Bugs in the villa

I have written about Florida bugs in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and tips to avoid taking bugs home.

When we select a villa we always ask about the owner's pest control procedures. We have stayed in too many bug infested houses and have learned the importance of regular professional services and quick responses to problems.

We have never stayed in a Florida villa that didn't have some bug infestation. Those villas that lack professional services will tell us "It is Florida, this is normal". That is a lie. You may see an occasional roach or ant, but it is not normal to see an infestation or to see these creatures regularly.

This year's villa was no exception. The dinning room had a severe ant infestation. The ants were entering near the dinning room window and were expanding throughout the house.

We immediately contacted the owner. The owner called Terminix who came out the next day and sprayed.

We have learned important lessons over the years and we were prepared to deal with this problem. We always bring at least four totes and keep them off the ground. Our groceries are sealed into large ziplocks and space bags put into the totes. We do not allow anything that a bug could get into to sit on the floor (bags, suitcases, etc).

Terminix arrived and sprayed. The great part of having an exterminator spray is to not only kill the bugs you see, but to kill the bugs you don't see as well.

Yes, that picture is of a roach. When you contact an owner who doesn't do good pest control and report these creatures, they will say "Oh, that is just a Palmetto bug".  Palmetto or not, it is a roach and it doesn't belong in the home, so, don't accept that answer. This roach is belly up and dead as a result of the exterminator.

In houses where we do not trust the pest control practices, we'll put a piece of double-faced tape across walk ways and then check in the morning to see what it caught. We are also not afraid to buy ant traps and spray our own bug spray around the house.

Arrive to your villa with the expectation you'll find bugs and will need to deal with it. Demand immediate response from a professional pest control company, and call them back to repeat as often as you need. Follow the precautions I have outlined in previous posts.  And don't accept living with pests.