Sarasota’s pleasantly temperate climate makes it an ideal place to live and to enjoy the great outdoors—and it’s equally as wonderful to visit for the same reason. The challenge, of course, is that many different kinds of pests appreciate the exact same climate that people do. 

So, Sarasota can serve as a pest magnet. 

To help, our comprehensive Sarasota pest control guide will share information about common critters found in Florida; how these insects, rodents, and more can cause problems for your family’s health and home; and how you can respond to these challenges through the use of effective pest management in Sarasota.

We have in-depth information to share so, to make this guide easy to scan and use, we’ll include plenty of headers. You can skip to the one(s) that matter to you. Or, if you already know that you need Sarasota pest control services, please contact us to make an appointment online or call (941) 342-7378. 

Bed Bugs

“A Strenuous Struggle, a vigorous campaign, is before any housewife who is called upon to the dispute the occupancy of her home with that persistent pest unfavorably known as the bedbug, who, gorged with the blood of his victim, lieth up in his lair from daylight to candlelight, only to swoop down upon his helpless sleeping prey during the midnight watches.” (C.L. Marlatt, The Bedbug, 1916)

Next up is a shorter quote, this one from “The History of Bed Bug Management—With Lessons from the Past”: “Bed bugs have been biting us since the beginning of recorded time,”  which means that people have been trying pest management techniques for many centuries. 

Around 400 BCE, for example, Greek philosopher Democritus recommended that people bothered by bed bugs hang the feet of a stag or hare at the foot of their bed while others suggested that people put a bowl of water beneath their beds when traveling. By 1583, these dreaded pests made their way to England and then they climbed aboard ships to travel to the Americas.

The ability of bed bugs to hitch a ride on luggage, people’s clothing, thrift shop purchases and more means that they can find crafty ways to get into Sarasota homes—and then they settle in and get comfortable.

To help prevent them from getting into your home:

• Inspect suitcase and other travel bags for bed bugs when returning home from a trip.
• Also wash towels and linens in hot water after getting back home.
• Check any second-hand items you buy from rummage sales and more for these pests. They can travel on mattresses, furniture, clothing, linens, and more.

Once bed bugs get into a home, they slither their flat, thin bodies into bed frames and other furniture joints; hide behind baseboards and loose wallpaper; and otherwise find small cracks in which to hide. They adapt well to human living conditions and a home’s cleanliness doesn’t keep them out. Plus, they do just fine in a range of temperatures.

Bed bugs, reddish brown in hue, can be hard to spot in part because of their size. They range from miniscule-sized eggs to full-grown pests that aren’t much bigger than an apple seed; after they feast on someone’s blood, they can temporarily bloat. 

So, it isn’t unusual to notice signs of them rather than the bugs themselves. Signs can include:

• Tiny bites, often in places where your skin comes in contact with a mattress or bed linen (back, arms, legs); bites can be in a line, a zig-zag pattern, or a cluster
• Dried blood from bites that appear like red or brown spots on bed sheets
• A musty smell on blankets and/or mattresses

Bed bugs can go for months without feeding on blood, which makes them hardy creatures, indeed. It can be tempting to try DIY bed bug treatments to get these critters out of your home, but they’re seldom effective. Fortunately, Thermal Remediation® by Turner Pest Control is a safe, effective alternative to chemical methods, the most cutting-edge bed bug infestation treatment available today.

You can find more information about our bed bug treatments. Ready to get started? Contact our exterminators in Sarasota, FL!

Mosquitoes

“They slaughtered our ancestors and derailed our history. And they’re not finished with us yet.” (The New Yorker)

The mosquito—that little swarming, buzzing, biting creature—is believed to have killed more people than any other single cause. In fact, there is a theory that, before an asteroid did in the dinosaurs, they were already weakened by diseases carried by mosquitoes. 

Here’s just one example of how the mosquito has caused serious problems for people. When five ships left Scotland in 1698 for Panama, the travelers came in contact with mosquitoes that carried a malaria variant that was new to the Scots, and they died of the disease, a dozen per day. 

“The words that are repeated to the point of nausea in the diaries, letters, and accounts of the Scottish settlers are mosquitoes, fever, ague, and death,” notes The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator. Within six months, half of the travelers had died and those strong enough to get back on a ship returned home; not all of them survived the trip. 

Here’s some good news: medical advances have come a long way since 1698.

The problem: Mosquitoes continue to carry plenty of dangerous diseases, including malaria, plus dengue fever, the West Nile fever, the Zika virus and more. Plus, more than 80 different types live in Florida.

To protect the health of your family and guests, the goal is two-pronged: reduce places on your property where mosquitoes breed—standing water—and, whenever possible, to eliminate them entirely. So:

• Deal with standing water indoors and out, including in bird baths, flower pots, trays beneath indoor plants, old flower vases, watering cans, old kiddie pools, and so forth.
• Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
• Regularly flush toilets that aren’t often used; mosquitoes can breed in that water.

Other ways to protect yourself include to:

• Check your home for entry points where mosquitoes can get in. Address them.
• If you have babies or young children, put net canopies over their cribs and beds if any mosquitoes get indoors.
• Stay indoors at dawn and dusk, whenever that’s possible.
• Use appropriate mosquito repellants. 
• Cover up well when going outdoors, wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• Proactively protect your home with professional mosquito treatments, especially from spring through fall, which is the peak season for this pest in Florida.

Count on comprehensive mosquito control treatments by our exterminators in Sarasota, FL to take care of these pests throughout their entire lifecycle, from egg to adulthood. 

Our treatments for Sarasota mosquito control are fast acting, long lasting, and ultra-low in volume.

Rodents

In one way, the rat has been vindicated. People blamed this rodent for the past 700 years for spreading the Black Death that killed 25 million people in Europe between 1347 and 1341, about the third of the population. But, although it’s true that rats do spread the plague, even today, the Black Death can be, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, “largely ascribed to human fleas and body lice.” 

Not everyone agrees with this new theory—and, when it comes to the health of your family, what’s really important is what diseases rats and mice can spread now. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 70+ rodent species in North America spread more than 35 diseases, sometimes directly and, other times, indirectly. Directly, they can spread hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, rat-bite fever and more. Indirectly, they spread lyme disease, encephalitis, Colorado tick fever, typhus and more. Plus, they can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. 

Rodents can also damage the structural integrity of homes and, when they chew through wires, they can cause a house fire. So, for health reasons and home reasons, it makes sense to proactively try to keep rodents out of your house. Strategies include the following:

• Look for entry points into your home and seal them off. They can be as small as one quarter of an inch.
• Walk around the home and see where you need to trim tree branches and shrubs. These can make perfect entry points for rodents.
• Also look at utility entry points and close off ones where rodents can slip in.
• Review vents—attic, chimney, and roof—and close off potential entry points around them.
• Regularly wipe up food crumbs and spills, including on countertops and appliances.
• Store your dry food in airtight, chew-proof containers.
• Empty pet bowls after they eat and wipe up spills.

Sometimes, even after your best efforts, you can see a rat or mouse in your home. Other times, you’ll see or hear other signs that indicate their presence. For example, you might:

• See droppings, especially where food is stored or prepared; note that feces can carry pathogens so, when cleaning up urine and droppings, wear a mask, goggles, and gloves
• Spot holes in your dry food packaging
• Hear scurrying sounds, particularly after dark
• Notice greasy smears on your baseboards

Even a small population of rodents in your Sarasota home can quickly become a large one because rats and mice breed quickly. Just one single six-week-old female mouse, for example, can start having dozens of babies each year. Gestation periods are only three weeks and, immediately after giving birth, the mouse can mate again.

To break the cycle, here are our rodent control services by our experienced exterminators in Sarasota, FL.

Termites

“Researchers have discovered a gigantic complex of 200 million termite mounds in northeastern Brazil, which may be up to 4,000 years old and covers an area about the size of Great Britain.  . . . The amount of soil excavated is … equivalent to 4,000 Great Pyramids of Giza, and represents one of the biggest structures built by a single insect species.” (CNN.com)

Never underestimate, this story tells us, the capabilities of a determined colony of termites! 

Twenty-plus species of termites live in our state, with three of them causing the most problems for residents. The formosan termite is especially aggressive while the Eastern subterranean causes even more problems because of how prevalent they are. Then there are drywood termites that don’t need much moisture, and so they live in hardwood floors and similar places.

They can slip into Sarasota homes in a crack that’s as miniscule as 1/32 of an inch and often use areas around the home where soil levels are higher—such as by above-slab patios and room additions—to get inside. They also enter through plumbing entry points and take advantage of other similar opportunities. 

Once inside, they eat around the clock, with one single large colony able to threaten a home’s integrity. The non-stop gnawing they do actually creates billions of dollars in the United States alone, each and every year—and, unfortunately, DIY treatments aren’t especially effective. So, we offer a termite inspection in Sarasota plus three types of professional termite services:

• Premise: our most economical option
• Termidor: longer, more extended protection
• Altrist: our greenest termite treatment

Our exterminators in Sarasota, FL will be happy to talk to you about which of the termite control treatments would be best for your home. Turner Pest Control uses a preventative approach, using a soil treatment rather than a bait system. This helps to exterminate termites before they get into your home, an approach that works ten times more quickly than bait.

Comprehensive Sarasota Pest Control Services

Here’s a quick and easy way to look at all of our residential Sarasota pest control services. You can also benefit from our comprehensive, one-stop program, SMART TurnerGuard Termite and Pest Control, where you receive total home protection with no excluded pests. This covers ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, snakes, termites, and more, the best coverage in the industry today.

With our total pest control in Sarasota, you’ll pay an affordable monthly fee that’s based on the size of your home. This means you’ll never pay more than what’s necessary, and you’ll never need to pay for another termite treatment again.

No hidden costs.

No fine-print exclusions.

TurnerClean Disinfection Misting Services

In our TurnerClean Disinfection Misting, we use a broad-spectrum disinfectant that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deemed to be safe: Nisus DSV. The EPA has noted how Nisus DSV is effective against SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19—and this product is included in the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization’s biosecurity guides for global emergency disease control.

When you contact us to disinfect your Sarasota home, we’ll quickly provide powerful virus protection in bathrooms, kitchens, living areas, home offices, and places where you frequently touch surfaces. After the treatment is complete, please stay out of the home for two hours. This gives it enough time to dry completely and to provide maximum disinfecting.

Whole Structure Fumigation Sarasota Service

When a home or business has a severe pest infestation, then a whole structure fumigation in Sarasota may be the solution. Turner Pest Control offers this service to residential and commercial customers alike. Estimates and initial inspections are free; experts will guide you through the process; and there is no obligation. 

Quality Sarasota Pest Control Services: Affordable and Effective

No matter which types of pest management in Sarasota you need, pricing is based on square footage, giving most smaller homes a more affordable plan. We strategically address immediate challenges first and then focus on preventative actions to protect your home going forward. Here’s what a couple of clients have said:

• “The Turner Pest technician was extremely knowledgeable! He did an outstanding job!”

• “Great customer service from all areas of service. Thank you for being exceptional and getting the job done!”

We stand behind our service, people, and products. You can count on our prompt, courteous service with appointment times that are kept, and service visits performed by trained technicians who pass stringent background checks. If you’re ever not satisfied, we’ll return for follow-up service calls, at no extra charge. 

Founded in 1971, we continue our focus on serving our communities while we grow and embrace quality technologies and products. Turner Pest Control is:

• Ranked as one of the top 100 pest control companies in the country today
• One of the fastest growing companies in Florida
• A QualityPro Certified company, a designation granted to fewer than three percent of our country’s pest control providers

No complicated contracts or cancellation fees. 

We’re committed to protecting our customers, our people, and our environment.

To get started with pest management in Sarasota, just contact us online or call (941) 342-7378.