Termite Swarm Season in Florida

Termite season strikes residents in the Tampa Bay Florida area typically during the months of January through May.

Termite swarms not to be confused with flying ants have a different wings than their cousin the ant.
While both species have four wings, the termite wings are all the same size and the ant wings have noticeably larger wings in the front as compared to the hind pair. Ant reproductive (swarmers) have two pairs of wings.Often ants have a black dot near the tip of the front wings, and dark wing veins can be seen. You can’t see termite wing veins with the naked eye.

• Ant wings do not break off easily. Termite wings break off easily, with just a touch. You may see the broken wings from the swarming termites in a area they have been crawling.
• Termites have an almost straight antennae, the ants antennae are elbowed.
• Termite wings are twice as long as the body.
• Ants appear distinctly segmented, because of their thin-waisted appearance. Termites have a broad-waisted appearance.Termite waists are not narrow.Termite bodies are straight-sided with no constriction.

As you can see in the image to the right the ant has elbowed antennae, where as the termites antennae are strait.

When the termites receive the proper cues such as (warm temperatures, bright sunlight, low winds, for example) they will leave the colony and fly away to start their own colonies.

There are three major groups of termites which occur in Florida: dry wood, subterranean and Formosan termites have been found in Tampa. Termites can be identified by the appearance of the swarmers, their damage, and the droppings they leave behind.
The two most common types of termites are “drywood” and “ground,” or subterranean termites. Subterranean termites cause about 95% of the termite-related damage found in the Tampa Bay area. Both types of termites eat cellulose for nutrition. Cellulose is found in wood and wood products.

If you suspect a termite infestation you can catch some and put them in a container and bring them by our office located at
802 West Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL
or call: (813) 936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for a Free estimate.

Service Areas:

Hillsborough County: All including Tampa, Town-N-Country, Templ Terrace, Brandon, Wesly Chapal, Riverview, Gibsonton, Progress Village, Valrico
Pinellas County: All including St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Largo, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Trinity
Pasco County: All including Holiday, Lutz, Trinity, New Port Richey, Land-O-Lakes, Cheval
Alos Polk, Manatee, Hernando and Sarasota Counties

Getting Rid Of Fire Ants In Florida

At Tri-S Pest Control Service Tampa, we understand that Fire Ants are not welcome on your lawn or in your home. If you’re wondering how to get rid of Florida fire ants, we have the solution. We offer a yearly fire ant control program where we perform a granular application throughout your lawn and flowerbeds. Our staff uses Top Choice, the leading fire ant product on the market today.

Fire ants are often found nesting in soil, as well as river banks, pond edges, and highway edges. In Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and other parts of Florida, fire ants are commonly found in watered lawns. Recently, the population of fire ants has greatly increased.

Many people in Florida have felt these horrible, painful stings inflicted by fire ants. Although tiny in size, these fierce insects tend to swarm on unsuspecting people. They also pack a powerful punch with their sting, which injects toxic alkaloid venom into a human, causing them to experience the sensation of being burned by fire, hence the name fire ants.

Top Choice Pest Control:

• Is a slow acting insecticide, which means it doesn’t have an immediate effect, but lasts longer
• Uses an ant’s social life to do its work since the ants themselves work to spread the insecticide they’ve touched with ants from their colony
• Kills fire ants as well as fleas, ticks, and mole crickets
• Controls fire ants for up to one year

Although small, these ants can be a menace, inflict painful stings, and possibly even kill a human if they’re severely sensitive to their venom.

Contact our Tampa pest control specialists today in Tampa call: (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for a free estimate, whether you’re in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Florida. We offer simply superior service, guaranteed!

Tampa Termite Inspection & Services

Termite season strikes residents in Florida during the months of January through May. These swarms start to appear when the termites leave their colonies to find new nesting sites. It is at this time that homeowners begin to realize they might have a termite problem since they spot the swarming termites in their homes. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has urged homeowners in the past to use some form of termite pest control to defend their homes in Tampa, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough Counties and all of the Tampa Bay area. It has been noted that Floridians spend more than $700,000,000 on damages and termite pest control each year. Still, about half of Florida’s homeowners don’t use any type of termite pest control to safeguard their property.

The termites typically found infesting homes in Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg and other Florida cities are subterranean and dry wood termites. There are different termite pest control methods for both subterranean and dry wood termites. Subterranean termites live underground in the soil and feed off of structures from the ground up; dry wood termites live in isolated wood pieces of a wooden structure and usually cause extensive damage before detected. Most of the time, homeowners are caught unawares, leading to significant damage and cost; it is this inability to detect an infestation that makes a reliable termite pest control method vital in Tampa Bay homes.

Use these tips to keep the termites away until you implement some type of termite pest control method to your home:

• Discard any piles of wood or mulch that may be close or under your home
• Contact a local termite pest control specialist to annually inspect your home
• Quickly repair any moisture problems or water leaks since subterranean termites are attracted to moisture
• Keep siding materials about 6 to 8 inches above ground level. This doesn’t include masonry or brick.

Although subterranean termites get all the glory, many people tend to forget about drywood termites. These tiny insects can inflict a world of destruction to your Tampa bay home or business with barely a sign. Drywood termites often leave tiny mounds of fecal pellets underneath the wood they’ve infested. The holes are nearly impossible to see since they are about 1mm in size, and as a security measure, soldier termites plug the holes with their heads to shield the hole from invaders.

Although they tend to be localized, it is very difficult to manage drywood termite infestations. If a colony is spotted soon, the infestation can be treated successfully. However, if that colony has matured and produced alates that have begun their own colony, the infestation will intensify and the number of termites can double and multiply.

At Tri-S Pest Control we use the following treatments to rid drywood termites from your property:

• Termidor—this leading non-repellant treatment can be used alone. Termidor is perfect for those seeking a cost-effective cure to drywood termites.
• Bora Care—can be applied to your home or office without you having to vacate. It is injected into your walls with a needle, and will protect your wood for up to 25 years.

Tri-S Pest Control Service can handle any of your termite pest control needs. Our termite pest control technicians are cross trained, meaning they’re not only trained in termite pest control but also general pest control, providing a total solution to all your needs. With a dual approach for current and future issues, our technicians complete both preventative termite pest control in Tampa and beyond as well as treatments to eliminate your current infestation.

If you suspect your home has termites, call us today for a free estimate in Tampa call: (813)936-5850, in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk and Sarasota counties call: 1-800-410-5850. We offer simply superior service, guaranteed!

Everyone wants a lush, healthy green lawn to envelope their front and back yards. They want the bright green carpet to be the envy of their neighborhood so they routinely water and mow it. Still, simply watering your lawn isn’t going to maintain it; it needs more! In order for your grass to flourish it needs lawn fertilization, ideally performed by a professional company.

Many people may not know this, but Tampa, and all of Florida, has five types of grasses growing in backyards, in parks and by the beach. These five grasses are different and have specific needs when it comes to lawn fertilization. Those who aren’t aware of what type of grass they have or what these lawn fertilization requirements are could end up burning and destroying their once precious green grass. Soil generally supplies your grass with all the nutrients it needs to survive, but most soils can’t provide all the essential nutrients during all of your grass’ growing season. This is why lawn fertilization is essential since it promotes new leaf and root growth, helps the grass recover from pests and foot traffic, lessens and controls weeds, while also replacing lost nutrients.

There are different lawn fertilization requirements and different lawn fertilizers, for that matter, for every type of grass. If the right one isn’t used it could cause serious damage. These are the five different types of grass that grows in Florida and their requirements:

• Bahia—this medium to coarse grass should be fertilized in the spring, summer and fall. It thrives in humid, Tampa, Florida heat. Needs fertilizer that contains iron for a bright, green look. It is drought resistant and can be harmed with excess watering.
• Bermuda—this grass has poor shade tolerance and is high maintenance. Lawn fertilization is needed in the spring, summer and fall.
• Centipede—this grass doesn’t do well with constant foot traffic. It looks greener when fertilized with a product containing iron. Lawn fertilization should be done in the spring only. Lime cannot be used on this grass.
• St. Augustine—this grass is vulnerable to drought and the chinch bug. It is a favorite grass in warm climates, and lawn fertilization should be done in the spring, summer and fall.
• Zoysia—is a very dense, dark turf that needs lawn fertilization in the spring and fall, only. It is slow to establish and it needs full sun. It can resist weeds if properly fertilized.

Tri-S Pest Control Services, Inc. specializes in lawn fertilization in Tampa, Florida and beyond. We have been taking care of lawns in the area since we were established 24 years ago. Contact us today at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850. We offer simply superior services, guaranteed!

Your home is your castle. You’ve worked hard to keep the interior clean and well decorated, while the outside is beautifully painted and free of any stray debris. Still, regardless of all those efforts, if you don’t have the right garden pest control program for your lawn and garden, your house will never be able to give you the level of beauty you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Having a garden pest control program at your home in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota, and Polk and Hernando counties, is crucial if you want to keep your lawn and trees healthy, green and free from pests.

Garden pest control programs help to nourish your grass and plants at the right times of the year, as well as treat your lawn and garden to help build a resistance against turf damage, insects and weeds. A garden pest control program is especially needed to prevent the appearance of these pests on your property:

• White Grubs—these gross things are the larvae of the June beetle. The adults lay eggs in your soil and when born, the grubs will feed off of the roots of your plants. Plants affected by these white grubs will begin to wilt suddenly. Grubs often kill small plants and gnaw holes into vegetable roots.
• Mole Crickets—these insects damage turf and pasture grasses by tunneling since they mostly eat other insects. They rarely eat plants.
• Sod Webworms—these guys feed off of lawns, golf course grass, corn, blue grass and much more. The larvae cause damage by cutting of the grass blades just above the thatch line. You will know if you’re infected by the small patches of cropped brown grass.

Thankfully, Tri-S Pest Control Service has a tried-and-true garden pest control program. Our effective program includes applying the proper amount of fertilizer, along with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to ensure your lawn will remain healthy and green , whether it’s in Manatee County, Hernando County, Tampa, or Clearwater. Contact us at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for more information on our garden pest control program.

Visits from ants, cockroaches and flies happen to the best of us. Regardless of how clean you keep your home, or how many plastic roach baits or ant baits you leave behind, sometimes there’s no keeping them out. This is why a professional home pest control method is the best way to free your house of unwanted visitors. Aside from the terror and embarrassment a cockroach can inspire simply by scuttling across your floor during a party, these pests can lead to serious health problems. Home pest control programs, whether you live in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota or Pasco County, are essential for your peace of mind.

Tri-S offers protection from a number of unhealthy visitors, including, but not limited to:

• Roaches—they enter your home through sewers, drain pipes, cracks and even in grocery bags and purses. Without a home pest control system, your house is the ideal breeding ground for roaches since they’ll have plenty of food, warmth and water to keep them alive and nesting. A home pest control system prevents them from getting comfortable and hatching numerous eggs, multiplying at an enormous rate. Roaches can lead to allergies and asthma because as their popular grows, homeowners will begin to breathe in the dust created by left over cockroach skin, dead bodies and droppings.
• Ants—these little insects are the number one pest problem in the nation. Once they’ve entered your home, they make it their home. Preventative home pest control is essential to keeping these difficult pests out of your house, apartment or business. A colony can consist of up to 500,000 ants, and the queen can live up to 15 years. Without home pest control, ants will make themselves at home in your lawn, your walls, and your foundations.
• Flies—there are more than 100 different bacteria and viruses, like E.coli and Salmonella, that are associated with the house fly. These viruses and bacteria could lead to cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis and polio, to name a few. Home pest control is essential to keep these harmful diseases away from you and your loved ones.

At Tri-S Pest Control Service, we work diligently to provide you with the most effective home pest control system available. Drawing on extensive experience in the industry, we place the right combination of baits, traps, dust formulations and limited pesticide to guarantee you a top-notch home pest control program whether you live in Sarasota, Tampa, Lakeland, Clearwater or other Florida locations.

Call us today at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for a free estimate for your home pest control and more.

Each year termites cost consumers $700 million in damages and control in the state of Florida. When the swarms of subterranean termites appear from January through May, homeowners and business owners in Tampa Bay, Florida begin to hope their termite control system will stand up to the tiny, destructive pests. For those homeowners and business owners who don’t have termite control, finding a trustworthy, professional and effective termite inspection and control company is of the utmost importance.

There are several factors you should consider before choosing the right termite control company:

• Relax. Breathe. Don’t Panic.—you’ve discovered your home may be infested with the wood-eating winged insects, and you think you need termite control now! Although it is important to have your home inspected and evaluated, you should not rush into a contract with a termite control company you don’t trust. Termites work slowly, so your building won’t collapse overnight. It is better to take a little time than to regret working with a disreputable company.
• Take action—do your homework and contact several reliable termite control companies in your area. Have a thorough termite control inspection performed and look for companies that will provide you with a written report detailing inspected areas, areas of damage and areas of active and inactive infestation. The report should also state what termite control treatments will be needed as well as a diagram of infestation locations. Get a set price.
• Understand the different treatment methods—there are pest tubes, soil treatments, wall injectable solutions, and so forth. Know what termite control treatments will work best for your particular infestation and property.
• Be aware of shady companies—be wary of any company offering to use leftover chemicals from their last job at a reduced price to you; have no telephone number; go door to door looking for elderly clients; claim to have their own termite control solution since all termiticides need to be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.

When searching for a professional and hardworking Tampa termite inspection and control company, look no further than Tri-S Pest Control Services, Inc.

Call us today at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for a free estimate on our termite control service whether you live in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota or elsewhere in central Florida. We offer simply superior service, guaranteed!

Termite season strikes residents in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and all over Florida during the months of January through May. These swarms start to appear when the termites leave their colonies to find new nesting sites. It is at this time that homeowners begin to realize thtermiteey have a termite problem since they spot the swarming termites in their homes. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has urged homeowners in the past to use some form of termite pest control to defend their homes in Pasco, Manatee, Citrus and all other Florida counties. It has been noted that Floridians spend more than $700,000,000 on damages and termite pest control each year. Still, about half of Florida’s homeowners don’t use any type of termite pest control to safeguard their property.

The termites typically found infesting homes in Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg and other Florida cities are subterranean and dry wood termites. There are different termite pest control methods for both subterranean and dry wood termites. Subterranean termites live underground in the soil and feed off of structures from the ground up; dry wood termites live in isolated wood pieces of a wooden structure and usually cause extensive damage before detected. Most of the time, homeowners are caught unawares, leading to significant damage and cost; it is this inability to detect an infestation that makes a reliable termite pest control method vital in Florida homes.

Use these tips to keep the termites away until you implement some type of termite pest control method to your home:

• Discard any piles of wood or mulch that may be close or under your home
• Contact a local termite pest control specialist to annually inspect your home
• Quickly repair any moisture problems or water leaks since subterranean termites are attracted to moisture
• Keep siding materials about 6 to 8 inches above ground level. This doesn’t include masonry or brick.

Tri-S Pest Control Service can handle any of your termite pest control needs. Our termite pest control technicians are cross trained, meaning they’re not only trained in termite pest control but also general pest control, providing a total solution to all your needs. With a dual approach for current and future issues, our technicians complete both preventative termite pest control in Tampa and beyond as well as treatments to eliminate your current infestation.

If you suspect your home has termites, call us today for a free estimate at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850. We offer simply superior service, guaranteed!

If you’re in the Tampa area and you have St. Augustine grass in your front or backyard, you may want a reliable pest control company to inspect your lawn for destructive chinch bugs. Chinch bugs measure about 1/8 to 1/10 of an inch long as adults, but they have the appetites of much larger creatures. In fact, chinch bugs are the most difficult insect to control and the most damaging when it comes to St. Augustine grass, making them St. Augustine’s #1 enemy.

Chinch bugs usually appear in the Tampa area between March and November, although they’re a year-round problem in southern Florida. Females typically live for two months, and in that time period they lay about 300 eggs. In one year roughly 4 generations of chinch bugs with overlapping life stages can develop in Tampa Bay and central Florida lawns.

At Tri-S Pest Control Services, a Tampa pest control company, we understand how damaging chinch bugs can be to lawns in Tampa and other parts of west and central Florida. That is why we have developed various lawn pest control methods to find and remove chinch bugs, as well as prevent them from returning to your lawn whether you’re in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, FL, and beyond:

• Lawn Beautification Program: This program is designed to properly nourish your lawn at the right times of year, which prompts your grass to form a resistance against turf damaging insects, weeds and fungus. At Tri-S Pest Control, we hire nothing but the most experienced and professional lawn pest control Tampa technicians to take care of your grass. Our technicians are specially trained to apply the correct amount of fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to assure your lawn will stay healthy and green throughout the year.
• Premium Lawn Program: This lawn pest control program applies to those who desire a golf course quality lawn. Like the lawn beautification program, our premium plan includes insecticide, fungicide and weed treatments. In addition to these treatments, we also use quality fertilizers at 75 percent slow release.
• Chinch bugs feed on plant fluids within leaf sheaths, which kills the grass and promotes weed growth. There are various ways to identify an infestation of chinch bugs, but these signs can easily be confused with other lawn issues. The best way to answer the question of whether or not you have chinch bugs is to rely on a professional Tampa pest control service, like Tri-S Pest Control, to inspect your grass.

Call us today at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for more information on eliminating chinch bugs from your property. We offer simply superior services, guaranteed!

As of April 3, 2009, the Tampa city council implemented a new watering restriction policy that states residents within the city limits cannot use sprinkler systems for lawn watering. If a resident violates the new City of Tampa lawn watering restrictions, they will be fined $100. Aside from the City of Tampa watering restrictions, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (commonly known as SWFWMD) is also limiting your lawn watering hours and banning ornamental fountains, residential pressure washing and car washing.

At Tri-S Pest Control Services, we understand how important it is for you to have a lush green lawn in your front yard as well as your backyard. And while a beautiful, healthy lawn can elevate your home’s value and improve the appearance of your business, the law is the law. Thankfully, we may have the perfect solution to Tampa’s new lawn watering restriction: the Hydretain Moisture Manager.

The Hydretain Moisture Manager basically works to decrease the amount of water needed by your lawn and plants. It is a liquid blend of organic components which create a film that allows your lawn and plants to absorb moisture like a magnet, and store it for later use.

By using Hydretain as an extension to lawn watering, you are:

• Controlling and possibly preventing the appearance of dry spots in your lawn
• Decreasing your water bills
• Minimizing the amount of damage done to your lawn and plants due to drought
• Enhancing the nutrients delivered to your plants, flowers and grass, as well as increasing the effectiveness of your pesticides

Don’t allow the lawn watering restrictions in Tampa to cause you to lose your precious lawn and garden. Our staff of professional pest control Tampa experts is highly trained to provide you with an effective solution for all your pest control and lawn maintenance needs.

Call Tri-S Pest Control today at (813)936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for more information on the lawn watering restriction policy and how Hydretain can help. We offer simply superior services, guaranteed!