How much does it cost to hire an exterminator?
Exterminators are usually hired by the month, but they can also be hired for one-time services. The cost of hiring an exterminator will depend on what type of service you need.
An average exterminator fee is $50 to $150 per hour.
How often do you need pest control in Florida?
Pest control is a process of removing pests from homes, businesses, and other structures to reduce the risk of pest infestation.
In Florida, pest control services are recommended for any home or business that has had previous contact with a termite or insect problem.
Depending on the severity of the issue, Florida Is a tropical environment routine pest services should be done every three months within the year in order to avoid problems.
This service is also highly recommended if you have pets because animals can bring in insects and other pests without your knowledge.
MOSQUITOS
HEALTH RISKS OF MOSQUITOS IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY FLORIDA 2021 BUG OFF PEST
Mosquito Bites: Everyone is at Risk!
November 6, 2021
Disease and mosquito-Bourne illnesses from viruses spread by mosquitoes are happening more often, including recent dengue outbreaks in many countries worldwide, the Zika epidemic (2015-2017), and the chikungunya epidemic (2013-2014). West Nile virus is the most common virus spread by mosquitoes in the continental United States. In the United States, people can also get sick from less common viruses spread by mosquitoes, like Eastern equine encephalitis or St. Louis encephalitis. From 2004 to 2018, most US cases of dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika were reported in US territories.
WAYS TO HELP PREVENT ILLNESSES
Use insect repellent: When used as directed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Use an (EPA)-registered insect repellentexternal icon with one of the following active ingredients:
DEET
Picaridin
IR3535
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Cover up: Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Keep mosquitoes outside: Use air conditioning or window and door screens. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MOSQUITO BITES AND PREVENTION.
Planning a trip?
Make a check list of everything you’ll need for an enjoyable vacation and use the following resources to help you prepare.
Learn about destination-specific health risks and recommendations by visiting CDC Travelers’ Health website.
Pack a travel health kit. Remember to pack insect repellent and use it as directed to prevent mosquito bites.
See a healthcare provider familiar with travel medicine, ideally 4 to 6 weeks before your trip.
Go to the Find a Clinic web page for help in finding a travel medicine clinic near you.
Do your homework before you travel
For most viruses spread by mosquitoes, no vaccines or specific medicines are available. However, vaccines are available for viruses like Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever. Travelers to areas with risk of those viruses should get vaccinated.
After traveling
Even if you do not feel sick, you should prevent mosquito bites for 3 weeks after your trip so you do not spread viruses like dengue, Zika, or chikungunya to uninfected mosquitoes.
If you have been travelling and have symptoms including fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash, see your healthcare provider immediately and be sure to share your travel history.
WHAT CAN STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES DO?
Build and maintain public health programs that test and track diseases and the mosquitoes that spread them.
Train vector control staff on five core competencies external icon for conducting prevention and control activities.
Educate the public about how public health agencies prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases in their communities.
WHAT IS CDC DOING?
Funds states and territories to detect and respond to infections from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas and report cases to CDC.
Partners with Charlotte County local and tribal health departments, industry, universities, and international groups to detect and respond to diseases from mosquitoes.
Supports five regional centers of excellence to address emerging diseases from mosquitoes and ticks.
Develops and improves laboratory and diagnostic tests for mosquito-borne diseases.
Educates the public about protecting themselves from mosquito bites and the viruses they spread.
Remember, everyone can help control mosquitoes. Take action to protect yourself, your family, and your community: use insect repellent, cover up, and keep mosquitoes outside.
ANTS IN A SUBTROPICAL ENVIRONMENT
There are many types of ants found in southwest Florida and controlled by Bug Off Pest.
Argentine Ant: The Argentine ant is ideally suited for urban areas with warm temperatures. It has adapted well to many urban landscape conditions, tolerating varying levels of water and food. Colonies are polygynous
Cubits
White-Footed Ant: When foraging, this ant will nest above the ground; opportunistically feeding on dead animals and man-made garbage. Colonies can rise to over a year old with over 5 individual ants per colony providing high rate of survivability.
White – Footed Ant: This is also knowns as Cowries And Mason Bees
Pyramid Ant: This is a highly adaptive species due to its ability to nest in cracks and crevices within buildings.
Widow Ant: Found on the ground it will parasitize small insects including mosquitoes and moths, especially during mating season if food sources are not available
Pavement Ants: This is another highly nomadic species that can be found in any “city” part of the world.Habitat often consists of lofts in buildings and under loose lumber, construction material or old tires.
Colony Size>
Ants are one of the most common insects that are found throughout Florida • Some sub-tropical areas may have larger ant communities than other states • Ant colonies can be divided into three different types: protected, exposed, dead/dying colony worker spreaders
Protected Colony Workers will go to where the
Thief Ant: Thief Ants are nest-makers, meaning they lay their eggs in the hundreds of different types of ant nests throughout the world. They are easily identified through their slender bodies, very small head size and long legs • This species of thief ants produce hundreds to thousands of eggs each year
• These insects do not build spools but instead they use adhesion pathways to hang on walls near windows where food sources usually associated with human activity present themselves -either fresh foods or household refuse , such as: sugar and syrup containers, cooking oil containers and old coffee cans
Defensive Behavior: Human disturbance sets off the ants’ alarm system. When prey is detected, thief ant workers enter into a defensive posture holding their antennae straight up in the air • Also known to secrete formic acid from glands on end of leg extensions for immobilizing potential predators
Scout Ants (Stegodyphus): This species is
Rover Ant:This ant species is often found in the high-rent districts of Mediterranean and subtropical areas. It requires a steadily humid climate, usually close to heat • This species has special proteinaceous hairs on its legs which make it an excellent climber; it climbs above any surfaces (even glass) without damaging them • The rover ants’ biggest goal: create their “territory” by aggressively chasing other nest -making ant colonies away from their food source .
Olfactory Communication: Though the bloat (a.k.a two-lobed bullhorn), this species attaches its head to food sources; using olfaction through special scent glands near their antennae, they track other ants’ trails based on human activity
• When denoting an area’s location or retrieving large quantities of nutrients , the rovers travel in a “chain” formation to aid in smoothly moving along pathways • Because of their forward-facing bodies, this species is able to efficiently move backward behind cover objects without losing track of its path home
Dawn Ants (Hymenoptera) There are two different dawn ant species in the Mediterranean area. The two have slightly different characteristics but both are rather common parasites found mostly hidden under components where humans put “good” food . While these ants get away with being inside human homes , it• These ants feed on: leaves, twigs and certain types of grains
Carpenter Ant: Carpenter ants are active mainly at night or during very cloudy days . These little creatures usually live indoors , inhabiting wood structures, cinder blocks and various other types nooks and crannies.
• The queen of the group will hold herself high in comparison to her soldiers ‘ body size
Pharao • Carpenter ants are capable of carrying materials greater than their bodies weight – meaning they produce the bulk of the colony’s nest.• They throw up barriers, often highly developed “towers” out of their hind legs . It• A characteristic rare to see with any ant species is that these one-ton behemoths possess a crown chest; where it connects on top. They excavate the wood in structures to create nesting areas, they will also take over an area where old termite damage exists for nesting. signs of carpenter ants in some cases may signify the existence of termites in a structure Carpenter ants do not consume the wood they create large colonies and can sometimes be difficult to control.
Acrobat Ant: Acrobat ants are an extremely large size class of ants, they are one-third – to half the length in comparison to others in their respective groups. They have very small heads with no mouths but two different kinds of mandibles lined up in rows on either side of the head
• Acrobat ant queens often project themselves out from behind objects or walls when she wants attention . Her form resembles that of a lighthouse (an elongated triangle) , however hers isn’t the only one that will do this. Her mandibles are semi translucent meaning their hairs are visible through them . Ducts extend from the joints where her antennae would be, connect with tubules which lead back to the abdomen over these ducts ,this allows for her to move around while she remains invisible
Acrobat ants live in extremely large colonies underneath carpenter ant structures and other buildings because of their ability to hide inside tight quarters but don’t like to live too close together or in open areas. Acrobat ants and carpenter ants will kill any other nests nearby forcing the workers from that nest into submission. Because of this aggression, all acrobatic ant colonies can be seen as a threat to others .
• The reason they have such large abdomens is because it allows for them to move without sticking out much : • Because of their extremely high volume glands ,they secrete anextremely powerful pheromone that makes a very strong ink . Pheromones are also used for mating and colony defense ,so the amount they use is highly important to their entire society. Their mandibles have been adapted from those of wasps as well as being much longer so it allows them to reach out from behind things at leisure
• What makes their legs different? • The facial features include two rows on each side, so many ants look like they are smiling. The face is covered with setae (which look like wispy hair.)
• These types of ants show how much can evolve in their colonies when under pressure • Strong communications occur between the females and the workers, who take care of their babies . Pheromone detection makes up for this all important communication because there would be no way to hear it if not for these over substances
Acrobat ants eat dead insects that have been discarded by other insects to ensure they are killed properly. The Mandibles of Acrobat ants also represent this fight for nutrition, as the mandibular glands expel pheromone to lure said prey closer ,while both sides engage in battle!
• Workers hunt different types of food • Vermin including small snails, crickets and mites will be eaten if nearby but because they eat dead waste.
Caribbean Crazy Ant: These ants are able to lift about 500 times their own weight, and jump at heights of 8-9 meters!! :: Caribbean crazy ant can’t see below 3 inches (10 cm) due to tiny eyes that themselves only span 1.5 millimeters in diameter. These ants use a type od echolocation when they search for scraps .Their heads become active when touched because electrical waves reverberate off the skin ,and this leads them to their potential prey or nearby food.
• Echolocation allows them to find whatever they are looking for • Size comparison: a male ant is about as long as a thumbnail, and the colonies have been known to reach immense sizes of up to 60 million individuals! The increase in population comes from many queen ants leaving other locations very close by at different times ,then finding this same area again after six weeks . When she finds it once more , she furthers her claim.
• These ants dance using clicks and vibes to communicate • Only found in the Caribbean, these ant colonies are so large they can be seen with the naked eye :: The worker larvae eat dead insects ,which is not related directly to survival rate because their life cycle usually ends once they reach adulthood (when eggs hatch), but it does help for long term development
• Using vibratory sound produced by thousands of tiny hairs, ants can locate prey * When comparing one species of ant , the big-headed worker bees are then twice as large as their smaller cousins . They are heavier too.
• They do this by vibrating two tiny hairs on their heads which change progressive amounts of sound until they detect a huge object ! • Their similarity to both an insect and nearsighted human being is uncanny! This means there are more kinds apart from actual eyesight involved!