Pest Control FAQ for Vero Beach, FL

Drywood and Formosan subterranean termites, palmetto bugs and German cockroaches, roof rats, white footed ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, mosquitoes, bed bugs and chinch bugs in St. Augustinegrass lawns. Raccoons, green iguanas and armadillos round out the wildlife calls.

Florida requires pest control businesses to be licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Ask for the license number and check it with FDACS. Its consumer page has a search tool for licensed companies.

Products are registered with the EPA and must be applied as the label directs. Ask your technician what they use and when kids and pets can return to treated areas. The EPA's guide to integrated pest management explains how to reduce pesticide use around the home.

It depends on the pest and the home. Many homes here do well with regular outdoor service through the year because our season never fully ends. Termites, bed bugs and rodents follow their own schedules. Your technician will suggest a plan after the inspection.

They are often drywood termite pellets. UF/IFAS describes them as six sided pellets pushed out of tiny holes about 1 to 2 mm wide. Save a sample in a bag and ask for an inspection.

Drywood termites live inside dry wood and never need soil. Subterranean termites, including the Formosan termite, live in the ground and build mud tubes to reach wood. Each needs a different treatment.

Heavy rain floods the mulch, palms and drains where palmetto bugs live. They move to higher, drier ground, which is often your garage or kitchen. Sealing gaps under doors helps a lot.

The Indian River Mosquito Control District runs large scale mosquito control in the eastern two thirds of the county. Your own yard still needs attention. Empty containers and flush bromeliads every week.

Same day service is an option. Send the form early and check the same day box. It depends on the technician's route that day.

Clear access to sinks, closets, the attic hatch and the garage. Put pets in a safe room. Have a list of where and when you have seen the pest, and keep any samples.

Usually not. Foggers rarely reach pests hidden in cracks, and can scatter roaches into new rooms. The EPA covers foggers in its bed bug safety guidance, which is worth reading first.

In St. Augustinegrass, sunny patches that spread and do not green up with water often point to chinch bugs. UF/IFAS says damage usually starts in water stressed spots along lawn edges.

Green iguanas are not native and are not protected in Florida except by anticruelty laws, according to UF/IFAS. A technician who handles wildlife can explain trapping and exclusion options.

UF/IFAS explains that Florida rules require nuisance animals to be released on the same property or humanely killed. Moving a raccoon across town is not allowed.

Yes. Requests are welcome from ZIP 32963, which covers the barrier island, including Indian River Shores and Orchid, plus the five mainland Vero Beach ZIP codes.

Closed homes can draw rats, roaches and termites without anyone noticing. Ask about a schedule that keeps an eye on the home while you are up north.