Bugs!

One of the most asked questions about Florida living is “how do you cope with the bugs?” Yes, we do have an abundance of pests here. We have roaches, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, scorpions and many other undesirable critters sharing the state with us.

That doesn’t mean that they have to be in our homes.

The best means of keeping your house bug free is to prevent the pests from getting in. Do a close visual inspection of the exterior of your house. Make sure that there are no cracks or openings for insects to squeeze through. Check under and around windows and doors for any openings. Use a good grade of calk to seal up the house.

Keep plants and shrubs at least six inches away from the house, more if possible. Make sure no tree or bush touches your roof. Ants and other bugs will use the stems and branches of plants as a super highway into your house.

I don’t spray insecticide inside the house; I spray a three feet wide swath the whole way around the exterior. The bugs are killed before they have a chance to get inside. I also spray an area in the garage about four feet back from the door. The pests will enter as you pull in or out of the garage. A good sized area of pesticide on the garage floor will kill just about all crawling intruders.

Some Floridians will leave their garage doors open all day; I have even noticed some doors open all night as well. This seems like a bad idea any way you look at it. Not only does it give bugs, snakes and other insect pests access to the garage, it does the same for any human pest or bad guy. Sure we have left our door open all day if doing work in or around the garage; we never leave it open unattended.

The best pesticide I have found is FMC Talstar P (Talstar One). It is a professional strength product that takes care of most bugs and critter that try to enter your home. Again, I spray the perimeter of the exterior of the house, about a three feet wide area. The product is also sprayed around the outside of all doors and windows. If I notice an active ant’s nest somewhere in the yard around the house, that area is also treated. This treatment is repeated every three months.

There are a variety of firms offering pest control. Some offer an ongoing service like described above; others will come to your home to respond to a particular problem. Make sure you call at least three firms before making a choice. Keep in mind there are good and bad companies out there.

When considering a move to Florida, keep in mind it is a tropical state and has a large insect population. After all, they were here long before we were. However, with diligence and care, the pesky critters can be kept out of your home.