Why Pests Love Florida

Why do pests love to call Florida home? The short answer: What’s not to like? Here are 7 reasons why pests love Florida.

#1: Warmth

Insects love warm weather. In cooler climates, insects tend to die off or go into hibernation. Florida’s moderate temps allow pest colonies to grow larger without pesky, below freezing temps, to stop them from multiplying. Warming global temps also allow populations of pests to expand, gain more strength and also move further north. For Asian subterranean termites and Formosan subterranean termites, this can mean that super colonies of several million members can destroy an entire structure in even less time than these voracious wood-eaters do at present. Concrete homes too are at risk as some species of termites go through the concrete in order to get to the wood. Ants love the warmth of the Florida soil for building networks of nests near your home. During cooler spells in Florida, pests love the warmth of your home, as well.

#2: Humidity

Subterranean termites love the humidity (especially in your attic) in Florida, as they need a water source to survive. Termites, ants, and cockroaches also love making Florida their home because humidity causes wood to get damp and damp wood makes it a lot easier to gain entry to your home. Mosquitoes, of course, depend on standing water and humidity to grow their young. Also, with temps rising, more strains of mosquitoes are likely to be able to move to Florida from other tropical environments. Often, travelers to Florida bring vector-borne diseases, such as Zika, with them from other places. The CDC speculated last year that they don’t know what kinds of new vector-borne diseases the US might be dealing with in the future based on 2005-2017 research that showed that vector-borne disease reporting tripled during the timespan of the study. Also, other flying and biting insects, such as the midges and gnats need humidity to grow their annoying populations.

#3: People

Some of Florida’s popularity is due to the area’s attraction as a travel destination or as a location to build a comfortable life, away from the cold weather and harsh winters that plague most of the rest of the country. With over six million residents in Florida, and the millions of travelers who come here on business or to enjoy its sun and fun vacation destinations, the more people, the merrier for cockroaches, ants, termites, mosquitoes, rodents, and other pests. You can always count on people to produce large amounts of trash. Ants love to call your trash home and so do cockroaches, who enjoy crawling through trash and then through your food. Rodents have coexisted around humans and their rubbish for so long, that it’s been reported that Norway rats no longer live in the wild but are dependent on humans for their survival.

#4: Vegetation

A wide variety of vegetation grows naturally and is cultivated in Florida. Gorgeous flowering plants and succulent lawns paint a picture of the American dream home. Keeping your landscaping and lawn in excellent shape requires a lot of work and attention to pests that like to feast on your hard work, such as mealy bugs, whiteflies, aphids, and other leaf-eating and root destroying pests. Additionally, vegetation not regularly attended to can make great hiding places for pests that might like to enter your home. Dense vegetation in shady parts of your yard make excellent resting places for mosquitoes during daytime hours.

#5: Food

Pests, such as ants and cockroaches, love places where people gather to eat, especially open-air eateries, sidewalk cafes and other dining venues where tourists, travelers, and transplants enjoy food outdoors. Florida abounds with places where crumbs left behind can be a huge celebration for ants foraging for food. Trash needs to be secured in airtight trash receptacles.

#6: Attractions

The beaches, the state parks, the botanical gardens, the fishing piers, any place humans have fun outside is a bonus for ants, cockroaches, mosquitoes and other pests. Most attractions feature some source of food and water, along with the broad spectrum of concession foods, such as popcorn, peanuts, and hot dogs. Some ants prefer greasy snacks and can find them readily at any overstuffed trash can they can find. Plus, some visitors don’t do a great job of cleaning up after themselves, so score again for the pests.  Your trash is their feast.

#7: Lots of Wood

In warmer climates, wood makes an excellent building material for homes. Actually, most homes and commercial structures contain some sort of wooden support beams or framing. Termites love the wood in your home and some, such as invasive subterranean termites, aren’t picky about what kind of wood they eat including boats, utility poles, and live trees. Termites infesting slash pines in Florida are cutting off the pines’ vascular systems and threatening extinction of some of Florida’s native species. Invasive termites are responsible for several live oaks toppling in the last hurricanes to affect Florida. These termites hollow out the massive one-hundred-year-old trees, leaving them too weak to withstand winds they’ve weathered well up until this point. Like you and those pests that love to call Florida home, Hulett is located here and has been fighting to keep your Florida home pest-free for over 51 years. Exclusive to Florida, family-owned and operated for three generations, Hulett’s commitment to excellence is second to none. When it comes to getting rid of pests that want to call your Florida home, their home – Just call Hulett!