One of the most destructive pests in the world are termites, and many homeowners unknowingly have them living within their walls. Often times they only discover them once severe damage has been done. Getting your home inspected regularly can mean saving money; the damage done by termites can empty your pockets compared to the cost of inspections, which are generally done for free by your Orlando pest control company.

If left untreated, termites can cause large amounts of damage costing an arm and a leg. Many homeowners underestimate the costs of damage done by termites, and often times if homeowners do discover termites, they may take matters into their own hands. Do it yourself pest control is not an effective method of getting rid of termites and you should consult your Orlando pest control company if you suspect termites. Compared to over the counter treatments, pest control companies have strong, safe and effective treatments that can guarantee the elimination of termites.

If you suspect or want to check for signs of termites before you call an Orlando pest control company, there are a few things you can do to check for an infestation. Check wooden areas for damage, and see if you notice hollow wood, sawdust, or termites themselves. A pest control company can inspect both the outside and inside of your home; you may not even notice termites just on visually scanning areas of your home.

Termite inspections should be done at least once a year, and if you do have termites, pest control companies typically offer around the year treatments that guarantee control of subterranean termites. Termites need warm, damp environments, so it’s important to check your home for leaky pipes both inside and out, remove wood and brush from around your home, avoid using mulch close to your home, seal your home’s’ foundation, clean gutters, and make sure your home is properly ventilated.

Pro-Staff Termite and Pest control offers free home inspections for termite and pest control to help you stay protected from bugs and pests. We offer the highest quality services in the industry by protecting your home year-round. Call us today at 407-292-7378 to learn more about our services and to schedule your free inspection.

You may cringe when you think of cockroaches, and you definitely don’t want to see them scatter throughout your kitchen when you turn on the lights. But have you ever wondered what this bug’s life is really like? Our Orlando pest control company came up with a few interesting facts that might make you think twice about pushing aside your pest control needs!

1. There are over 4000 species of cockroaches, but only about 25 of them are adapted to the human environment.

2. Cockroaches can go long periods of time without water or food. They also tend to seek out water more often than food.

3. Without their heads, cockroaches can live for weeks. They will eventually die of dehydration without it!

4. Roaches have a nerve connecting their head to their tail that helps them become alert if something comes from behind them.

5. Allergies and asthma can be caused by the droppings and skins off of the roach that can eventually become airborne.

6. Roaches have memory that enables them to be conditioned just like Pavlov trained dogs to salivate in response to a stimuli.

7. These pests can withstand temperatures as low as 32 degrees F! In colder places, they tend to go where humans are.

8. Adult cockroaches can squeeze into very tiny spaces, which allows them to get into just about anywhere! They can go through a space that’s about the thickness of a quarter!

9. Cockroaches are actually very social creatures. Roach families make decisions on shelter and food and create family living arrangements!

If roaches have begun to make living arrangements in your home, you might want to call the Orlando pest control company at Pro-Staff Termite and Pest Control. Our professional service and expertise will make sure these pests won’t be coming back. Call your Orlando pest control company today at 407-292-7378 to learn how we can help you get rid of unwanted pests and to keep them from coming back.

Making sure your home is ready to be put on the market to sell is a huge task, and often times comes with some bumps along the way. One of the most important things to look for before selling your home is pests and termites. Although it can be stressful, home inspections are a must and should be done in order to avoid losing money on a sale. Have a professional Orlando pest control company inspect your home to make sure buyers know exactly what to expect in your home.

If it’s a small problem, you may be able to eliminate it on your own. Some do-it-yourself products might help small areas, but you should still get a pest inspection to determine if there is more than just one isolated issue.

If you suspect there are pests in your home that you are not equipped to handle, call a professional. Cockroach infestations, termites and more should be handled by a professional to make sure they are completely taken care of.

If you don’t want to pay for a pest inspection, you may be able to talk with a buy about lowering the price of your home to cover costs. More than likely, the buyer will not pay an Orlando pest control company beforehand in addition to purchasing a home.

If problems are worse than expected, don’t try taking care of them yourself. There have been cases of DIY pest control projects that have injured people who didn’t have someone professionally handle them.

It’s important to make sure your real estate inspection is done by someone trained to look for termites and wood destroying organisms and fungi. Before you sell your home, call Pro-Staff Termite and Pest control, your Orlando pest control company at 407-292-7378.

Ants don’t have any trouble finding tiny cracks and spaces leading into your home, and certainly don’t mind helping themselves to your food. Regardless of whether you live on the 1st floor or the 10th floor of a building, ants can creep up anywhere they can find a food source. Before calling your pest control Orlando professionals, follow these steps to avoid ants from further reaching inside your home.

• A great place to start is to figure out where the ants are coming inside.If you notice any trails of ants, follow it to the sources, many times you will find a small crack or hole from which they are entering
• Sometimes they may enter through windows that aren’t completely sealed, doors or cracks near the foundation.
• Make sure to seal any spaces that may invite pests into your home.
• Pest control professionals can help eliminate an infestation of ants, but preventative measures are another key to keep them from coming back.
• Make it a habit to clean up after cooking and avoid leaving out food and crumbs whenever possible.
• Keeping your home clean is one of the most efficient ways to keep out all kinds of insects and rodents.
• If they can’t find a source of food, they will go somewhere else.
• Have a pest control professional help locate the nest.
• Killing the queen of the colony prevents them from introducing new ants and destroying the nest will help prevent those ants from coming inside your home.

If you’re having unwelcomed guests inside your home and you need help from a pest control Orlando professional, call Pro-Staff Termite & Pest Control. We are committed to providing you with the utmost quality customer and pest control services. Contact us at 407-292-7378 to learn more.

Maintaining a lush green lawn can be a great accomplishment for many homeowners, and watering your lawn can keep your lawn green and healthy between your professional lawn care Orlando treatments. More often than not do homeowners know how to efficiently water their lawn while saving water and money. Here are some tips to keep your lawn healthy, reduce disease and reinforce Orlando pest removal efforts.

Water your lawn during the right time. Lawn care treatments help fight disease and insects, but mold growth can occur if your lawn is watered during the late evening.The lawn will stay wet all night which can promote fungal growth. Watering your lawn early in the morning is the optimal time to avoid losing too much moisture from evaporation.

Deep-root water your lawn. If you only water the surface, your lawn may become susceptible to weed germination and disease. Watering your lawn enough so that the water penetrates the roots (about 6 inches into the soil) will reduce the number of times you will need to water it and is more efficient to encourage a healthy lawn.

Use a rain sensor. Sprinkler systems that are on during a rainstorm is wasteful and the sensor will turn off the sprinkler when it begins raining. If it looks like it will rain later on in the day, don’t turn on your sprinklers at all and let the rain work for you.

Adjust sprinklers to make sure you aren’t creating excess runoff. There’s no reason why your sprinklers are watering your driveway rather than your lawn. If there is still runoff when your sprinklers are targeting your lawn, wait a while to start watering again so the grass can absorb water, and continue watering as needed.

At Pro-Staff Termite and Pest Control, we regularly maintain your lawn to help enhance root growth and color and to protect your lawn from insects and disease. Our lawn care Orlando professionals can help you set up a treatment schedule that will keep your lawn in top condition. Call us at 407-292-7378 to learn more about our treatment options and Orlando pest removal and to schedule a free inspection and estimate.

Fall is quickly coming up, and is one of the most important times of the year for Orlando lawn treatment and lawn fertilization. The transition from fall to winter is a crucial point in which your lawn needs to be fertilized. During the months of August and September, rejuvenating your lawn from summer stress will make sure your lawn won’t suffer during and after the winter season.

But why is it so necessary to fertilize your lawn in the first place? Fall months require special fertilizer that should be applied in early fall to enhance root growth and color and recover from summer stresses that may include heat, drought, and disease. Even if the grass isn’t in need of food, proper lawn fertilization can help store carbohydrates that can help the grass resist stresses during winter. Late fall fertilization will also help provide your grass with the needed nutrients to help quicken spring green up while keeping increasing roots and helping better its color during the winter. During the months of December or January, many lawns, especially in Florida, will see continually active growth, which is another reason in which fall treatments promote winter survivability.

Providing treatment and protection for your winter lawn can also help fight disease and even insects. Having around the year treatment significantly helps your lawn from season-to-season rather than having only fall treatments or only spring treatments. It’s best to have a complete lawn care fertilization treatment schedule for the best results provided by a pest control Orlando company.

At Pro-Staff Termite and Pest Control, we provide the best results in Orlando lawn treatment. We strive to make sure your lawn is properly maintained and healthy and our treatment schedule is tailored to keep your lawn in shape throughout the year. Call us at 407-331-7378 to start scheduling your around the year lawn treatments for pests.

Do-it-yourself may sound like the ideal money saver when it comes to pest control in your Orlando home, but there are cases where you should leave your pest infestations to the professionals. There are several factors that may be involved when deciding to invest in an Orlando pest control company, including the amount and type of pest, threats to safety or health, and even property damage. The misuse of pest control products can damage your home or cause health hazards to you and your family, so it’s best leaving it to the pest control professionals to ensure that your infestations are properly taken care of.

Rodents: Rats and mice can be a health hazard in your home, and can lead to larger infestations if it isn’t taken care of right away. Rodents can carry and spread diseases that can pose a serious health hazard for you and your family, and if not properly taken care of by a pest control professional, can lead to severe health concerns.

Wasps or other Stinging Insects: Approximately half a million people go to the emergency room each year due to stinging insects. Those with allergies can be seriously at risk if there is any sign of stinging insects and nests around your home. They can even be dangerous to those who aren’t allergic if there is a large nest that could attack when threatened. These nests are best to be removed by a pest control professional.

Termites and other wood-boring insects: These pests can cause serious damage to your home if not taken care of by a pest control company. Termites are active all year round, and can destroy wood structures in and around your home. The four things that help termites survive are moisture, food, shelter, and favorable temperatures. A yearly termite inspection by a termite and Orlando pest control company can help maintain and prevent termites from invading your home.

Bed Bugs: Their subtleness can be taken care of by a professional who knows where to find them. Most DIY pest control done for bed bugs is highly ineffective, given that you must have a treatment plan to target all stages of the bed bug life cycle.
If you and your family are experiencing any type of pest infestations, it’s best to call Pro-Staff Termite and Pest Control, your leading experts on pest control in Orlando. Protect you and your loved ones by calling Pro-Staff at 407-292-PEST (7378) and schedule an appointment or fill out our free pest control evaluation form online.

Florida may not be your ideal winter wonderland, but winter in the Sunshine State can bring unwanted pests to your doorstep. Cockroaches, termites, wasps, mice, and rats are all active during winter, and with proper maintenance and help from an Orlando pest control company, you can prevent these pests from invading your home this winter.

Winter isn’t as prominent in Florida as it is in many parts of the United States, but the cold winter weather can still be a reason for pests to make your house their home. Cockroaches can be a health hazard to asthma sufferers and can harbor disease causing germs. Sanitation and cleanliness play critical roles in cockroach control, and you don’t want to take it for granted. Don’t leave any dishes in the sink, and keep your pantries, cupboards, and food storage bins clean. Fix water leaks and caulk or weather-strip cracks and openings in your home to avoid inviting roaches inside. They love warm, damp places such as bathrooms and kitchens so don’t be surprised if you see roaches under your sink, stove, or refrigerator.

Carpenter ants tend to create nests inside your home during the winter months. Although they do not eat wood, they chew through wood to create nesting areas and tunnels. Carpenter ants do not typically feed during the winter; however, they do feed on sources of sugar, such as soda, syrup, fruit, even pet food during the spring and summer months. To keep them from getting into your food, it’s best to find the nests early, or have a pest control company inspect your home. Wasps can also be an unwelcomed guest in your home; they tend to create nests in the crevices around your roof and attics, so you will want to make sure you take proper care in removing them from your home to prevent stinging swarms.

Rats and mice are warm-blooded animals, so they will seek shelter in warm, dry homes when temperatures drop. Rodent infestations are a huge health concern, and they should be dealt with by pest control companies. Signs of rodents taking residence in your home include gnaw marks or droppings. Rodents will seek free meals in your garbage can or opened food containers. Always provide your trashcan with a tight fitting lid to prevent mice or rats from making your food waste their next meal. Place food that doesn’t need refrigeration (including your pets’ food) in lidded containers; most signs of rodent infestations come from pantries and garages.

If any of these signs are familiar to you, call Pro-Staff Termite & Pest Control and we will evaluate your home for free. You don’t want to spend your winter worrying about unwelcomed pests and rodents. Take care of your Orlando pest and rodent control needs today by calling 407-331-PEST (7378).

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Pro-Staff Termite & Pest Control, Inc.
6211 Edgewater Dr. • Orlando, FL 32810 • 407-292-7378

Seminole County Office
2100 Ronald Reagan Blvd • Ste. 1024 • Longwood, FL 32750 • 407-331-7378

Web worms can be a nuisance for both you and your trees, and if left untreated, your trees could be made more susceptible to drought, disease, or other pests. During the year, there can be between one and four generations of web worms that could strike your landscape, potentially reducing the production of leaves, branches, fruits and nuts.

The fall web worm appears from late summer to early fall, typically disturbing almost 90 species of deciduous trees, and attacking many fruit and nut trees. This pest, if left untreated, can also heavily damage pecan production areas.

The insect overwinters (lives during the winter) as a pupa, while adults first appear in mid-June and throughout the summer. As a web worm grows, it enlarges its web by surrounding more of the foliage around it with web, which can contain caterpillars, partially eaten leaves, and even fecal droppings. Web worms typically construct their nests over the ends of tree branches, rather than closer to the trunk of the tree or in a crevice. Web worms can often cover entire branches of trees, leaving behind unsightly webs.

Natural enemies of the web worm typically help manage this pest, although you can help reduce its population by pruning the branches of the infested tree if the webs haven’t already become too large. However, be careful because pruning too many branches may affect the shape of the tree.

Although the immediate damage is insignificant, if enough generations of web worms attack and de-foliate trees, they can damage your Orlando lawn and landscape. Let our Orlando Pest Control Company get rid of the webs and web worms in your yard so that you don’t have to worry about the possibility of these pests returning. If you’re looking for a pest control company to get rid of pests on your property, contact us at 407-292-7378 in Orange County and 407-331-7378 in Seminole County.

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Pro-Staff Termite & Pest Control, Inc.
6211 Edgewater Dr. • Orlando, FL 32810 • 407-292-7378

Seminole County Office
2100 Ronald Reagan Blvd • Ste. 1024 • Longwood, FL 32750 • 407-331-7378

When we see a trail of ants or a nest of termites, we identify those insects as pests.  We know that we don’t like them, don’t want to deal with them, and don’t want them in our homes.  We might even refer to our younger siblings or a troublesome friend as a pest.  Let’s take a minute to actually visit what the definition and qualifications of a pest are.

A quick search in the dictionary shows a pest is one of three things.  They are as follows:

• an annoying or troublesome person, animal, or thing,
• an insect or other small animal that harms or destroys garden plants, trees, etc.,
• or a deadly epidemic disease.

If we refine our search in the context of what we normally consider a pest, we are presented with an important qualifying factor.  A pest is any organism that is detrimental to humans or human concerns.  A common similarity among pests is the harm they bring to the human way of life.  They are human competitors.  Pests create all kinds of problems for humans.  They can carry diseases, destroy crops, damage buildings, and even bite us.  Essentially, a pest is something that interferes with our activities in any way that we deem unwanted.

We often make the mistake of considering every insect a pest.  In fact, some insects act as pest control, removing the insects that actually cause damage.  An example of a good ‘pest’ is a lady beetle, or lady bug, which feeds on insects that damage lawns.  However, these helpful insects are not viewed as such in certain areas, like vineyards, where the lady beetles defensive compounds can ruin the wine.

A “pest” seems like it would be easily defined, but the term can be entirely subjective.  What one person views as a pest may not be the same for another.  In general, an insect that is uninvited and in your home can be considered a pest because it is an unwanted intruder.  No matter the situation, if you think you have pests, the professionals at Pro-Staff Pest Control can help you get rid of them.  Call us today at 407-292-7378 or fill out our free evaluation form online.

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Pro-Staff Termite & Pest Control, Inc.
6211 Edgewater Dr. • Orlando, FL 32810 • 407-292-7378

Seminole County Office
2100 Ronald Reagan Blvd • Ste. 1024 • Longwood, FL 32750 • 407-331-7378