Last week a story was published in the Orlando Sentinel about German Cockroaches infesting Orange County Public Schools.

As soon as we heard the news, we connected with the District to offer our help and expertise to eliminate this problem as quickly as possible.  Several of our team members volunteered their time this past weekend to complete thorough inspections on 12 of the 22 schools with a reported infestation to find the source and determine a treatment plan to rid these schools of roaches.  Additionally, other team members are working evenings this week to inspect the final 10 schools.  Overall, in working with the District employees, we hope to have these schools completely reopened by early next week, if not sooner.

All of these services were offered free of charge and are truly a reflection of why at Massey, our team members truly do make a difference in our company and in our community!

A nationwide telephone survey of homeowners shows Florida is the worst state for bug problems, with Louisiana, Texas, California and Georgia close behind. The survey, conducted in June, shows a whopping 90 percent of homeowners said they have experienced an insect infestation of one kind or another. The most common invaders? Ants, termites and cockroaches.

While Florida placed No. 1 overall as the worst state for bugs, it also ranked third-worst for bed bugs, behind New York and California. The least amount of bug problems were reported in Washington, D.C. The next most favorable reports came from South Dakota, Connecticut, Idaho and New Hampshire.

The Zebra Longwing butterfly, Florida's official state "bug"

The top 10 buggiest states are:

1. Florida

2. Louisiana

3. Texas

4. California

5. Georgia

6. New York

7. Mississippi

8. Alabama

9. Missouri

10. South Carolina

Read more: Florida worst state for bugs

Fall is settling in and that can take on many meanings. Usually it’s cooler weather and crisper air (although Naples and South Florida probably won’t see temperatures below 80 this season).

But, in my opinion, the best part of Fall, no matter where you live is Halloween! Being a person in his mid 30′s, I get to take a step back in time and be a kid again. That’s because Halloween gives anyone an excuse to dress up and attend all the fun events designed to spook and scare us.

Funny part is, though, living here this time of year, getting a scare is as easy as a night trip down the hall in your home when you turn on the light and find a roach, spider or other creepy insect hanging out waiting for you. And, no, I don’t mean the plastic Halloween versions.

Personally, I’m used to this occurence, but when my friends and family come down from up North, it’s pretty clear they would prefer getting scared by a person in costume!

Take my uncle, for example, decked out in his usual day-glo track suit. He’s generally enough of a sight to elicit a good fright all on his own up North, but down here he’s known to come screaming like a banshee out of the bathroom at the slightest hint of a silverfish.

So for all the great things that Halloween and Fall bring – remember to watch out for those unexpected scares.

Trick or Treat and Happy Halloween!

Tips to prevent pests

Pest entry into homes increases during rainy months, especially when heavy rains flood a colony of pests outside causing them to seek shelter indoors. Some of the main avenues that ants, roaches and small insects take to get into your home are through small cracks, holes and tiny gaps around doors and windows. If left unsealed, pests can enter through these gaps at any time and attempt to locate a breeding place inside your home.

As a homeowner you can seal gaps through use of caulk or small patches of screen, steel wool or copper.  You should also look for large gaps in the eaves or around the siding and tiny gaps around weather stripping. Massey’s Pest Prevention Program is based upon sound integrated pest management principles of identifying the conditions, avenues and sources of pest infestations in order to successfully deal with any pest problem in or around your home.

In addition to keeping pests out, sealing your home can also reduce your energy bill considerably. The hot and humid, or cold air, can no longer get inside your home, making indoor temperatures more easily regulated.

To find out more about our Pest Prevention Program, get a Free Pest Inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Now that Spring has sprung and warmer weather is on it’s way, its good to prepare for an increase in pest activity around your home. Here are some tips to keep the pests on the outside of your home:

• Look for leaf litter that may have built up in the garage during the winter. Spiders love to hide in this kind of debris. Take an afternoon or weekend to clean up leaves behind stored items in your garage, back patio or shed.
• Ants are going to begin to build their colonies outside, make sure to prune all vegetation at least 6 to 12 inches away from your home to prevent them from getting inside.
  

  Tips to prevent pests this Spring

• Check seals around all of your doors. As doors age, grommets can be damaged or may shrink. Regular inspection, resealing and repair will go a long way toward preventing pest entry into your home. Seal all obvious gaps around your home.
• Clean up any food, crumbs or mold from around your dishwasher and compactor, under your sinks and around your home. This will prevent residues from attracting crawling pests or small flies.
• Inspect your air conditioner and replace the filter. Make sure your system is regularly maintained and is prepared to handle the increasing temperatures.
• If you feed pets outside, bring the food inside until next winter to prevent attracting roaches and ants. If you must feed them outside, bring everything in at the end of the day, clean up the area and place fresh food out the next morning.

If you have any questions, schedule a Free Inspection, or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Cockroaches

originated from equatorial regions and have since spread world wide. When they have a choice, they prefer warmer climates, like the inside of your home. They will find small gaps around your doors and windows to get inside. All they need is a gap that your credit card can fit through to get in! If light can be seen around or under a door, then insects can gain access inside your home.

Massey’s Pest Prevention Program is based upon sound integrated pest management principles of identifying the conditions, avenues and sources of pest infestations in order to successfully deal with any pest problem in or around your home.

To find out more about our Pest Prevention Program, get a Free Pest Inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Did you know that vegetation touching your home is one of the most common avenues that ants and other crawling pests can take to transfer from the outside to the inside of your home?

Our climate in the Southeast is conducive to rapid plant growth. Gardens surrounding our homes send up growth more rapidly than around homes up North. We suggest pruning everything away from the home at least 6-12 inches on a regular basis.

Larger tree limbs or nearby palm fronds that touch your home can allow rodents or small animals to transfer onto the roof or eaves. From there, these animals can find access or gnaw through small gaps to create a convenient highway to an attic nest.

White-footed ants are one of the most invasive indoor ants in south Florida and love to get into your home this way. All it takes is one leaf or frond that touches for these pesky little ants to turn your home into their home.

You’ll be surprised how you can substantially reduce the impact on indoor invading pests by simply keeping vegetation from touching your home.

Massey’s Pest Prevention Program is based upon sound integrated pest management principles of identifying the conditions, avenues and sources of pest infestations in order to successfully deal with any pest problem in or around your home. When we find active pests transferring to the home from a small branch or leaf we will prune the vegetation away from the home to prevent pests from getting inside.

To find out more about our Pest Prevention Program, get a Free Pest Inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Not only does spring bring warmer days but sporadic heavy rains can also occur. Both the heat and moisture cause insect activity to increase and the chance of pests getting into your home increases too.

If you’re a current customer, we are always on the lookout for gaps and cracks that pests can use to gain entry and we seal them off.

If you don’t have Massey’s Pest Prevention, we recommend that you have an complimentary inspection to ensure that there are no gaps, cracks or any other unseen entry points for crawling pests to get into your home.

If you do come across any roaches, ants or other crawling pests save it in a zip-lock bag until the pest can be properly identified. Although it may seem icky and gross, it is important that the pest be identified so the proper measures can be taken to eliminate the pest from the home.

Even in the most protected home, there still is a chance for pests to get inside. Opening and closing doors, airing the home out for spring and outdoor fun can all be avenues for pests to come in the home.

If you see a crawling pest or have questions about our Pest Prevention program, contact us for a Free Inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY for more information.

In Florida,Tropical Storm Fay paid a visit this week and left behind several inches of rain and flooding in many areas.  While the rainfall will certainly do much to help recharge the Florida aquifer, it can also cause many pest problems.

MASSEY SERVICES CUSTOMERS’:  please let us know if we can be of assistance in any way.

All of this rain will cause pests to seek shelter just like us.  A likely place to move their colonies is into the drier areas of the landscape or even into your house.  We are getting calls this week about American and Australian roaches being encountered indoors and this is likely due to them being displaced by the weather.  Make sure your window screens are in good repair and that door sweeps and window seals are in good condition to reduce the chance that pests will relocate into your home this week.  As soon as the inclement weather passes, our Service Technicians will be out serving our communities to take of the problem.

Another problem that will likely develop over the next week is a significant increase in mosquito activity.  Be sure to get out and dump any standing or stagnant pools of water to reduce their breeding areas around your homes.  If you have gutters on your eaves, be sure to check that they are not clogged and full of debris which will serve as an ideal breeding ground. Call us if you are interested in our mosquito abatement program which can provide added comfort to you and your family during the coming weeks.

As a reminder, with the added rainfall your irrigation system should be adjusted and monitored to account for the additional water that your landscape received.   Over-watering your landscape can result in weed,insect and disease problems.  If you have any areas that start to decline, give us a call and we will be happy to provide you with a diagnosis and proposal to solve the problem.