Shop by problem
Pest control by problem
Ants, roaches, mosquitoes, fire ants, chinch bugs, rats, iguanas and bufo toads.
Shop by problem
Tell us what you're seeing and we'll tell you what we'd do about it — plus the short list of what that takes. Everything here is written for Palm Beach County pests, not a national average.
Tiny ants in the kitchen or bath
A thin trail of very small ants along a counter edge, backsplash, sink or windowsill — usually ghost ants or white-footed ants, the two we get asked about most.
What we'd do: Do not spray the trail. Sprays scatter the colony and split it into more colonies. Put liquid bait (Terro is what works for these) right beside the trail and leave it alone. It looks worse for a day or two as they swarm the bait, then the trail disappears as they carry it back to the nest.
- Terro liquid ant baits (indoor)
- Terro outdoor liquid bait stakes for the source
- Ant bait gel for cracks and hinges
- Cleaner to wipe old trails after the baits work
- Exterior perimeter granules or spray, if they keep coming back
Iguanas eating the hibiscus
Chewed flowers and new growth on hibiscus, bougainvillea and orchids, droppings on the seawall or pool deck, and burrows along a canal bank.
What we'd do: Repellents based on garlic, capsaicin or putrescent egg solids, reapplied after every rain, plus removing what attracts them: fallen fruit, dense ground cover and easy basking spots. Metal trunk guards keep them out of fruit trees; motion-activated sprinklers work on decks and seawalls.
- Animal repellent spray or granules
- Motion-activated sprinkler
- Sheet metal or trunk wrap for palms and fruit trees
- Hardware cloth to close burrow entries
- Live trap (check current Florida rules first)
Bufo (cane) toads in the yard
Large brown toads, six inches or more, out at dusk near pet bowls, pool lights and irrigation boxes. Their secretion is toxic to dogs and cats — this is a pet-safety issue, not just a nuisance.
What we'd do: Take away water, food and light: bring pet bowls in at night, fix drips, switch outdoor bulbs to yellow so they stop pulling insects, and cut low ground cover. A short smooth fence buried a few inches blocks them from a pool deck. If a dog mouths one, wipe the gums sideways with a wet cloth for ten minutes and call your vet.
- Yellow bug bulbs for outdoor fixtures
- Fine mesh or hardware cloth to close gaps
- Toad-proof edging or smooth barrier fencing
- Flashlight or headlamp for evening checks
- Long gloves — never handle one bare-handed
Roaches (palmetto bugs) coming inside
Big brown roaches showing up at night after rain, usually from mulch beds, sewer lines and palm boots — not from a dirty house.
What we'd do: Bait and seal beats spraying. Gel bait in the kitchen and bath, granular bait in the mulch beds, and an exterior perimeter treatment after heavy rain. Pull mulch back off the foundation and cap floor drains.
- Roach gel bait and bait stations
- Granular outdoor bait for beds
- Perimeter insecticide (spray or granules)
- Door sweeps and expanding foam for gaps
- Gloves
Mosquitoes on the patio
Worst at dawn and dusk in the wet season. Ours breed in bromeliads, plant saucers, gutters and anything holding a bottle cap of water.
What we'd do: Dump standing water weekly, flush bromeliad cups, drop a Bti briquette in what you can't dump, then treat the shady perimeter with granules or a fogger a few hours before you sit outside.
- Bti dunks or granules for standing water
- Yard fogger or hose-end mosquito spray
- Mosquito granules for shaded beds
- Personal repellent
- Patio traps or fans
Fire ant mounds in the lawn
Loose sandy mounds that appear the morning after rain, and stings the second you disturb one.
What we'd do: Two-step it: broadcast bait over the whole yard for long-term control, then drench or dust individual mounds for the fast fix. Baits need dry ground and fresh product — ants ignore stale bait.
- Broadcast fire ant bait
- Mound drench or dust
- Hand spreader
- Watering can for the drench
- Closed shoes and gloves
Rats in the attic or on the roof
Scratching overhead at night, droppings in the garage, chewed soffit corners, and roof rats running the power lines and palm fronds at dusk.
What we'd do: Trapping plus exclusion. Snap traps in the attic get the current population; sealing soffit and vent gaps and trimming palms and branches back off the roof is what keeps them out. Bait outdoors only in tamper-resistant stations.
- Snap traps and tamper-resistant bait stations
- Hardware cloth and steel wool for gaps
- Sealant and roof cement
- Pole saw to trim branches off the roof
- Gloves and a dust mask for cleanup
Chinch bugs killing the St. Augustine
Irregular yellow-then-brown patches in the hottest, driest part of the lawn that keep spreading even after you water.
What we'd do: Confirm with a soap flush — a gallon of water with a squirt of dish soap poured at the edge of a dying patch brings them up in minutes. Then treat with a labeled lawn insecticide, water it in, and re-treat per the label.
- Granular or liquid lawn insecticide
- Broadcast spreader or hose-end sprayer
- Empty jug for the soap flush
- Iron for green-up after treatment
- Gloves
Termites and wood-destroying insects
Swarms of winged insects at the windows in spring, mud tubes on a foundation wall, or pin holes and sawdust from drywood termites.
What we'd do: Over-the-counter products handle localized wood treatment and prevention, but an active structural infestation is a licensed-operator job. We'll sell you the borate treatment and the foam — we'll also tell you honestly when it's time to call a pro.
- Borate wood treatment
- Foam or dust injector for galleries
- Moisture meter
- Caulk and sealant for entry points
- Respirator and gloves