Category: Bug Control

Thanks to Florida’s warm, humid climate, gardening is possible all year round. It’s also the perfect environment for several nuisance pests to thrive, each of them with its own unique way of destroying stems, leaves, and other parts of plants. While some pests do their damage quietly, the results of their efforts are almost always visible. Here are some of the most common pests you’ll find in your Florida garden, and what you should do to remove them.

Aphids

Aphids attack almost any species of plant you have in your garden–an infestation is one of a gardener’s worst nightmares. If the leaves of your plants are turning brown and curled, it’s a good sign that aphids are nearby. 

Aphids transmit viruses as they feed on your plants, secreting a sticky substance called “honeydew.” In no time, the honeydew promotes the growth of sooty mold. It doesn’t take long for a small aphid colony to turn into a full-blown infestation, so taking immediate action and calling your local pest control experts is the best preventative measure you can take to protect your plants.

Cutworms

These damaging pests emerge from the soil at night to cut and eat seedlings and transplants at their base. As they cut new growth to the ground, they feed on the stem and leaves of the plants. The most common cutworm in South Florida is the black cutworm, and it poses a huge threat to vegetable gardens. These insects are most active in the early season when plants are tender. If you spot cutworm damage—like wilting at the top of your plants—reach out to your pest control experts immediately.

Whiteflies

Whiteflies are a widespread nuisance pest throughout South Florida, traveling from garden to garden and sucking the sap out of plants. Once whiteflies have established themselves in your yard, they’ll instantly start doing damage to your plants. If left unchecked, whiteflies can stunt plant growth and even kill the plants you’ve worked so hard to cultivate. 

Whiteflies are easy to spot, thanks to their bright color. Check under the leaves or near the top of plants and look for tiny white insects. You can also feel leaf surfaces for sticky honeydew—it’s a sign that whiteflies are nearby. A whitefly problem is hard to treat on your own. Service Choice of West Palm Beach provides innovative treatments that protect insects that are beneficial to your garden while naturally eradicating the pesky whitefly.

Service Choice of West Palm Beach Helps You Protect Your Garden

While some Florida insects are beneficial to your garden, many others aren’t. If your plants aren’t looking their best, despite all your hard work, an insect infestation could be to blame. Protect your garden by calling the pest control experts at Service Choice of West Palm Beach today. We’ll develop a treatment plan that allows beneficial insects to thrive while removing any pests that can damage your plants. Call us today at (561) 734-9269 for your free consultation!

Ghost Ants are an invasive species throughout Florida. While these resilient pests don’t sting or bite, they do pose a risk to your family, contaminating food sources and just about everything they touch. They’re also incredibly difficult to get rid of once they’ve moved in. These tiny, white ants appear and disappear quickly in your kitchen or bathroom, reproducing quickly nearly anywhere. Here’s how to keep Ghost Ants out of your house, and what you should do if you’re dealing with an active infestation.

Keep Your Landscaping Tidy

Ghost Ants often enter homes by climbing along tree and shrub branches that are in direct contact with the structure. Prevent an infestation by keeping your trees and shrubs neatly trimmed, ensuring no branches are touching your home. You should also remove all leaf litter and debris. If you store firewood outside, keep it at least 20 feet away, or more, from your home.

Block All Entry Points

While it’s difficult to seal every crack or hole in the house, spend some time looking for any gaps or cracks in your walls or foundation. You should pay special attention to areas around your kitchen since Ghost Ants are attracted to food sources and typically enter homes near the kitchen. Make sure areas around doors, frames, screens, and windows are tightly sealed, and that there are no cracks or crevices the ants could use to enter your home.

Eliminate Food Sources

A Ghost Ant’s typical food source is crumbs and spills in the kitchen. Eliminate all potential food sources by making sure to clean up spills immediately after they happen. You should also store food properly in airtight containers or bags. Be sure your pet’s food is properly stored, too, since Ghost Ants will happily feed on cat or dog food.

Use Natural Ant Deterrents

Even if you’ve blocked entry points of Ghost Ants, they can still find ways to get inside your home and wreak havoc in your kitchen. Consult with your local pest control experts at Service Choice of Ft. Lauderdale regarding natural ant repellents.

Items like cinnamon, curry powder, salt, and pepper can naturally deter Ghost Ants. You could also put a few drops of peppermint oil around the perimeter of your kitchen. Be careful, though, and always consult a pest control expert first since some of these methods may irritate the skin, mouth, nose, or eyes of children and pets. 

Eliminate and Prevent Ghost Ants With the Help of Service Choice

If ghost ants have set up camp in your home, the best way to deal with the problem is by relying on your pest control experts at Service Choice of Ft. Lauderdale. We’ll create a customized, natural treatment method to eliminate a current Ghost Ant infestation and ensure it never happens again. Call us today at (954) 568-9955 to schedule your free pest control inspection! 

Many nuisance pests thrive in South Florida thanks to the region’s unique hot and humid climate. Ants pose a significant problem for many South Florida homeowners—even in the cleanest of houses, it’s not unusual to find a trail of these tiny six-legged creatures marching along the floor, across countertops, or up walls.

The State of Florida is home to nearly 20 different ant species and identifying any ants living on your property is critical for effective elimination. While you should always consult with a pest control expert for the most accurate ant identification, here’s a brief guide to the most common types of ants in South Florida, so you know what type of infestation you’re dealing with:

• Argentine Ants: These ants are shiny, dark black, and very industrious. While they like to build nests near water sources beneath stones or boards, they can also live indoors in wall voids and insulation. Their sheer population size can cause chaos in any home—they reproduce rapidly and form interconnecting colonies that lead to massive infestations.
• Carpenter Ants: Often mistaken for termites, carpenter ants are common in South Florida. These dark black ants can grow to ½” in length, and they pose a danger to any household as they feed on the wood used in homes and other structures. If you’re dealing with heavy carpenter ant activity, it’s a good indication you have a moisture issue within your home.
• Fire Ants: Reddish-brown in color and growing up to ¼” in length, fire ants are aggressive and will attack any person or animal they deem a threat. You’ll often find them in South Florida yards living in dome-shaped nests that they vigilantly protect.
• Ghost Ants: These tiny ants are very common throughout South Florida and love to make themselves at home in your kitchen. Ranging from 1.3 to 1.5 millimeters long, these pesky ants can quickly contaminate food, and finding and removing a colony can be challenging.

Ants Are a Threat to Your Home, Family, and Pets

Ants put your property and family at risk, no matter what type of species has invaded your home or yard. When ants make their way indoors, they’re constantly searching for food, contaminating surfaces with bacteria as they travel through your home.

While all ants pose potential health hazards, there’s one species you have to worry about when it comes to biting—the fire ant. Although fire ants prefer living outdoors, they’re still a threat to your family and pets. Fire ant bites hurt, and their venom is strong enough to cause an allergic reaction that ranges from mild to severe. In short, no matter what type of ant species you’re dealing with inside your home or outside in your yard, you need to call in the pest control experts to handle the problem and keep your family safe.

Call Service Choice of South Florida at the First Sign of an Ant Infestation

Ants are resilient pests, and no matter the species, they reproduce fast. Rather than resorting to DIY ant control methods—and risking the health and safety of your family—call Service Choice of South Florida today at (954) 568-9955. Using family-friendly pest control methods, we’ll get your home and yard ant-free in no time.