pest control Archives - East Coast Sprayers

Posted on December 22, 2022July 13, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to a pest control plan includes all facets of your home – interior and exterior, and is more beneficial than you think. Pests, especially in Florida, are active year round. These pests can result in damage such as structural damage from burrows in foundation, chewed electrical wires, and even diseases such as Lyme disease. But, if caught early enough can save you time, money, and the damage caused. So what’s the general process of pest control? What does it include? And finally, what are the benefits of maintaining both consistently? Let’s break it down!

Interior Pest Control

Interior pest control is the act of treating an indoor environment, typically a home and all its rooms including basements and attics. This is what comes to mind the most when you think about getting those bugs and critters out the door. Pests that invade the home are typically bugs and small rodents wanting food, water, and shelter. The process usually includes pesticides to help eliminate the problem pest that is already in the home. A licensed technician will inspect each area and crevice of home to ensure proper service is provided. Ultimately, this is a proactive and reactive treatment that is used to not only protect the home itself, but also the items in your home (fleas love that comfy couch you have and roaches thrive in warm electronics) and the health of your family.

Exterior Pest Control

Exterior pest control is performed around the perimeter of your home or building/structure providing a protective barrier with pesticides. Think invisible force field for all critters to keep out of the area. This process might also involve filling any breaches in the home’s exterior with caulk, sealants, etc. Typically a proactive treatment, it protects the foundation of your home and potential interior infestations. One extra step in ensuring you don’t have to deal with problems caused by bugs, rodents, etc. inside. Exterior pest control eradicates specific kinds of pests that originate outside of the home, like mosquitoes, ticks, fire ants, and even small creatures.

So, Why Both?

Pest control maintenance has several short term and long term benefits. Creating a tailored, regular treatment with a pest control specialist can ensure protection of your lawn, garden, and home.

Saves Time

Experts know what bugs are around the area, how to treat them, and ultimately how to solve your pest problem. Don’t spend your time worrying about investigating and understanding the insects/rodents involved and the chemicals needed to treat them when you can lean on a licensed expert for support.

Saves Money

Regular pest management services proactively cut pests off at the pass and prevent a small issue from blowing up into a big one.

Healthier Home

Pest control services reduce the risk of exposure to pest-borne disease pathogens. With these services, you have no worry of potential allergic reactions to pests.

Healthier Landscaping

Not only does interior pest control help save your furniture, but also exterior pest control helps save your plants and trees. It protects plants, grass, shrubs, trees, and flowers for a noticeably greener, lusher landscape by keeping the harmful bugs away. Keeping harmful bugs away also make room for beneficial bugs and plants like pollinators.

Protect Your Home, Lawn, and Garden with East Coast Sprayers!

Pests can destroy your grass, shrubs, trees, flowers, and garden plants. We protect against bugs such as chinch bugs, grubs, sod webworms, ficus whitefly, fire ants, mole crickets, ground moles, weevil beetles, scale, snails, slugs, mites, fleas, ticks, centipedes, roaches, and more! With over 30 years of industry experience, let East Coast Sprayers help you get and maintain both an exterior and interior pest control solution. Our services start at $55 a month, non-contract, and are guaranteed to make your lawn, garden, and home healthier. Call us today for a free consultation!

Posted on August 15, 2021July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

While South Floridians enjoy lots of sunshine and warm weather, many of them are also trying to prevent those pesky iguanas from destroying their landscape plants, flowers, and shrubs. When these creatures threaten to invade your commercial property, you wouldn’t want to wait until they wreak havoc on your lawn. Do yourself a favor by enlisting the help of the most reliable pest control service providers in Lantana, FL – East Coast Sprayers.

What You Should Know About Iguanas

Behavior

Since iguanas are herbivores, they feast on decorative plants, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and shrubs. Additionally, they can easily tear up well-manicured lawns and create eyesores by creating burrows. Besides eating, destroying landscaping, and stinking up swimming pools, they can also cause damage to seawalls and foundations.

Due to their excellent digging abilities and superior climbing skills, commercial property owners find it extremely challenging to get rid of them. What’s more, iguanas are territorial creatures that won’t leave on their own.

Health and Safety Risks

If you catch an iguana eating your flowers, don’t even think about picking them up by hand for relocation. These large lizards carry infectious bacteria called Salmonella that can be passed to humans via contact with the iguana or their fecal matter.

Some of the most severe symptoms of this illness include fever, vomiting, and debilitating diarrhea. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly if you have any contact with an iguana or their droppings.

When iguanas sunbathe on sidewalks or commercial patios and seawalls, they tend to get in the way of passing pedestrians. When these pests feel threatened, they won’t hesitate to scratch, bite, or use their muscular tail to deliver powerful scratches.

How to Rid Your Commercial Property of Iguanas

Never Leave Food Out Unattended

You shouldn’t allow leftovers to sit outside. Unless you clean up your mess right away, iguanas won’t think twice before they try to eat the bowl of fruit left unattended.

Dispose of Any Dropped Fruit

Since iguanas won’t be able to resist fruit that’s easy to get to, be sure to rid your lawn of low-hanging or dropped fruit. While you’re at it, don’t forget to discard them in a closed garbage bin. Put a cinder block on the lid to prevent smart iguanas from lifting the lid, sliding in, and digging through your garbage looking for food.

Fill Iguana Holes

The best time to fill iguana holes is when they’re out roaming during the day. Before you fill the holes with dirt and top them with sod, be sure to stuff large rocks in them first.

Returning iguanas won’t dig through the rocks. Filling iguana holes with rocks and dirt can also prevent their eggs from hatching.

Hire Pest Control Service in Lantana, FL!

Unfortunately, iguana populations show no signs of decline because these creatures face only a few competitors or natural predators in the wild. While some people can choose to coexist with these pests, this isn’t an option for most business owners. If you need help in controlling the iguana problem plaguing your commercial property, get in touch with East Coast Sprayers to schedule an inspection.

Posted on January 16, 2021July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Sunny, warm weather and beautiful beaches make South Florida one of the top destinations to live, but with this climate comes an array of household bugs that can invade our homes. As one of the top pest control companies in Palm Beach County, our team at East Coast Sprayers has seen (and treated) it all so we are sharing the 5 most common household bugs you may encounter.

1. ROACHES

We are sure we can speak for everyone when we say roaches are our least-welcome house guests. Just the sight of one in our home can send us into a frenzy. Roaches not only spread diseases as they move around searching for food, they shed skin, feces, and body parts that can cause serious allergic reactions. The most common types found in Palm Beach County households include the German cockroach, brown-banded cockroach and the Asian cockroach.

2. ANTS

Ants are a pest that never seem to go away. Our South Florida area is a playground for numerous species of indoor and outdoor ants, but the household bugs in the ant family we see regularly in Palm Beach County are the pharaoh ant, the ghost ant and the pavement ant. These ants feed on the sweet and greasy food we leave behind. With all the nooks and crannies our kitchens have for crumbs to hide, it’s almost impossible to not experience an ant infestation in your lifetime.

3. FLEAS

Animals are usually the main carriers of fleas into our homes. While we love our pets, their frequent exposure to the outdoors makes them a prime subject to acquiring fleas. Once inside your home, fleas feed off their host and reproduce at a rapid rate. Once they reproduce, eggs can fall off their original host and make their way to you, your family and other pets in the house.

4. SPIDERS

It’s typical to walk into a home and find at least one spider hidden away in a perfectly webbed corner. While spiders usually cause us no harm, there are still the few species that can bite and/or are venomous. The harmless household spiders include the domestic house spider, wolf spider and funnel weaver spider. The most common poisonous spiders in the Palm Beach County region may come as no shock to residents; the brown recluse and widows.

5. SILVERFISH

Acclaimed across the industry as one of the top household bugs, silverfish are one of those pests that simply aim to annoy. While they don’t bite or carry disease, they can cause damage to your possessions, such as clothing, carpet, paper (that includes books) or anything that stands in their way of food. Silverfish get their name from the coloring and unique movement. If you happen upon one, you will notice how their fast-moving bodies curve as they crawl, almost like a swimming fish. They are mostly attracted to warm, damp, cluttered spaces (think bathrooms, garages and attics) with plenty of areas to hide and sources of food.

CALL THE PROS AT EAST COAST SPRAYERS

If you are experiencing any of the household bugs described above, give our team a call. We are expertly trained with over 30 years of combined experience in the pest control industry. Our team of licensed professionals know how to quickly eradicate these pests from your home… and keep them from coming back. Call East Coast Sprayers today for your free estimate!

Posted on December 6, 2020July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

If you are an avid grower in Palm Beach County, you know of (or proudly grow) a rare fruit tree called the lychee tree. Originating in China, this delicious fruit-bearing tree isn’t grown commercially in the United States, besides a few small farms here in Florida. Favorable tropical conditions in South Florida allow us the unique opportunity to grow this tree. But with every great opportunity comes unique threats in pest control. Introducing: The lychee erinose mite.

Lychee Erinose Mite Treatment, East Coast Sprayers — East Coast Sprayers treating a lychee erinose mite infestation.

First discovered in Florida in 2018, the lychee erinose mite itself is undetectable without a microscope, but it leaves a path of destruction that cannot be ignored. Like other varieties of mites, they pierce the fleshy leaves and feed on the moisture inside of your plants. The Lychee erinose mite specifically attacks the lychee trees, creating a dense, wool-like erinose on the underside of leaves where they live, feed, and reproduce.

Heavy infestations of lychee erinose mites can cause severe damage to your lychee tree, including:

Blistering, curled and disformed leaves
Reduced photosynthesis
Decline in tree growth
Reduced flowering/fruit production

If you have a lychee tree and notice an orange-brown velvety growth on the underside of your leaves, blisters on the leaf tops and a decline in your tree’s flowering/fruit production, we can help.

East Coast Sprayers is the top lychee erinose mite eradicator in Palm Beach County and has successfully treated infestations from Jupiter, FL to Boca Raton, FL. With eradication methods perfected by our team in conjunction with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, your tree can be on its way back to health in a few short months. East Coast Sprayers will evaluate your lychee trees and provide a free treatment estimate – Call us today and let our team of licensed professionals help bring your landscape back to health!

Posted on August 17, 2019July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

We live in South Florida for a number of reasons: warm climate all year round, beautiful beaches, and plenty of activities and things to do. But we can’t escape the pests that habitat our area. Whiteflies are a big concern here in Palm Beach County and they are so good at camouflage, you may not even know you have them until it’s too late.

What are Whiteflies?

Whiteflies are tiny, white, winged insects that suck on the nutrients in your plants. They damage your plants by not only draining its fluids and causing it to wilt but also by secreting honeydew onto its leaves. This honeydew form into fungal diseases that can severely damage or kill off your precious ornamentals or vegetable plants (their favorite!). Whiteflies are also very attracted to ficus hedges, which are prominent in our Palm Beach County landscapes.

How to Identify Whiteflies

As mentioned, whiteflies are so small and easily camouflaged, it may take a little work to identify them. You can check your plants by shaking the leaves, as they will all fly off in swarm when disturbed. Turn over your leaves and you may find sticky honeydew left behind. Whiteflies are also quick reproducers, laying up to 400 eggs at one time. You can identify whitefly eggs by their extremely tiny size and pale yellow color laid in a circular pattern. Larvae are little white ovals and you can find them sucking on your plants nutrients on the underside of your leaves.

How to Prevent and Treat Whitefly

It’s always best to prevent an infestation before it can happen to you. The professionals at East Coast Sprayers know whitefly like the backs of their hands and can easily identify if you’re susceptible or if you need treatment for an existing whitefly breakout. We will tailor an insect control treatment plan specifically for you to ensure a beautiful, lush landscape for years to come. Contact us today for your free evaluation!

Posted on August 3, 2019July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Living in Palm Beach County comes with its perks, but it also comes with the insects and pests that make their home in your landscape. Aphids and scales are two of the common found insects that invade and cause destruction in South Florida plants. East Coast Sprayers know how important curb appeal is to our customers, and we are here to help keep aphids and scales away with pest control treatments and programs designed for you.

Aphids in Palm Beach County

Aphids can primarily be found in your flowering plants, feeding on the juices from the stems, leaves and flower buds. Their feeding causes your flower petals to curl and hinders the overall growth of the plant. These pests reproduce quickly and aphid larvae feed on the roots of the plant.

Luckily, aphids can be easy to eradicate as their bodies don’t offer much protection. In addition to treating the live insects with a pesticide, the professionals at East Coast Sprayers can apply a treatment during their dormant season to kill any wintering eggs.

Scales in Palm Beach County

While scales have a different appearance than aphids, they have almost identical destructive behaviors. They suck the juices from your plants, leaving them discolored and damaged. In addition, they secrete honeydew, which quickly forms into a sooty mold which can reduce photosynthesis. This mold can remain on your foliage long after killing them off and cause extreme damage or death of the plant. Preventative treatments can help reduce the odds of scales ever harming your plants, while our specialists can help eradicate their presence if you currently have an infestation.

Aphids and Scales Treatment in Palm Beach County

If you’re experiencing issues with your landscape similar to what we’ve described above, it may be time to call East Coast Sprayers. We are professionals who understand the ins and outs of your landscape, as well as how to control pests and insects that invade it. Contact us today for a free evaluation of your aphid and scale epidemic and let us create a custom treatment just for you.

Posted on June 29, 2019July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

In Palm Beach County, we are used to the heat, daily rain, and bugs that come along with summertime. While we can’t control the weather, we can control the pests that are invading your landscape this time of year. Since we have been seeing an influx of grubs taking over our customer’s lawns recently, here’s some information on these destructive insects and how East Coast Sprayers can help maintain your beautiful lawn.

Identifying Grubs

Grubs are the little, white larvae of June beetles. They love to feed on organic matter in the soil, such as your grass roots. If you are not sure if you have a grub problem, here are some tell-tale signs:

Your lawn feels spongy when you walk on it
Foraging animals such as raccoons, armadillos, skunks and birds are digging up your lawn to feed on the grubs
Dead parts of your lawn can be pulled back like carpet from grubs eating the root systems

The key to controlling grubs is to kill them before they hatch. Insect control preventative treatments can be applied in the early summer in Palm Beach County to help eliminate the issue before it even starts.

Grubs Treatment

East Coast Sprayers have the knowledge you need to help keep your Palm Beach County property free of insects all summer long. Our team can provide a free evaluation of your infestation and outline a treatment plan for grubs in your landscape. Contact us today and let us help you get rid of what’s bugging you!

Posted on June 22, 2019 by East Coast Sprayers

Just like alligators and snakes, fire ants are a resident pest of Palm Beach County. If you live here, you have more than likely had your fair share of experiences with these painful insects. Their mounds can destroy your yard and cause painful stings to you, your children and your pets. If you are a Palm Beach County resident or business owner, East Coast Sprayers can help you understand fire ants and use our insect control expertise to eradicate them from your property!

Where Do Fire Ants Live?

Fire ants are most prominent in the warm climate areas of the southern United States and are found throughout the entire state of Florida. Due to their social nature, you can usually find colonies of fire ant mounds in open, sunny areas such as:

Parks
Playgrounds
Lawns
Fields/meadows
Golf courses
Pastures
Wildlife areas
Agricultural land

Sometimes they may be spotted by a building, near the base of a tree, or between sidewalks, which provide a safe, dry location for their queen and her offspring.

Fire Ant Stings and Reactions

It’s easy to identify a fire ant by it’s sting, although we do not recommend this method! Fire ants are notoriously aggressive; their stings inject venom into your skin that can cause instant, intense pain. The pain will quickly turn into extreme itching and irritation that can last for days. One step into a fire ant mound can trigger groups to swarm and attack, which is why stings tend to appear in clusters. One fire ant will sting multiple times until dislodged or killed. The stings will produce fluid-filled blisters, similar in appearance to pimples, and could cause the affected area to swell.

How Do You Control Fire Ants?

Fire ants in Palm Beach County are inevitable. However, the professionals at East Coast Sprayers are experts in treating residential and commercial properties for fire ants. Our vast knowledge on eradication methods, as well as preventative treatments, can help you enjoy your lawn without fear. Contact us today for a FREE evaluation of your fire ant infestation and let us help you be fire ant free!

Posted on November 12, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Whiteflies are known for their nutrient-sucking habits and their war on crops and plants, especially decorative plants. Understanding how to get rid of whiteflies can benefit farmers and home plant owners alike.

The whitefly has an incubation period of 4-12 days. After that, they pierce plants and suck out the sap for weeks before becoming full-fledged adults. And that’s when the problems go from bad to worse for your greens.

Whiteflies have their seasons in colder climates (and may last year-round in warmer areas) but can last indoors all year. Whatever your situation, here are a few tips on how to get rid of whiteflies from the industry professionals at East Coast Sprayers.

How to Get Rid of Whiteflies: 4 Steps

Though they don’t usually fall on lists of the most common lawn bugs, the whitefly is a powerful pest that can destroy your plants. They slowly deprive plants of nutrients and sustenance, killing many before you realize their impact.

They hang on the underside of plant leaves where they’re safe from the sun and hidden from predators while they feed. Besides growing in a clear greenhouse and quarantining plants for weeks, here’s how to get rid of whiteflies:

1. Identify Which Plants are Infested

Before you can understand how to deal with whiteflies, you need to find out where they’re gathering. This will help determine which plants are at a higher risk and how to treat them specifically.

You’ll have to look under the leaves to spot adult and immature whiteflies. Adult females usually leave somewhere between 200-400 tiny white eggs in clusters under leaves near the tops of plants.

2. Sticky Traps

By setting sticky traps, you can monitor the adult population and get figures. For larger crop areas, where it’s impossible to search every plant, a few random samples will give you an idea of the entire population.

You can purchase the typical yellow sticky traps from department stores, supermarkets, and pest control shops in your area. From there, place the traps throughout a greenhouse, but especially by doors and new plants.

In a larger field, disperse them evenly across the entire crop, but near newer crops especially.

3. Natural, Organic Pesticides for Larger Infestations

Major infestations will require some sort of pesticide, but you’ll want to be careful not to damage your plants in the process. Pesticides can also be extremely dangerous to humans.

Do a decent amount of research on the plants affected and what type of organic, natural pesticides are available for purchase.

If you’re unsure where to begin, consider products from brands like Safer and their competitors.

4. Finish Up with Horticultural Oils

Again, you’ll want to research what your plant or crop is susceptible to, but you may find relief in a horticultural oil. These oils go into a sprayer to coat plants and ultimately smother insects, from eggs to adults.

Lawncare Advice from the Professionals at East Coast Sprayers

You’ll need to do more research to determine how to get rid of whiteflies in your home or garden. And when you need more tips and tricks for healthy plants and a bountiful harvest or flowering, we’ve got just the resources!

Head on over to the East Coast Sprayers website now to learn more!

Posted on October 1, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

The lawn industry is worth $40 billion a year. If you need to replace your entire lawn with sod, it could cost you a pretty penny – anywhere up to $4,500 depending on size. That’s why it’s important to take care of your lawn.

Don’t let grass bugs destroy your beautiful new lawn. Here are the five most common lawn bugs to watch for and how to get rid of them fast.

1. Grubs (Beetle Larvae)

One of the most common and most damaging of all lawn pets are beetle larvae or grubs. These plump, c-shaped larvae arrive in the spring, summer, and early fall to eat the lawn grass roots. You will find them just below the soil surface.

To get rid of grubs, you can get nematodes, which are microscopic bacteria that invade the grubs and ultimately kill them. You can also try milk spore. The other options are chemical applications either preventative or curatives to kill immature larvae.

2. Chinch Bug

Chinh bugs kill grass by sucking on the blades. While they are feeding, they secrete an anticoagulant which prevents the grass from absorbing water. The grass withers and then dies.

These bugs mature quickly, so it’s important you treat your lawn immediately. Find insecticides labeled for cinch bugs. You should also water and feed your yard regularly to prevent further damage.

3. Sod Webworm

The webworm moth’s larvae eat grass blades and the entire stems. The young sod webworms are about 1 inch in length and will become green or brown with dark spotting. Look for find silken tunnels at the turf level.

To control sod webworms, you need to keep your yard fed and water so it can recover. Next, use a pesticide labeled for sod webworms. They feed at night, so apply in the late afternoon.

4. Armyworm

Armyworms eat the stems and blades. They feed at night or early in the morning.

If you have armyworm damage, these worms create bare spots in a circular shape. They can also make a lawn look like it moved if you have a heavy invasion.

You can try using neem oil spray to kill the larvae. If the damage spreads too quickly, look for the right insecticide which you can get in the organic form.

5. Cutworm

These worms about 2 inches long and are brown or gray with black marks. These worms burrow during the day. You can spot these worms at night or on a cloudy day.

Cutworms bite grass stems completely off. You can find the burrows and the sheared-off grasses if you look closely.

There are a couple of methods you could try to get rid of cutworms. You can spread a mulch of oak leaves or Bacillus thuringlensis, which is a natural method.

Effective Lawn Bug Control

It’s important to apply fertilizer and water your lawn. This helps your lawn stay as healthy as possible to bounce back from pest damage. You can get rid of insect pests yourself or hire a professional for insect control.

Unfortunately, pest damage to your lawn can go unnoticed until major damage shows. You can be proactive in applying preventative treatments to get ahead of the damage.

Want More Lawn Care Advice?

Everyone wants a beautiful lawn free of lawn bugs. Check out our blog today for helpful lawn care tips like seven common lawn care mistakes.