Pest Control

[cmj1210]

I am a resident of Lake Deaton and we have owned our home for the last 6 months. During that time we have not encountered one bug either dead or alive. We pay for pest control and my question is, is it really necessary or is it the pest control companies that initiate a false need for this service? We are from NY/Long Island and we never had to have pest control performed in our area. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Bogie Shooter]

I am a resident of Lake Deaton and we have owned our home for the last 6 months. During that time we have not encountered one bug either dead or alive. We pay for pest control and my question is, is it really necessary or is it the pest control companies that initiate a false need for this service? We are from NY/Long Island and we never had to have pest control performed in our area. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Either you pay someone to do it or you do it yourself..................but I would not do without it.

[JoMar]

I am a resident of Lake Deaton and we have owned our home for the last 6 months. During that time we have not encountered one bug either dead or alive. We pay for pest control and my question is, is it really necessary or is it the pest control companies that initiate a false need for this service? We are from NY/Long Island and we never had to have pest control performed in our area. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Might not see the bugs because the properties are treated.....I wouldn't be without it either.

[Bonanza]

I originally moved o Florida in 1983 and with the exception of being in the Bahamas and Louisiana for a few years, I have never had any type of pest control service, there or here in Florida. An occasional bug here of there is not a reason to treat your house or your yard. I do believe if someone has a problem -- a real problem -- the issue should be taken care of, but not as an ongoing treatment.

I have never seen such promiscuous use of pesticides and insecticides as here in The Villages. Anyone on TOTV who reads the posts regarding their use, knows I am emphatically against the monthly service that seemingly everyone has for their house and yard.

When people move here neighbors and friends make sure they tell the new owners they must get pest control service. The new resident is bombarded with calls, mail, etc., from the companies which perform these services, Everyone makes you feel as though you're crazy if you don't subscribe to a company's service.

Most residents who have a pest control service can't give you a real reason why they have a contract with a company. To keep the bugs away is not a reason, particularly when they've never had a problem. A bug here or a bug there is not a reason to constantly spray.

My suggestion is to not do anything and if you ultimately have a serious problem, treat the problem. Otherwise, do nothing. Save the money it would cost and put it towards something that is truly worthwhile.

[jblum315]

Just because you don't see any pests doesn't mean they aren't lurking in your shrubbery, palm trees, etc. You don't see mosquitoes because The Villages sprays every week.
Last year I had some cockroaches in my house. Dean's, who treat the perimeter of the house monthly, determined that they came from outside and got rid of them in several visits for no additional charge to my annual contract. Same with ants the previous year.

[KathieI]

I think to wait until you have a problem is bad advice. My exterminator doesn't spray every week, but more like 4 times a year but if I see a problem, they come immediately to take care of it instead of waiting until it takes over (believe me, that can happen). I haven't had my lawn treated yet in my new house and my little dog brought in a tick the other day from my own front yard. As Jblum says, they are there and lurking. So guess who's getting a call to spray the front lawn asap....

I've lived in warm climates for the past 38 years and always had a service but I think here with the high humidity, its wise to have a pest service.

[cmj1210]

Thank you for the advice. My husband and I are having a discucssion about this and I want him to keep it but he doesn't think it is necessary. We are not there full time as of yet and until we do I think it would be best to keep it. If we were there he would do it himself but right now that is not an option. Thank you again for all your suggestions.

[slipcovers]

Personally, I would not buy a house in TV unless they can show that they had a service. Termites can infest a house without being detected, even with an inspection. You don't know they are there unless you tear the walls out. Just google termites in Florida for info and read previous threads of posters personal experiences, especially Gomoho (sp?) posts.

[xcaligirl]

We moved into a villa 3 months ago and this place was about over-run with "palmettos" ~ cockroaches! There were signs of them everywhere and they were running across the floors, on the ceilings and on the walls. We have pest control ~ I tried to get pest control started the day we closed on the house.... actually a 'well-known pest company' said they would spray the outside and then treat the inside when we got here. They never lived up to their word although charged the account for the service. We don't have that company that was suppose to be very 'stellar' however we do have Massey. It did take several visits by the tech but I think it's 'under control'. I just saw a dead cockroach on the front porch a couple of days ago but haven't seen anything since. I'm a believer of pest control and will never go without.

[Bonnevie]

I agree, though, that much of this is over done. In Pinellas County where I moved from, I had someone come ONCE A YEAR who did the outside perimeter, etc. never needed to call them in between. I had pine nugget mulch front and back and never had any kind of termite contract. Lived there 20 years and it passed termite inspection just fine.
so, I honestly don't know why we need all that's done here routinely.

[dave from deland]

Thank you for the advice. My husband and I are having a discucssion about this and I want him to keep it but he doesn't think it is necessary. We are not there full time as of yet and until we do I think it would be best to keep it. If we were there he would do it himself but right now that is not an option. Thank you again for all your suggestions.I have lived in Florida all my life and would not be without a pest service or do it myself. Once they get established, it is much harder, and costlier, to get rid of them. Especially valuable, in my view, is the professional termite bond and yearly update.

Spraying around the house and in the house works on regular bugs, in my opinion, but not termites.

[slipcovers]

I too would be worried about termites if buying in TV. They are a big problem on Cape Cod also. However, there are basements so the first thing they go for is the sills. Having a basement it is easier to inspect the sills for termite damage. I, for one ,would also want a termite bond if buying.