While new and stronger winter storms terrorize our neighbors up North, we’re enjoying slightly cooler temperatures – unfortunately, paired with unseasonably more frequent rain. Who knows what El Niño will bring in the coming months, but it’s already driving some of our least favorite insects into our homes and businesses.

The blessing of our subtropical temperate weather through the summer months is also the curse of having so many varied pests we have to deal with. Throughout this year we’ll bring you posts on several of the more common creepy crawlies we see across the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Today our topic is ants and cockroaches.

Is Roach Envy a Thing?

Let’s start off with a bang. The Department of Housing and Urban Development says 30% of us deal with at least one roach invasion per year. There are approximately 69 cockroach species that live and move around the continental United States. Of those, there are seven main species you can expect to find in your Florida home.

And, because this is Florida, a few are scarier than others.

Most Americans deal with roaches of a ‘standard’ size. German, Asian and brownbanded cockroaches are all between three-quarters of an inch and an inch long. Here in Florida, we also have ‘fancy’ roaches. American, Australian, brown, and smokybrown roaches that range from an inch to nearly 2 inches long – and often fly.

Cockroaches excel in warm, humid environments, which you might have noticed we have an abundance of here in Florida. And once they’re inside your home and have found food and a water source, they are not going to want to leave.

And in case you don’t know it already, roaches spread Salmonella and other diseases, leave a smelly, oily residue that ruins books, clothes and food, and shed allergens. Your best bet to avoid roaches in your home is to keep things clean. Wash, vacuum and sanitize, especially if you’ve seen a roach – one usually means a lot more.

Disgusting to Industrious

Ants may be small but they’re huge in Florida. From ghost ants to red biting fire ants, there’s almost no end to the variety of Formicidae we have in the Sunshine State.

There are four main ant species that get into your home, though: Big Headed Ants, White Footed Ants, Carpenter Ants, and Ghost Ants.

Big Headed Inside

It’s not hard to understand the thought that goes into naming Big Headed Ants, although technically, that only describes half of the species. The workers of the ant species Pheidole actually comes in two different sizes, and only one has a giant head, often larger than the rest of its body. But the name stuck. Big headed ants are “ecologically dominant,” meaning they take over and are not only a threat to your home and food supply, but also to other ants.

Big headed ants typically prefer to be outside, burrowing down into the ground, under concrete, asphalt and stones, which is how some of them end up in your house - via cracked foundations. The ants themselves are not a threat to your home but will grab crumbs, pet chow, and exposed food. They are very hard to eradicate since they form multiple and even super communities. If you find one nest, there are plenty more hidden from sight.

Carpenter ants are sometimes mistaken for termites (as are some big headed ants). They don’t eat wood, however, they just move it around. Their name comes from the fact that they burrow into wood, clearing out sections for nesting and egg laying.

Ants in Your Pant-ries

Ghost ants are some of the most annoying and hard to get rid of pests in your home. These invasive insects from Asia and Africa are called ghost ants due to their light tint and small size. They’re also sometimes referred to as sugar ants.

Not only do ghost ants invade your home, but once they find something sticky that appeals to them, they leave a metaphorical bread crumb trail for other ants to follow. And once they’re inside, they’re not just picking up stickiness off your counters and sinks, but digging into your pantry to find and contaminate new food sources.

Like big headed ants, white footed ants are named for their appearance. They primarily hang out outside in mulch, bushes, fallen leaves and around trees. While they don’t bite like fire ants, they can be annoying, especially once they’re in your house.

Because entry points can be cracks in the foundation or access to soffit and fascia from tree limbs, it can be difficult to pinpoint just where their nests are. And like ghost ants, once white footed ants find a food source, they’ll share it with the whole neighborhood.

Time to Break Free

While there are definitely ways for homeowners to prevent ants and roaches from entering their homes, getting them out after they’ve established a foothold is much more difficult. To truly and fully deal with the problem, you’ll need to hire a professional.

We highly recommend that everyone do a little spring cleaning, but the wisest homeowners take that one step further. Rather than calling Good News Pest Solutions to deal with an existing infestation, smart folks reach out ahead of time to prevent them.

Our most popular solution, Go Green Perimeter Plus does exactly what it promises – creating an invisible, environmentally safe perimeter around your home and keeping the creepy crawlies out. What’s more, it’s safe for your family and pets. For more details, or to get your very first inspection and treatment set up before 2024 gets any older, give us a call today!