TERMITES SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES

 

                Subterranean Termites are social insects that live in colonies consisting of many individuals.  The colonies are composed of workers, soldiers, and reproductives.  The workers are very small, 1/8^th of an inch, have not wings, are white to cream colored and very numerous.  Soldiers defend the colony against insects, like ants, that can attack the colony.  Soldiers are wingless and white in color with large brown heads.  King and Queen Termites perform the reproductive functions of the colony.  They are dark brown to black in color.

Subterranean Termites, as the name suggests, live in the soil, in most cases.  Subterranean Termites are an important part of our environment.  In a natural setting, this type of termite recycles dead trees back into the soil.  Without the termite, our forests would be littered with dead trees as wood "rot" cannot break the dead trees down fast enough.  The termite sees the wood in your home as just another food source.   If the wood of your home does not contact the soil, they can build mud tunnels or tubes to reach the wood several feet above the ground.   These mud tunnels can extend for 50-60 feet to reach wood and often enter a structure through expansion joints in concrete slabs or where utilities enter the home.  The main portion of the termite colony stays in the ground and the foraging worker termites come into a home through cracks in the concrete, as small as 1/64^th of an inch, a dimes width.  Once inside, they will eat the wood and bring it back to the nest in the ground as food to the termites remaining in the colony.

            Subterranean termites feed on wood or other items that contain cellulose, such as paper, fiberboard, and some fabrics derived from cotton or plant fibers.  Subterranean Termites are often difficult to detect.  Detection can be from the presence of winged reproductives, mud tubes on the sides of your home, or seeing wood damage.

            The control of subterranean termites is often a major expense and like any other household expense should be carefully considered.  An important point to remember is that Subterranean Termites work SLOWLY!  There are many variables when considering how fast or slow a termite colony will damage a home.  A small colony can typically eat six inches of a wooden 2X4 board in one year.  You do not need to rush into an agreement with a firm before you thoroughly investigate what are all your alternatives. 

Collier Pest Control, Southwest Florida's Pest Authority, can control all types of termites for you economically.  Let our experienced termite Inspector come and evaluate if you have a termite problem or some other form of damage.  If it is termites, we can offer to you different types of service to correct the infestation.  Collier Pest Control offers long term protection  with our in ground termite baiting systems if you plan to keep you home, or traditional liquid treatments for a 5 or 7 year protection. 

            If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or Southwest Florida and think you may have Termites or want a FREE termite home inspection call 239-455-4300, Collier Pest Control for any of our FREE TERMITE INSPECTION and a complete explanation and free estimate on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com. Don't let unwanted guests spoil your beautiful Southwest Florida lifestyle.  Remember, Florida does not have to be shared with insects!

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BEES-WASPS PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

BEES AND WASPS

THE HONEY BEE

                Honey Bees get their name from the sweet yellowish to brownish fluid they make from the nectar of flowers and use as food.  Honey Bees not only provide honey and wax, but as pollinators are of far greater importance.  They are responsible for a large share of insect stings, although many stings blamed on bees are actually done by yellowjackets.  More people die of allergic reaction to Bee stings than of rattle snake bites each year.  Bees can only sting you once.  When stinging them pull away and leave the back half of their abdomen, with the poison sack and the stinger imbedded in your skin.  This action kills s the insect that stung you.  This poison sack can continue to inject poison into your body for a few minutes after the sting.  They are best controlled at night using dusts and contact sprays.  Queen Bees lay as many as 1,500 to 2000 eggs per day, and may live as long as 5 years.  Worker Bees only live 5 to 7 weeks in the summer and shorter during the winter.

THE PAPER WASP

The Paper Wasp gets its name from the paper like material of which they construct their nests.  This wasp is recognized by its 5/8 to3/4 inch brownish to black bodies with yellow or red markings.  The Paper Wasps hang their comb nests under twigs and branches of trees and shrubs which can cause concern when ornamental shrubs and hedges are trimmed or fruit is being picked form trees.  They also like to hang their nests from porch ceilings, the top member of window and door frames, soffits, eaves, attic rafters, deck floor joists and railings, play ground equipment, almost any protected place imaginable.  If the nest is contacted or disturbed, the Paper Wasps on the nest at the time will defend the nest vigorously and the offender of the nest will probably get stung.  If in a breeze or wind when the Paper Wasps get disturbed, stand still and the wasps will fly around but will not follow you.  If you run the vacuum of wind from your movement will lead the wasps to you and you will get stung.  These wasps are beneficial insects by helping to control many types of insect pests.  If you need to control these wasps, it is essential that you control and kill the adults early in the morning or at night when all the wasps will be tending to the nest, then remove the nest.

THE MUDD DOBBER WASP

 

            The Mudd Dobber Wasp gets its name from the fact that they construct their next of mud.  They are typically a nuisance pest, building their mud nests on sheltered sites like eaves, porch ceilings, garages, sheds, barns, open attic, or any protected wall or structure.  The Mudd Dobber Wasp is recognized by its 1/2 to 1 inch very slender metallic black body.  The nest looks like a clump of mud stuck on to the side of a structure and as the young adult Mudd Dobbers emerge from the nest they leave small holes in the nest, showing the nest is old or inactive. The Mudd Dobber Wasp does not defend their nests, and only rarely sting.  These wasps are beneficial insects and help control spiders.  If control is needed, first treat and control the female Mudd Dobber Wasp and then remove the nest from the structure with a putty knife or scraper.  Activity can be discouraged in a given area by an application of a microencapsulated material on the structure. 

THE CICADA KILLER

                The Cicada Killer Wasp gets its name from the fact it hunts and puts a cicada in each of its nests as food for its young (larva).  The Cicada Killer is an ominous looking wasp that flies around homes and business in the spring and early summer being a nuisance.  Many people think this is a very large Yellowjacket.  This large wasp is recognized by measuring about 1 and 5/8 inch long and with a rusty to black color with yellowish markings on its abdomen.  It is also recognized by the large holes it borrows into the ground to lay its eggs.  Typically they use bare ground as nesting sites.  Each Cicada Killer digs a single borrow, then locates a cicada, stings it, and brings the paralyzed cicada back to the burrow.  One or 2 cicadas may be placed in each burrow and an egg is deposited on one of the cicadas.  The wasp larva feeds on the paralyzed cicada.  These large dangerous looking wasps, generally the females will not sing unless handled or stepped on, males will buzz people but cannot sting.  These insects are beneficial by helping control the cicada population.  If the Cicada Killer Wasp become too much of a nuisance, cover as much of the bare ground around your home or business or we can treat the bare ground area with limited effect over the nesting period.

                If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control, Southwest Florida's Pest Authority, for a full explanation about bees, wasps or on any of our services or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Remember Florida does not have to be shared with insects.

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ANTS GHOST ANTS PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

GHOST ANTS

          The Ghost Ant has become the number one pest ant found in Southwest Florida. This ant is identified by the worker ants running erratically and rapidly on a set trail that can be traced back to the nest.  They are very tiny, about 1/32 of an inch long, and derives its name from the fact that it is very difficult to see.  The head and thorax of the Ghost Ant is dark in color and the abdomen and legs are very pale.  This forces a person to look very closely at surfaces just to see the workers moving about.  They will create trails from just a few ants to hundreds. 

                These trails can usually be located along building foundations and up the walls outdoors.  Ghost ants will readily trail down branches of trees and shrubs into the structure, and through cracks around eaves and soffits.  The Ghost Ant's primary habitat is outdoors.  They will nest in the soil, dead tree limbs, under stones, and in hollow cavities of plants.  Inside, the Ghost Ant will nest inside wall voids, behind base boards, and under cabinets. 

                Each Ghost Ant colony is moderate in size, with thousands of workers and numerous reproductive queens.  New colonies are started by "budding" where one or more reproductive queens, together with workers and brood (larvae and pupae), move away from the original colony. 

                The worker Ghost Ant is very fond of honeydew secreted by aphids, but will also feed upon live and dead insects.  Moisture is a limiting factor in the survival of Ghost Ants. They have a very high need for moisture. 

                Conditions which result in excess moisture such as poor drainage or plumbing leaks should be corrected.  If possible, a vegetation free border should be installed around the foundation.  Branches of trees and shrubs which touch the structure should be trimmed back.  Successful control of the Ghost Ant depends upon the ability to locate the foraging ants and  the nest sites.  The liberal use of bait in proper locations works well when combined with an exterior power spray treatment.  The Ghost Ant can often be controlled within a few days.

                Don't let insect change your lifestyle in beautiful Southwest Florida.  If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or anywhere in Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control today for a complete explanation and free estimate on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Remember, Florida does not have to be shared with insects!

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ROACHES AUSTRIALIAN COCKROACHES PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

THE AUSTRIALIAN COCKROACH

            The Australian Cockroach is one of the most common large roaches seen here in Southwest Florida.  The Australian Cockroach is identified by its bat shaped markings on its pronotum (the area behind the head) , the light markings on the outer edge at the top of the wings, its brown coloring, rounded wing tips, and grows to a length of 1 1/4 inches.  This roach is primarily an outdoor pest feeding upon plant and decaying organic matter.  If it invades a structure it will feed upon varieties of starchy materials. 

            The female Australian Cockroach can produce an egg capsule containing up to 15 eggs as fast as every 10 days.

            Collier Pest Control, Southwest Florida's Pest Authority, can control these pests with our "Collier Complete" pest control service.  This service thoroughly treats all the cracks and crevices the inside of your home and completes the service with a broadcast spraying of the eaves, soffits, flowerbeds, entry ways, and 5 to 10 feet around your home.

            If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or anywhere in Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control for a free estimate and a complete explanation on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Do not let unwanted guests spoil your beautiful Southwest Florida lifestyle.  Remember, Florida does not have to be shared with insects!

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TICKS BROWN DOG TICKS PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

TICK SERVICE

            Collier Pest Control is Southwest Florida's Pest Control Authority.  We are specialist's in general household pest and termite control. Our approach to tick control is not just with surface sprays.  Collier Pest Control developed a complete thorough Tick Treatment that treats your complete house and every place your pet is active; all the cracks and crevices, voids, windows and door casings, furniture, baseboards, and rugs.

                The Brown Dog Tick is the most common tick here in beautiful Southwest Florida.  The Brown Dog Tick does not vector any disease, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.  Ticks are a serious problem and can cause major health problems if allowed to infest your living area.  Ticks are not an insect and are closely related to the spider.  Adult ticks have 8 legs, insects only have 6 legs.  All ticks are parasitic and feed on the blood of animals.  Most ticks spend the majority of their life on or near the ground waiting for a suitable host to come attach themselves on.  Ticks will climb onto an appropriate object, such as a tall blade of grass, bush, fence post, side of a building to wait for a host to pass by. The Brown Dog Tick can live for as long as 200 days without a blood meal.

                The female Brown Dog Tick can lay a mass of 1000 to 3000 eggs. These eggs will hatch in 19 to 60 days into a 6 legged, small, immature seed tick. Within 3 to 6 days it will molt and change into an 8 legged nymph tick.  After a blood meal from a host, this nymph will molt in 12 to 29 days into an adult tick. 

                If you find a tick attached to you or a family member never just pull it off the skin.  A tick is easily removed by first touching the tick with a warm butter knife or alcohol to get it to remove its head from the skin. Then grab the tick and lift it off the skin.

                Don't be over whelmed with a tick infestation in your home. If you are looking for a dependable knowledgeable exterminator and live in Naples, Fort Myers, or Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control for a free estimate and a complete explanation on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Don't let unwanted guests spoil your beautiful Southwest Florida lifestyle.  Remember, Florida does not have to be shared with insects!

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ANTS PHARAOH ANTS PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

Pharaoh Ants

 

     If you have found out, you have Pharaoh Ants. This will give you a start on what to do about them.

     The first thing you need to know is Pharaoh ants have multiple queen colonies. Each colony can have as many as one hundred queens or more and up to one million workers, and there may be more than one colony around your home. This is the reason homeowners are unsuccessful in ridding their homes of these ants. Each time killing bait or chemical spray is used on trailing ants the problem is made worse. The queens that remain in the nest produce more eggs to rebuild the nest bigger than before to ensure proper care of the colony.

     Pharaoh ants enter your home or building by hitch hiking a ride in a box, furniture, grocery bag, or by walking in from next door. It usually takes three to four months to begin seeing worker ants foraging for food on your counters, and by this time the colony is becoming well established. Pharaoh ants will feed on a variety of food sources. These ants need protein, carbohydrates, and fat in their diet and can be seen eating anything from soap to cosmetics, chemicals, dead insects, and food crumbs we leave behind.

     The only effective method of controlling Pharaoh ants is using sterilizing bait followed up by killing bait. Traditional chemical or baiting methods will not eliminate Pharaoh ants. NONE!

     Collier Pest Control, Southwest Florida's Pest Authority, has developed a five week baiting program proven successful over many years to eliminate your home, or building of Pharaoh ants. This program utilizes sterilizing bait that halts egg production and stops larva from becoming adult worker ants. We then apply an appropriate killing bait to eliminate the thousands of worker ants in each colony. Finally, Collier Pest Control protects your home with our proven general household treatment method called "THE PRESCRIPTION TREATMENT SYSTEM".

     Don't suffer another day with these ants. If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or anywhere in Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control for a full explanation on Pharaoh Ants or any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com. Remember Florida home doesn't have to be shared with insects!

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BUGS IN OUR FOOD PEST CONTROL EXTERMINATOR BONITA SPRINGS NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

     STORED PANTRY & FOOD PRODUCT PEST 

                        Collier Pest Control is your Southwest Florida Pest Authority including Stored Food Product Pests.  There are several different types of Food Product Pests in Southwest Florida.  The most common are flour beetles, saw-toothed grain beetles, cigarette and drug store beetles, weevils, grain moths, Indian and Mediterranean flour moths, and psocids.

                Most of the Stored Food Product Pests in Florida can reproduce quickly all year. It is very unsettling to open a brand new package of something just to find it infested with insects.  How did they get into that package?  The answer is that they were in the package when the food product was processed at the factory.  Then when the age, humidity, and temperature of the food product get just right the insects hatch out. From the infested food packages, the pests may spread to other exposed food.

                These Food Product Pests are usually found living in dried fruit, spices, flour, bran,  dried vegetables, dried flowers, grains, milled cereal products, dried dog and cat food, nuts, candy, pasta, grits, cake mixes, and other similar processed dried or grain products.

                The first step in controlling Food Product Pests is to locate the source of the infestation.  All susceptible foods should be thoroughly inspected and infested items be discarded.  You need to take the time to go through the pantry and inspect those items in question. 

                Insects in infested foods may be killed by heat or cold if the item is of value and need to be saved.  Invested foods may be placed in an oven at 130 degrees for 30 minutes or into a freezer at 0 degrees for 4 days to kill live insects and their eggs.  If insects are out of the food package and active, you can vacuum or dry wipe up all insects and wash the area with warm soapy water. If insects reappear after you have inspected and discarded infested food items take the time to re-inspect and discard any new infested items and look for the source of the problem.

                The presence of Food Product Pests is not an indication of uncleanliness since the infestation of the food product was before you purchased the food product.

                If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control for a free estimate and a complete explanation on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Don't let unwanted guests spoil your beautiful Southwest Florida lifestyle.  Remember, Florida does not have to be shared with insects.

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