters from breaching your walls and, in case they do, know which companies are best equipped to help you solve your problem.

Pests in Orlando, Florida

Every state has its own share of pests, some more threatening than others. Florida’s warm climate makes it a haven for insects, but there are many other critters that you need to keep an eye on as a homeowner.

Here is a list of Orlando’s most common pests and how to handle them:

Cockroaches

The typical Florida roach is the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). They tend to gather in damp forest areas, sewers, and in places where food is handled daily, like supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries.

Roaches don’t usually infest homes unless you are careless with your garbage (if bits of food fall on unreachable crevices, for example), or if you leave leftovers or dirty dishes unattended for long periods of time.

To prevent cockroaches from invading your home, you should keep your dining room and kitchen clean. Be mindful of where and how you dispose of your garbage, making sure that bags are well-sealed and unbroken, and that garbage canisters are tightly closed.

If your roach problem is small, you can solve it by buying traps or bug spray at any local store that sells household essentials. However, if the problem is serious, you’ll need to hire a professional to take care of the problem.  

Mice and rats

Similar to cockroaches, mice and rats are found in humid forest areas, sewers and in places where food is handled. They are mostly nocturnal mammals, and the most common species in Orlando are the roof rat (Rattus rattus) and the house mouse (Mus musculus).

Being omnivores, rats and mice will eat anything they get their claws on, from fruits to candy, and even dog or cat food. Rats and mice pose many threats to your home, your pets, and your family since they can transfer many diseases through their bite, feces, urine, or saliva.

Also, since rats can chew on wood and electrical wires, your property can suffer significant damage.

To prevent rats and mice from making your home theirs, it’s important to net, waterproof, and seal off any open holes or crevices or possible areas of entry.

If you already have rats in your home, it’s crucial to close these areas to prevent any more rodents from entering your home. You can then use natural sprays, poison, or snap traps on the now-isolated rodents, or you can opt to use cage traps to relocate them.

You should never use glue traps to get rid of these critters since this method is considered inhumane.

Ticks

Ticks love humid and warm environments, so it’s no surprise that they are found throughout Florida. Although ticks are a threat all year round, they are most prominent from October to June, lurking in places with mid to high amount of vegetation.

Just like rats and mice, ticks carry a variety of diseases harmful to humans and pets, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), and ehrlichiosis.

To prevent ticks from invading your home, you can take some simple precautions before doing outside activities.

Look for tick-effective insect repellents that use picaridin, DEET, or permethrin; tuck your clothing to avoid ticks latching onto your skin, avoid getting into deeply forested areas, and always check yourself and your pet for ticks after finishing your walk.

If ticks have infected your home, contact pest control as soon as possible.    

Wasps and bees

Just like every other pest, wasps and bees want to settle in areas with abundant food supplies: nectar for bees, and insects and honeydew for wasps.

Unfortunately, your well-kept backyard or garden fits that bill, so it’s only a matter of time before they find it and make it their home. Having bees fly around your home and garden collecting nectar and pollinating is not dangerous.

However, if they set their hives in your backyard, their territorial instincts become a threat to you and your loved ones, especially if they are allergic to bee or wasp stings.

Once bees or wasps settle in, their search for food might prompt them to squeeze through your windows or garage doors, especially if you leave fruits or sweets in your kitchen counter or living room. Additionally, some of these pests, like the paper wasp, prefer making their hives in windowpanes and house corners, which increases the risks of getting stung.  

To prevent bees and wasps from invading your home, it’s necessary to monitor your house’s surroundings and hinder any attempt of nest-building.

Additionally, you must prevent them from finding food sources inside your home by shutting doors, windows, and garbage bins tightly. If your property is already under bee and wasp invasion, call a trusted pest control company for help.  

Termites

One of the most threatening pests you can face as a homeowner in Orlando is termites. Florida’s humid weather makes it a perfect place for termites to flourish, so much so that there are three different species of termites in the state: dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termites.

The first two use wood as their home and food source, so you will find them wherever there is damp or dry wood respectively. Subterranean termites, on the other hand, prefer living underground and eat any dampened source of wood they find there.

They are the most common and most dangerous termite species in Florida since the quick and extensive growth of their colonies leads to massive property damages.

To prevent termites from eating your home, you need to take precautionary measures for all three species. For drywood termites, you need to keep all outside wood sources (chopped firewood, for example) distant from your home. You should also closely inspect the inside and outside of your house every few weeks to see if there are any sign of termite damage.

You need to check on any visible structure cracks or openings and close them completely. For dampwood and subterranean termites, you need to keep a close eye for decayed or dampened wood around or inside your home.

Keep all wooden sections of your home as dry as possible, especially your home’s foundation. It’s important to catch and solve termite problems in their early stages, but if the infestation is too advanced, seek professional help immediately.

Choosing Pest Control Companies in Orlando, Florida

When you’re choosing between pest control companies in Orlando, it’s essential to evaluate the different services they offer and make sure that they cover not only common pests but also wildlife that’s native to central Florida.

Also, the company’s pest management solutions should be tailored to Orlando’s warm climate, and they should offer continuous monitoring for your business or home, and provide detailed documentation of their services.

Also, be sure to verify that the company has a Florida Structural Pest Control Service business license with the Florida Department of Agriculture and that they have certified commercial applicator licenses for each license category in which their business is conducted.

Other agencies that offer licensing or certifications in Florida include the Florida Pest Management Association, Certified Pest Control Operators of Florida, Environmental Protection Agency, the American Mosquito Control Association, and the Better Business Bureau.