When You Need a Rat Exterminator for Your Home

The following article When You Need a Rat Exterminator for Your Home was originally published on http://www.phoenixpestpros.com/.

Rat removal from your attic

Do you have rats getting in your house or attic? Seeing signs of holes chewed bags or boxes of food or hearing them scratching above you at night? Rats are dirty animals and leave droppings behind to contaminate your home. It may be time to call a rat exterminator.

One of the most obvious methods of getting rid of rats or mice is with the use of traps. But the first place to start is by not giving them a reason to come in. Be sure all food is in closed containers they can't get into. Food that is left out attracts not only rats but many other pests and bugs as well.

Keep your trash covered and take it outside when you throw food away. Don't leave the trash bag close to your home but put it in a closed garbage can or dumpster so you won't be tempting mice and rats to get into it. The whole idea is to not give them access to food, either inside or outside your home.

Look for holes they may be coming in through. It's usually easy to tell if a hole or crack is the one they're using because it will get dirty around the edges where they rub against it.

Remove any ability for rats to enter your home by sealing all holes in your walls, doors and screens. Check your garage doors, chimneys, dryer and air conditioning vents, and crawl spaces to ensure that they are properly sealed to the outdoors. If a rat can find its way in your house then they can set up shop and start breeding. The best thing you can do is prevent that.

Hiring a professional rat exterminator

If you decide you want a rat exterminator to come in and handle the problem for you, here's the best best way to decide which one is best for you.

• Contact local exterminators or pest control companies and ask for an estimate for rat removal.
• Many companies will want to come out and do an inspection to see how bad the problem is. If they don't, be sure to explain thoroughly the extent of the problem.

• Think carefully about any poisons or chemicals your exterminator might want to use. Some of them can be harmful to pets and people living in your home, particularly small children. If a child or a pet comes across rat poison and it it they will be seriously ill and may die.
• Ask your exterminator to remove any rats that die in your home from poisons. They can cause terrible odors in your home if they are left in walls or attics. Most exterminators will do this for no extra charge but if you are uncomfortable with seeing the dead bodies of rats then it is best to ask and make sure. Hopefully the exterminator will handle the whole process from start to finish.
• Compare the price quotes and methods of 2 or 3 extermination companies. Choose the one you are comfortable with. Price quotes can vary wildly between companies so try to find a good deal and an exterminator that you feel comfortable with. This will make the process much easier.
• Ask about guarantees and warranties. You do not want to have to call an exterminator again in a month or two if the rats return, or if turns out not all of the rats were removed from your property. Try to choose a company that offers a satisfaction guarantee so that you can get your money back if the rats are not fully taken care of. At the very least, the exterminator should come back and finish the job for no extra charge.

Rats can be very destructive so don't delay to get them out of your home today. Call Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control for information on rat removal and for a free estimate from the best pest control company in Tampa!

Image and Article source: WikiHow

 

Why Nuisance Wildlife Removal May Be Needed

Why Nuisance Wildlife Removal May Be Needed is republished from www.www.phoenixpestpros.com.

Nuisance wildlife removal has unfortunately become more necessary as we encroach more and more into their territory. The term nuisance wildlife is used when referring to animals who live in our area but are now encroaching into our homes or causing damage to property. Why does this happen? Obviously there will always be wild animals and we wouldn't want a world where they didn't exist, but what causes them to become a problem?

In most cases it's because their habitat is changing. It's shrinking as more homes and neighborhoods are being built, and commercial development is taking place around us. Sometimes their natural enemies have been removed, so the population numbers are no longer being kept in check. As their numbers grow and there are fewer places to find food and shelter, it's only natural that they turn to our homes and property for shelter and survival. And when they do, they invariably cause property damage and contamination that requires professional animal removal.

Areas that once provided a home for wildlife have been removed to make way for housing, commercial buildings, shopping centers, roads, and parking lots. All of this destruction is forcing animals into communities, increasing interactions between animals and humans, and leading to a conflict that poses a danger for both.

When animals lose not only their habitat but also the prey that serves as a food source, they find themselves needing to turn to other sources.  As a result, we see an increase in animals getting into garbage, destroying gardens and crops, and attacking pets or livestock. Encounters with humans can become dangerous, leading to injury — or even death. These increased interactions have lead humans to view them as a nuisance, putting them in danger of being killed in retaliation, or having their populations decreased through legal and illegal hunting practices.

We can hope for a peaceful coexistence once we stop viewing wildlife as a nuisance and remind ourselves that they are only trying to live and survive, just as we are. Humane, non-lethal approaches to population management and prevention of human-animal conflict are a reasonable approach to hunting, trapping, and other methods that result in the killing of animals.

So what can we do to help keep wild animals from potentially becoming a problem or invading your home? The best ways are to know some common-sense steps you can take to make your home unappealing to them so you don't ever have a problem with nuisance wildlife.

• Inspect your property to see if there are any cracks or holes where smaller animals like squirrels, rats, or bats could potentially get in and make a home.
• Don't leave any food outside for pets, and close up all garbage containers to make it hard to get into. This will keep raccoons, opossums, and other animals from coming around looking for a meal.
• Keep tree limbs cut far away from your house so squirrels don't have a way to climb onto it.
• Inspect every few months for signs that animals may have found a way in. Have a good pest control company do an inspection. You could be surprised at what they find.
• If you hear noises in the attic, or see signs that armadillos are digging up your yard, it's time to call for an animal removal service.

Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control has been humanely trapping and removing animals for home and business owners for almost 20 years. They are trained, experienced, and guarantee their work. For more helpful tips and information on animal removal, go to our Google + page.

Information source: Thank you to One Green Planet for their excellent article.

Winter Brings Rats, Mice, and Pests Indoors

Winter Brings Rats, Mice, and Pests Indoors was first published to http://www.phoenixpestpros.com/.

Rats, mice, and other rodents love a warm house just as much as we do. So when the weather outside starts turning cooler, they start looking for a way in. You may need to pay more attention to rat and mouse control and being sure they don't have access to your attic, basement or crawl space, or even sheds. It's much easier to keep them out than it is to remove them once they have set up housekeeping.

It's pretty amazing how small a hole they can squeeze through. Usually, a quarter-inch opening is large enough to give them access, and small holes like that are easy to overlook. Mice have poor eyesight so they use their whiskers for feel and stay close to the sides or walls as they run, so they can feel as they go. As soon as they feel any warmth, like under a door or around windows, they will find a way to get to it.

Mice use clutter to hide in and stay safe from predators. If there is junk or stored items around the outside of your house, they will burrow into it and feel safe. It also keeps them warm. To keep rats and mice away, don't store boxes of rags, papers, or other items that would make a comfortable nest.

One of the ways to keep rats, mice, and other pests out of your home is to make it difficult for them to find a comfortable spot. Eliminating clutter inside and especially outside can make them look for a better opportunity elsewhere when they can't find a place to hide or nest.

Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control will find where the rats or mice are getting access to your home, close it up so they can't get back in, and remove the ones that have already gotten in. A good way to prevent having a problem in the first place is to call them for a Free Preventative Home Exclusion Inspection. They'll look for potential access points and and seal them up so the rodents have no way to get in.

Prevention is the easiest and best way to keep from having a rat, mouse, or squirrel problem. Any house is susceptible, even a new one. All holes and cracks have to be sealed. Mice and rats multiply quickly so just one or two getting in will become a full-blown infestation in no time. Females can have up to ten litters every year, and when the babies reach six weeks old, they can start to have babies themselves. With an average of five to six in each litter, it's easy to see how it doesn't take long.

Kitchens should be kept clean, all food put away and stored in containers they can't get into. Make things as difficult as possible. Having rats and mice get into your food source is extremely unsanitary and can cause diseases in humans. If they can't get into your food, they will eat clothing and other stored items, essentially ruining them. Save yourself the aggravation and expense of rat removal and extermination.

 

Are Bed Bugs Really that Prevalent?

The following post Are Bed Bugs Really that Prevalent? was originally published to http:// www.www.phoenixpestpros.com /.

Could you have bed bugs in your home? When I think of bed bugs, I certainly don't think that they could be in my house, or in my bed. Instead, I think of cheap hotels with dirty sheets. But the reality is that they are also in high-end hotels that are kept clean and have moved into many homes in America. Could they be in your home? Absolutely.They are now found in abundance worldwide and if you travel, then there's a good chance you've had a few hitchhike their way home with you. If you don't travel, just one guest who does can bring them into your home. They can get into your clothes and suitcases in hotel rooms, and you could pick up a few merely by being in the same room with them. Your kids or grandchildren can bring them in from friends' homes.

How did bed bugs get to be so prevalent, and where did the surge in their population start? Brandon Baker, who is a contributing author to PhillyVoice recently answered this question in an interview he did with Greg Cowper, curatorial assistant in the Drexel University Academy of Natural Sciences‘ entomology department.

Q: When were they most actively seen in the United States?

A: By the 20th century, bed bugs were well established in the U.S. affecting all stratum of society. In lower-income areas, they were considered Public Enemy No. 1, but some surveys showed at least one-third of residences in some cities were infested.

Q: What’s with the resurgence in recent years? I seem to recall there being huge media hype over it circa 2010, but then it all sort of tapered off and turned from panic to the new normal. And it’s a scary new normal. Are they sticking around?

A: By the mid-20th-century, bed bugs were all but gone from the developed world. The resurgence began in the 1990s and continues to the present. DDT had been very effective in controlling insect pests including bed bugs but was banned in 1972 for environmental, ecological and health and safety concerns. In addition to the loss of this pesticide, globalization, cheap airfare to anywhere in the world, urbanization and population density have all contributed to the resurgence of bed bugs.

Q: Has there been any progress toward creating an insecticide that better exterminates them? And how can people keep them out?

A: ..... mechanical remedies such as cleaning up clutter, vacuuming, running suspect clothes through the dryer at high heat, sealing mattresses and bed springs in plastic enclosures, treating infested room spaces with heat above the threshold that bed bug eggs, nymphs and adults can survive (about 120 degrees Fahrenheit), taking care in purchasing secondhand furniture and vigilance when traveling. For example, checking mattresses, sheets, behind headboards, etc., in your hotel room. You can even store your suitcase in the bathtub where bed bugs can’t climb.

Brandon goes on to tell how bed bugs got their name and some best practices for keeping them out of your home. You can read the rest of his article here: PhillyVoice.

Should you be concerned? You will be when you see the bites they can leave. Maybe you thought your bites were from fleas or mosquitoes, but they could be from bed bugs instead.

If you suspect that you might have a bed bug problem, or you just want peace of mind knowing that you don't, then you should have your home and mattresses checked for signs of an infestation. Bed bug control is just one of the services we offer with our comprehensive pest control. Call us today at 813-778-4181 for an appointment.

Tips to Help Keep Roaches Away

The post Tips to Help Keep Roaches Away is courtesy of Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control Blog.

There are very few pests that can cause the same reaction that roaches do. Everyone hates them and for good reason. There's nothing good about them, they're dirty, and they carry germs and diseases. You certainly don't want them in your home or business.

Roaches have been around for a very long time and they're a fact of life when you live in Florida. There are over 3,500 varieties but only a few of those are what we have to deal with here. Some are typically found outside and some like to live indoors. Whether you use a pest control service or choose to do it yourself, there are some basic things you can do to help keep them out.

So, how do you keep a population of roaches from taking over your home? Be clean; even a crumb is a feast for a cockroach. Clean your kitchen every night, and put away all food, including pet food. Roaches like pet food as much as your pet does.

Quickly fix leaks in the kitchen or bath because even small amounts of water will attract roaches. Some factors out of your control, such as climate, attract roaches, too. Some roaches come in from outdoors, like Smokey Browns, and they like warm climates. Others, like German cockroaches, live almost exclusively indoors, and the outdoor climate doesn’t matter to them.

To help get rid of roach populations, some new roach baits are now on the market. They are very effective, so you may not need to use as many pesticides as we once did. However, if you already have a large roach population, you will probably have to spray some kind of pesticide.

Remember when you spray that roaches like crevices. They prefer for their backs and legs to touch the surface at the same time.

You will usually know if you've got a roach problem because they leave droppings and dirt behind. It doesn't take long before you may have a full-blown infestation. Sometimes they will live in the walls, under the floors, and in the crawl spaces, and they come out through vents, electrical outlets, and any crack or crevice they can find.

It can be a full-time job if you're trying to keep them under control yourself, but if you even suspect that you have an infestation, you should definitely call a good pest control company to provide service. Once they have them under control, most companies will let you choose a monthly or quarterly plan, depending on your needs.

There's no need to live with bugs that are disgusting, dirty, and can make you uncomfortable living in your own home. Call Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control for help today.

The content in this article was sourced from Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

 

Wildlife Control Expert Interview

Wildlife Control Expert Interview was originally published to Phoenix Pest Pros Blog.

Steve Barker, owner of Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control, is a featured pest control and wildlife control expert on News Channel 8, WFLA in Tampa FL.  Here is one of the first interviews Steve did on air on the show, and he gives valuable insights into animal proofing your homes to keep unwanted wildlife from getting in.

Check out our YouTube Channel for other videos and interviews.

When Squirrels are Being Pests

When Squirrels are Being Pests was first seen on www.www.phoenixpestpros.com.

There are four types of squirrels commonly found in Florida - the Southern Flying Squirrel, Mexican Gray Squirrel, Fox Squirrel, and the Eastern Gray Squirrel. They're also called tree squirrels and because they typically spend most of their time in trees. It doesn't matter which type you see around your house, all of them can become a pest that you may need to deal with.

Some of the more common problems with squirrels are that they like to get into bird feeders, go down chimneys, and nest in attics or anywhere in a building they can get into. Once inside you'll probably have to call for a wildlife removal specialist to get them out. The best thing is to plan ahead and cover any areas where they can potentially get in.

If a squirrel gets into your chimney and can't get out, you may have to open the flue so it can drop down into the fireplace. Before you do, have a plan for getting it your of your home. Or, if you can get on the roof,

drop down a thick rope or cloth, such as strips of a sheet, so the squirrel can climb out. It is a good idea to tie knots in the rope or cloth 12 inches apart, to provide a secure climbing surface. You may have to tie a couple of lengths together to reach the bottom of the chimney. Tie something to provide weight to the bottom of the rope or cloth, such as a pair of pliers, or other small heavy object.

Lower the rope or cloth slowly, make sure this reaches the bottom, and then secure it at the top. Leave the area completely alone. The squirrel should climb out in 1 to 24 hours. Never leave the squirrel in the chimney or exhaust fan longer than 24 hours—it will die from dehydration. If needed, call a wildlife control company.

After you are sure no animals are down the chimney, cap it with a commercially engineered chimney cap. Most hardware stores carry these, and chimney cover manufacturers are able to custom fit covers for unusual chimneys.

Tips to prevent squirrels from becoming a problem:

Don’t feed squirrels. Tree squirrels that are hand-fed may lose their fear of humans and become aggressive when they don’t get food as expected. These semi-tame squirrels also might approach a neighbor who doesn’t share your appreciation of the animals, which would likely result in them dying.

Eliminate access into buildings. Repair or replace loose or rotting siding, boards, and shingles. When inspecting a building for potential access points, use a tall ladder to view areas in shadows. A pair of low-power (4x) binoculars can be a helpful inspection tool to use before making a dangerous climb. Inspecting the attic or crawl space during the day may reveal light shining through otherwise unnoticed cracks and holes. Native squirrels chew holes 2 inches in diameter; Eastern gray and fox squirrels chew open baseball size holes.

Cover the dryer vent with a commercial vent screen designed to exclude animals without lint clogging. Other vents can be covered with ¼-inch hardware cloth. Some roof-vent caps contain a flimsy, lightweight inner screen that a squirrel can easily penetrate. If the screen has been penetrated, it may be better to replace the whole vent cap with something stronger.

Because squirrels are excellent leapers, keep tree and shrub branches 10 feet away from the sides and tops of buildings. To prevent squirrels from climbing a tree to access a building, install one of the barriers shown in Figure 6. Remove vines that provide squirrels a way to climb structures and hide their access points.

Prevent squirrels from accessing buildings via utility wires by installing 3-foot sections of 2- to 3-inch diameter plastic pipe barriers. Carefully split the pipe lengthwise with a saw, tin snips, or a sharp utility knife, spread the opening apart, and place it over the wire. The pipe will rotate on the wire and the squirrel will tumble off. Do not attempt to install pipe over high-voltage wires. Contact your local electricity/utility company for assistance.

Squirrels in the Attic

If a squirrel gets into your attic, you'll want to have it removed.

Squirrels gather insulation for nests, create noise (especially on stormy days or nights when squirrels are less likely to be out for food), and may chew electrical wiring, causing electrical problems or fires. Because attics can be difficult to access and maneuvering around in them can be dangerous, it is recommended that a professional be hired when attics are involved.
If a squirrel has spent a prolonged amount of time in an area with exposed wiring, check your smoke detectors to make sure they are functioning in case of a fire. Also, inspect the area for wire damage or have an electrician inspect it.

Squirrel Removal and Control

Killing tree squirrels is also, at best, a short-term solution to any problem you may have. As long as you provide food or shelter and additional squirrels are in the area, other squirrels will move in to replace the ones that you have removed. Don’t trap a problem squirrel in a live trap, thinking that you can release it in another location. Doing so may be illegal.

The best choice is to call Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control, who is trained in trapping and removal, and abides by the state and local laws and restrictions regarding squirrel relocation or elimination.

Information sourced from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

When Raccoons Are More Than a Nuisance

When Raccoons Are More Than a Nuisance is republished from http:// www.phoenixpestpros.com /.

Raccoons are awfully cute but there are reasons to not want them near your home or property. The main reasons are because they can create a bit of a mess getting into your garbage, cause damage if they get inside your home, and they carry diseases that can spread to cats and other animals.

Because raccoons are a major carrier of distemper, when they're infected the disease spreads quickly to other animals, including cats, whether they are pets or feral. If you have raccoons nearby, be sure to keep your cats' rabies vaccinations up to date as there is no treatment for feline distemper.

Mostly they are active at night, but if you see one during the day, there is no cause for alarm, unless it behaves strangely - appearing disoriented or partially paralyzed, or perhaps wandering in a circle. Raccoons can exist comfortably in all sorts of habitats - farms, forests, suburban neighborhoods, and even cities - and typically make their dens in trees or in burrows abandoned by other creatures. Unfortunately for us, this can sometimes lead to raccoon dens in chimneys, sheds, attics, and the close-in areas under decks and porches.

Raccoons are easy to distinguish from other mammals of their size, due to the mask-like black and white color patterns on their face, and their striped black, gray and white tails. Their mating season runs from January to March. After a gestation period of just over two months, new cubs are born - most often in the mid-spring - with anywhere from 3 to 7 per litter. After another five months or so, they become independent, but usually remain with their family for much of the first year. They can grow in size to anywhere between 12 and 36 pounds, and range from 2-3 feet in length (tail included).

Outdoors is probably okay, but you don't want raccoons taking up residence in your home. Some ways to prevent this are: securing your trash and compost against looters; keeping pet food indoors to decrease temptation; and capping or closing off chimneys, attics and the dark areas under porches and decks.

Distemper is the second most common cause of death for raccoons. There are actually two types of distemper - canine and feline - stemming from two separate viruses. Both are highly contagious, and begin with cold or flu-like symptoms that eventually lead to more debilitating conditions such as pneumonia, anorexia and brain damage. Neither virus has a cure, so when a raccoon with distemper is discovered, the standard treatment is euthanasia. Most sick raccoons don't make contact with humans, however, so of greater concern is the spread of disease among animals. Humans are not susceptible to the virus, but our pets are, if they do not receive regular vaccines against the disease.

For more information about distemper in raccoons, including symptoms and signs of the disease to be aware of, please visit The Gable's Raccoon World. The Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs website has a good information on raccoons as well.

Raccoon removal is often required when raccoons decide to take up residence in your home or under your porch. If you suspect that you may have one or more in your attic or somewhere in your home or business, give us a call for a thorough inspection. You want them removed as quickly as possible to minimize damage and waste cleanup. They can ruin an attic pretty quickly by destroying insulation and wood, and filling it with their waste.

Source: Wicked Local: Pembroke Mariner & Express

Why You Should Remove a Bee or Wasp Nest

Why You Should Remove a Bee or Wasp Nest is available on Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control Blog.

Cool, crisp fall weather is a welcome relief in Tampa Bay, but one thing homeowners may notice is more aggressiveness from wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. When the temperatures get cooler and their dietary needs change from protein and carbs to foods with more sugar, they may become aggressive as they seek out foods like sweet sodas and ripe fruit.

Wasps have a tendency to turn aggressive during the fall months. A single wasp colony may have over 10,000 female worker wasps whose sole purpose is to hunt for nutrients to feed the colony. Wasps in search of these sugary sweet nutrients turn potentially aggressive, ruining outdoor activities and bombarding backyard barbecues. The result? Painful stings, sometimes repeatedly, whenever human interaction is present. These painful wasp stings usually happen while shooing them away, walking barefoot near food, or swallowing wasps that have crawled into beverage cans.

To make it all worse, wasps have a built-in warning system that alerts other wasps when danger is present. All you have to do is merely swat at a yellow jacket, and an alarm pheromone is released that brings out an army of wasps to attack the aggressor.

During the rest of the year wasps are harmless for the most part, keeping to themselves unless something bothers their nests. No matter what time of year, if you have wasps near or on your home or other building, it's best to not try to remove them yourself. Once they're stirred up, bees and wasps can be quite dangerous. Call Phoenix Pest Management and Wildlife Control, who has years of experience removing wasp and bee nests.

How to Avoid Bee or Wasp Stings

Bees and wasps can sting without being provoked, and according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), more than half a million visits to the emergency room every year are because of insect stings. Their nests can be found in unlikely places so one of the best ways to prevent stings is to find their nests by walking your property to look for them.

Depending on the type of bee or wasp, you may find a nest up high and attached to a structure, such as the eaves of a building or a porch ceiling. Or, you may find a nest down low, in a hole in the ground or under porch steps. In fact, you may run into a nest while mowing your lawn.

It may help to determine what kind of stinging insect you're dealing with, and you can identify it either by sight or by the type of nest. There are many pictures online of specific types of bees and wasps, including their nests.

Assess the threat. If a nest is located away from your house and far from where your kids play, the best choice may be to leave it alone, according to the University of Minnesota Extension. Many stinging insects use their nests for only one year, then abandon it, so the problem may go away on its own. If you go this route, you can avoid using toxic insecticides. If the nest is close to (or on) your house or in your yard, read on.

Bee and Wasp Removal

Professional pest control companies with experience in bee and wasp removal is the safest and most advised method eliminating the threat. They can safely remove the nest or hive, along with the live insects, so that no harm comes to you or your family.

If you are seeing bees, wasps, yellow jackets, or hornets around your house, don't try to get rid of them yourself and risk getting painful stings. Instead, call Phoenix Pest Management and Wildlife Control at 813-778-4181 for a free pest inspection.

Sources:
Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog
SafeBee

 

The List of Venomous Animals You Need to Avoid In Tampa

The following article The List of Venomous Animals You Need to Avoid In Tampa is available on Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control.

Living in the Sunshine State has its perks – when they’re shoveling snow up North, we’re heading to the beach. But Tampa’s warm climate also makes it the perfect place for a whole host of venomous animals to live.

Luckily, with the right animal control in Tampa, FL, you can keep these dangerous animals away from your home and keep your family safe. From snakes to caterpillars, these are some of the most venomous animals you might encounter in your own backyard. Don’t attempt to deal with them by yourself – stay safe by calling a Tampa wildlife removal company instead.

Snakes

Most of the snakes you’ll find around Florida homes, such as black racers and garter snakes, are harmless. In fact, these non-venomous snakes can even be beneficial to have around because they keep rodent and frog populations in check.

On the other hand, you’ll want to avoid venomous snakes at all costs – their bite can potentially be fatal. In Tampa, there are six species of venomous snakes to avoid. These include:

•         Timber Rattlesnakes
•         Pigmy Rattlesnakes
•         Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes
•         Water Moccasins
•         Copperheads
•         Coral Snakes

Identifying these snakes on your own can be tricky, as many non-venomous snakes will mimic venomous species to survive. If you think a snake on your property may be venomous, don’t take any chances – call professional animal control in Tampa to identify the species and safely remove the animal.

Fire Ants

Anyone who’s ever lived in the South knows the painful sting of a fire ant. These venomous little creatures aren’t just annoying – because they’re so aggressive, they can pose a serious danger to children and pets.

Allergic reactions to fire ants are another serious problem. If you have these pests in your yard, exterminating the mound on your own can be risky. Instead, it’s best to avoid them and leave that to the Tampa wildlife removal experts.

Bees & Wasps

If you have a bee or wasp nest on your property, you and your family should be careful to avoid it. Wasps, in particular, are extremely aggressive, swarming and stinging when their nest is disturbed. Allergies to bees and wasps are also very common – you can be allergic without even knowing it.

Spiders

While we don’t have to worry about giant, foot-long spiders like the ones they have over in Australia, we do have our fair share of venomous spiders in Tampa. The two most dangerous spiders you need to avoid are the brown recluse and the Black Widow spider.

The Black Widow is easy to identify with their black, hourglass-shaped body and telltale red/orange mark on their back. A brown recluse is harder to spot, but they can be most accurately identified by the violin-shaped marking on their back. Preventative pest control treatments done by animal control in Tampa are the best way to keep spiders and insects out of your home.

Caterpillars

They may not seem very scary, but there are actually several species of venomous caterpillars in Tampa that can pose a danger to humans. Beware the stinging hairs of the Puss Caterpillar, the most venomous caterpillar species in North America – they look fuzzy and cute, but their venom can cause severe allergic reactions.

Call the Tampa Wildlife Removal Experts

When it comes to protecting your home and keeping your family safe from venomous animal species, no Tampa wildlife removal company takes that job more seriously than Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control. We use the safest and most effective removal methods available to solve your pest problems and prevent future invasions.

If you need fast and affordable animal control in Tampa, FL, call us today!