Spring Bugs

Spring is almost here.  The tulips are starting to bloom while the orange blossoms make an appearance.  Bald Eagle chicks are starting to hatch and alligators are on the move looking for a little amor!  Even though spring in Florida is a beautiful time, it’s also a time of bugs. Lots and lots of bugs.

What can you expect?

Garden slugs, pavement ants, carpenter ants, mosquitoes, house ants, honey bees, wasps, fruit flies, house flies, and termites all make an appearance in the spring.  Many of these are coming out of their slow winter and are ready to start mating and producing offspring.  However, in order to do so, they must have lots to eat and a good place to take shelter.  They look to your house and garden to find a home and food.

One of the worst Florida pests is the biting Midge.  These are also called no-see-ums and in one case – the invisible vampire of the insect world.   Not only are they pests, they bite, they are very difficult to see and they don’t go away when you swat them.  It’s been said that Floridians know exactly when spring starts because they get surrounded by a swarm of biting midges.

What can you do?

When bugs get into the house, they are usually looking for shelter, food and water.  It’s important to put food away and clean up water sources.  Food should not only be put away, it’s important to keep the food containers sealed.  Even a little bit of honey dripping down the container can attract all kinds of unwanted pests.

Remember to take out your garbage in a timely manner, keep clutter picked up to reduce the spots bugs can hide and check for new openings in the house.  Inspect your window screens, check the seals on the doors and windows and look for any water leaks in the plumbing.

For bugs outside, garden slugs can be treated by using beer bait stations and other pests can be kept away simply by removing any debris and dead vegetation from your yard.  You also want to get rid of any standing water in your back yard.

For biting midges or fruit flies, you can use a vinegar/soap trap and set these traps around the house.  The midges are attracted by the strong vinegar smell, will fly into the water and drown.  If vinegar doesn’t work, a sugar/yeast mixture should.

If you start to see a more than just a bug or two, it’s important to react appropriately so you can nip the problem in the bud before it gets too large.