We wish we could say yes, but the right answer is no!!
We get this question every year when the first cool morning hits. People step outside in Saint Augustine or Orlando or Longwood and feel that crisp breeze and figure the bugs must be gone. We wish that were true. Rodents and spiders and roaches and ants and termites and even bed bugs all make it through the winter here. A few household pests do die off, but most of them keep on living because Florida winters are not harsh and they are definitely not snowy. Consequently, pest activity never really slows down. But the real question is, where do pests go then? Do Pests Really Disappear in Florida Winters? Let’s figure this out together.
Pests Paradise in Florida
If you live here, you already know Florida has some incredible pest problems. And the worst part is – pests do not take a season off. They stick around for all four seasons and all twelve months of the year. Why? Because Florida ticks every box on a pest’s wish list. The weather is warm. The air is humid. Water is everywhere from the Gulf Coast to the Everglades to the canals around Fort Lauderdale. Then you have the beaches and the thick landscaping and the old historic buildings in places like St. Augustine and downtown Pensacola. Those older structures have plenty of cracks and gaps and hidden voids where pests love to settle in. Florida is actually a pest paradise!
Add in snowbird season when a wave of seasonal visitors rolls into Naples, Sarasota and Miami and you get even more luggage and more vehicles and more chances for a pest to hitch a ride. For a pest, Florida is actually a dream come true ‘place’.
Do Pests Really Disappear in Florida Winters?
No, they do not. A few pests slow down or die off but most of the ones we deal with here stay active. Some even get worse in winter because they move into your home. So, if you think the bugs are gone for the season, you might just be looking in the wrong place. Check your attic and your kitchen or your garage before you decide you are in the clear.
Winter Pests in Florida
We have already established that the winter season does not help that much in Florida. Household pests might die off but the stubborn ones are not getting anywhere; they are actually moving inside homes for food and shelter. There are plenty of bugs that make it to winter, but these are the four pests we get called about the most once the temperature drops:
1. Ants
Ants do not leave when it cools down. They move from one location to another. Fire ants dig deeper mounds in sunny spots and then pop right back up after a warm afternoon. Ghost ants and Argentine ants and carpenter ants head indoors looking for warmth, food and water. Kitchens, bathrooms and wall voids are their favorite spots. If you see a trail of ants on your counter in January, that is not a fluke. It is a colony that found a cozy home.
2. Rodents
Rats and mice love winter. When it gets chilly, even by Florida standards, they look for a warm, silent and safe place to nest. That means they can take shelter in your home and attic. Roof rats are a big deal around Orlando, Longwood and Sanford because they climb palm trees and power lines and slip into attics through tiny gaps. A mouse only needs a hole about the size of a dime. To avoid rodent activity around you, listen for scratching at night. Close the entry points. Watch for droppings and chewed wires. Rodents also chew wiring, which can be fire risk so do not ignore the signs.
3. Roaches
Roaches are indoor champions. German roaches live inside kitchens and bathrooms all year so winter changes nothing for them. American roaches (palmetto bugs) leave the cold and damp outdoors and slip inside through door gaps, drains and garage doors. Humidity never really settles in Miami or Fort Lauderdale, so roach numbers stay high there all winter. And one roach in winters means plenty more hiding nearby.
4. Spiders
Spiders get cozy in winter too. They follow their food. When insects come inside, spiders come in right behind them. Wolf spiders, cellar spiders and house spiders are common visitors. So are brown and black widows, who love quiet corners in garages and sheds and stacks of boxes and patio furniture. They are shy but a widow bite can make you really sick, so wear gloves when you dig through storage. Webs in the corners of a room tell you something is feeding them. You can also get rid of them by simply calling a local pest control company.
Why You Still See Pests in Florida Winters?
Because these are the pests that are resistant enough to survive the Florida winters and when get a chance, can move inside your homes & attics. Moreover, It comes down to a handful of simple reasons:
- The cold never really sticks. Hard freezes are rare in Florida and they do not last long. A chilly night slows a pest down but it does not wipe it out.
- They moved in with you. Pests are not gone. They just went where it is warm, and that is often your house.
- Termites are never out of the picture! Subterranean termites keep feeding underground all year, and drywood termites live inside the wood itself so cold air never touches them. Swarms may be seasonal but the damage is not.
- Bed bugs are homebodies. They live in mattresses, couches and ride in suitcases. Holiday travel and snowbird season mean more bags coming through your door.
- Holiday clutter gives them hiding spots. Cardboard boxes and decorations pulled out of the garage are perfect cover for roaches and spiders.
Winter Prevention Tips for Pests
We cannot stop winter pest’s surge but we can definitely follow some prevention tips – a few easy habits go a long way. Here are some of the tips we have figured out after serving years in pest control Florida and these can surely help you in avoiding pest:
· Seal the gaps
Check around doors, windows, pipes and the garage door. Use caulk and weather stripping. Stuff steel wool into any hole a rodent could squeeze through and then seal over it.
· Lock up the food
Keep pantry food and pet food in airtight containers. Wipe up crumbs and sticky spills every night.
· Fix leaks fast
Moisture pulls in roaches, ants and termites. Look under sinks and around water heaters and AC drain lines. Never leave a drainage without proper fixation.
· Trim back the greenery
Keep trees, shrubs and palm fronds off your roof and walls. Roof rats use them like a highway.
· Ditch the cardboard
Swap cardboard boxes in the garage and attic for plastic bins with tight lids.
· Take out the trash
Use bins with lids. Keep them away from the house.
· Inspect what you bring home
Check luggage and secondhand furniture before they come inside. That is how bed bugs sneak in.
· Book a winter inspection
An inspection can spot early signs you would never notice. Do not wait until you see one.
Dave’s Pest Control Florida
At Dave’s Pest Control, we know Florida pests inside and out. We know they never really clock out in winter. Our team will inspect your home, find what is hiding, and put together a plan that fits your place.
Call Dave’s Pest Control or book an inspection today and enjoy a pest safe winter!