Unexpected ‘Visitors’: Pest Control and Pests During Your Stay
All Our Homes have Regular Professional Preventative Pest Control
No one loves finding a bug!
That’s why we have quarterly pest control treatments done by a third-party professional pest control company. We try our best to schedule these appointments in between guests but sometimes due to circumstances outside of our control, they will be present during your stay. We do not always get a heads up for any outdoor services, but they will never enter the home. In the event that pest control needs to get inside, we will notify prior and will reschedule if it conflicts with your schedule.
All our beach vacation rentals have professional quarterly pest prevention treatments
Despite Prevention, You May Still Have Unwanted ‘Visitors’
As noted above, all our homes are on a regular spray schedule with a professional pest control company for quarterly preventative pest control to try to avoid any unwanted ‘visitors’ during your stay.
The South, however, is known for Palmetto Bugs (aka cockroaches), especially in areas along the beach. Some folks even refer to them as the ‘State Bird’ because of how prevalent they are. Little black ants are the other primary unexpected visitor. Also… totally different ‘pests,’ which you should NEVER see evidence of inside the homes (report it to us immediately please!), but may very well see outside… are rodents.
Despite our best efforts, we cannot eliminate their entry entirely: they can and will still come inside, like they can anywhere else, and take a day or two to die after crossing the chemical barriers.
The likelihood of this happening is exacerbated by changes in weather and seasons, and especially if the ground gets saturated and sends them, or the other main culprit: little black ants, seeking higher ground.
If there is a bug seen on its back, or looks like its ‘expiring,’ that means the treatment is working! Unfortunately, we cannot control when and where these bugs ‘pass on’ but know that being on their back is a good sign!
Possible Spot Treatment
In the case of one or even a few of these over a stay in a large home, it usually does not make sense to send the pest control company for a spot treatment. We, and they, are however happy to do a spot treatment, but its adding chemicals to the environment when in fact the barriers are likely working: again, chemical barriers do not completely prevent bugs. Instead they reduce entry (through aversion) and they kill the pests after they cross the barrier (usually in 24-48 hours).
That said… we would expect only an occasional sighting, somewhat more with weather changes and heavy rains, and we would expect them to be isolated and dead or dying…
So, if you are seeing several, and they are healthy and scurrying about, that’s a good indication that we need to have the pest control folks come out and do a spot treatment to do the best we can to avoid these unwelcome visitors!
How can we help?
Even though Palmetto Bugs, Little Black Ants, and more are normal to folks in the South, we know that they are unpleasant to guests. We apologize if they are seen during your stay.
Please let us know what you encounter and how we can help! A picture is always helpful too!
The occasional dead bug is unavoidable. But a dead bug is a good sign that the prevention barriers are working!
