When the temp drops below 60 degrees in Tampa Bay, household pests seek the warmth of your home. Pests such as cockroaches, ticks, and even silverfish can carry microbes that can make your family members sick. From allergic reactions to salmonella infection, household pests carry bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasitic worms, and other human pathogens.
The number one bug that will cause you to call for pest control service in southwest Florida is the dreaded cockroach. Roaches vomit and defecate on food. Disease is transmitted to humans when we eat food contaminated by roaches. Because cockroaches eat virtually anything, including rotting garbage, spills, crumbs, and fecal matter, their stomachs can harbor as many as 33 types of bacteria. This includes salmonella, e-coli, listeria, staphylococcus, and streptococcus. Certain species of cockroaches can cause allergies, especially in children.
Cockroaches are cold-blooded, which is why they are drawn into a cozy, warm home in winter. Some species prefer the comfort of certain rooms in your house:
Research to-date indicates coronavirus transmission requires a biological carrier such as saliva, fecal matter, or direct contact with virus-contaminated surfaces including the hands, eyes, nose, and mouth. While there isn’t any concrete evidence for cockroaches transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19, pest control in private and public spaces has always been a crucial part of prevention and control of any virus, and this includes eliminating possible transmission vectors such as cockroaches.
If your Florida home gets infiltrated by cockroaches this winter, partner with Drive-Bye Exterminators to assess your roach problem and develop a thorough eradication and prevention plan.
While silverfish are not known to carry disease the way roaches do, if they get into your food storage or prep areas, they can present a contamination danger. Silverfish travel through trash and stagnant water that can contain harmful bacteria, which they carry as they walk across surfaces in your home.
Masters at hiding (until you pull out a wine glass for a guest and find one sitting in it), these insidious creatures thrive in high-humidity environments. So, it’s no surprise even a Florida winter drives silverfish inside to seek water and warmth.
They sneak in through gaps in window frames or cracks in the foundation. Silverfish settle into areas such as kitchen counter corners, trash bins, drawers, and food storage areas as well as nooks and crannies in the bathroom.
Tiny and slim as they are, silverfish have a voracious appetite, especially for starches. This includes foods such as grains, flour, and cereal as well as fabric, paper, photos, and books. They will dive into your office supplies and anywhere you store cardboard boxes.
If you suspect an infestation of silverfish, it is quite difficult to get rid of them on you own. Our extermination professionals have expertise in eradicating silverfish.
Though not as active in winter, even in Florida, these blood-sucking pests are commonly brought into the home when you move plants indoors to avoid frost. For people and pets, tick bites can be painful, or unnoticeable until infection sets in. Three types of tick are known to carry serious diseases:
If you suspect a family member or a pet has been exposed to ticks, contact a pet control professional to assess your home for eggs.
At Drive-Bye Exterminators, we’ve built our award-winning Tampa Bay pest control company by serving our customers with honesty, excellence, and dependability. Call us today for a free pest control estimate. We also offer special rates for Active Duty and Retired Military.