Pest Control 101: What to Expect, What’s Covered, How to Prepare

Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 homes in the United States experience some form of pest infestation annually? Pests not only damage property but also pose health risks to your family.  If you’ve never had professional pest control before, it’s normal to have questions. Homeowners often ask what pest control actually includes, what happens during the first visit, and whether they need to do anything ahead of time.

The good news is that pest control doesn’t have to be complicated. Understanding how it works can help you get better results and feel more confident about the process.

Here’s a breakdown of what you should know before your service.


How Do I Prepare My House for Pest Control?

In most cases, preparation is minimal. Pest control works best when technicians can easily access the areas pests are most active. For specific pests like German cockroaches, cleanliness is essential for successful elimination. Ensure that pantry areas are free of food debris, spills, and clutter, as this helps treatments work more effectively. You can learn more about what homeowners can do here.

While deep cleaning your entire home isn’t needed prior to a service, a quick tidy-up makes it easier for treatments to reach the right areas and helps ensure nothing blocks access to key entry points.

Before your appointment, it helps to:

  • Clear clutter away from baseboards to allow technicians full access for treatment
  • Secure pets and let the technician know if you have any concerns
  • Take note of where you’ve seen pest activity so you can point it out
  • Take photos of pests you have concerns about so a technician can better identify 
  • Ensure counters are clear of crumbs and debris in the event bait is needed

What Are Common Pest Control Services?

Typical pest control services address a range of common pests. Regular maintenance visits include inspections to catch early signs of infestation and preventive treatments to keep pests at bay year-round. Some of the most common services Infinite Pest Solutions include are:


What Does Normal Pest Control Cover?

General pest control typically covers the pests homeowners encounter most often. This usually includes:

  • Ghost ants 
  • Fire ants 
  • Big headed ants 
  • Carpenter ants 
  • White footed ants 
  • Odorous ants 
  • Argentine ants 
  • Palmetto Cockroaches 
  • Wasps/Hornets 
  • Centipedes 
  • Millipedes  
  • Silver fish 
  • Spiders 
  • Earwigs 
  • Crickets  
  • Sow bugs 

These services focus on treating entry points, nesting areas, exterior foundation, and high-traffic pest zones around the home such as soffits. The goal is to rid of what exists around the home and keep a protective barrier around the exterior of the home to prevent any new pests.


What Does Pest Control Do on a First Visit?

The initial visit is one of the most important parts of pest control. This is when the technician will perform a detailed inspection of the interior and exterior to assess pest activity and identify entry points. Following this, the technician will present a tailored treatment plan addressing your home’s specific needs. 

The initial treatment involves barrier applications outside, an interior application, crack and crevice treatments, and removal of wasps/hornets nests or webs. Ongoing maintenance and follow-up visits help to ensure pest-free results especially in warm and humid climates where pests stay active year-round.


Why Ongoing Pest Control Matters

Many pests don’t disappear after a single treatment. Ant colonies, spider populations, and other infestations often rebuild especially if conditions remain favorable.

Routine pest control helps:

  • Keep pests from returning
  • Prevent new activity 
  • Maintain a protective barrier around your home
  • Eliminate the source of reproduction

Preparing for pest control doesn’t have to be stressful, and knowing what to expect makes the process smoother from the start. From understanding what’s covered to knowing what happens on the first visit, a little information goes a long way.

At Infinite Pest Solutions, we know that professional pest control is about more than just removing pests, it’s about protecting your home, preventing future issues, and giving you peace of mind. Get a free quote today!

Our Southwest, FL Service Locations:

Millipede vs Centipede

What’s the Difference Between a Millipede vs Centipede?

What is the difference between a centipede and a millipede? The best rule of thumb is to look at the feet which are also known as their legs! In Latin terms, “pede” means foot, “centi” means 100, and milli means 1,000. Think of a centipede as the hundred footed and millipede as the thousand footed. Although they don’t have that exact number of legs, you can easily tell which one has more than the other.

What is a Millipede

A millipede is often thought of as an insect however, it is actually a myriapods due to it having more than 6 legs and multiple body segments. In Florida, it has been approximated to have 50 different species. 

What do Millipedes Look Like?

  • Have anywhere from 30 to over 1,000 legs. The record amount found on a centipede is 1,306
  • Round, hard bodied, worm-like bodies with short, segmented antennae
  • Blackish or brownish in color
  • Two pairs of legs per segment

Do Millipedes Bite?

No, millipedes do not bite people or pets. In fact, they are herbivorous creatures. However, when threatened, they emit a foul scent from their stink glands as a defense mechanism. 

What do Millipedes Eat?

Millipedes are slow moving scavengers that like to feed on organic and decaying vegetation. 

How to Repel Millipedes?

Millipedes are drawn to moisture.You can make your home less appealing by reducing the moisture inside. It is possible one makes it into your home, if that is the case, it is likely due to high moisture levels or a door left unsealed/open. Rest assured, they usually won’t survive more than a few days inside your home. Best practice it to seal any entry points around the foundation of your home to keep them out. 

Places you might find millipedes:

  • Under trash piles
  • In mulch areas, typically flower beds
  • Piles of leaves or grass clippings
  • Lanai area

What is a Centipede?

A centipede, like a millipede, is also not an insect but rather a myriapod. These critters are fast moving and have one pair of legs per segment. 

What do Centipedes Look Like?

  • Have anywhere from 15 to over 300 legs
  • Flat, segmented bodies 
  • Yellowish to dark brown
  • One pair of legs per segment

Do Centipedes Bite?

Yes, centipedes can bite with their venomous jaws. Their bites are painful but not usually dangerous to humans but can be harmful to small pets. 

What do Centipedes Eat?

Centipedes are fast hunters that eat other small insects, like cockroaches and spiders. Centipedes kill their prey by injecting them with venom through their front legs. However, If they get attacked, they can shed a leg to escape and later regenerate the limb!

How to Repel Centipedes?

Centipedes are also drawn to moisture. A great way to make your home less inviting to centipedes is by reducing the indoor moisture levels. If one does find its way in your home it is often due to high humidity, unsealed entry points, or the presence of other pest activity which serves as a food source for centipedes.  

Places you might find millipedes:

  • Bathrooms
  • Potted plants
  • Piles of leaves or grass clippings
  • Lanai area

While millipedes and centipedes can be confused, they are both considered nuisance pests. Learning the difference between the two can help you to take further action in getting rid of them. Here at Infinite Pest Solutions, we believe in creating a barrier around the foundation of your home to keep them from coming in. Ask about our General Pest Control services as we include protection against these crawlers!

Our Southwest, FL Service Locations:

Types of Pests Found in Homes

If you live in Florida, you are well aware of the year round pests that can make our outdoor living space feel like a war zone against bugs. But the last place you want to find a bug is inside your home. There are many different types of pests that can be found in a home, but are you able to identify them? The importance of identifying what type of pest could be in your home can help you eliminate the possibility of there being a larger issue at hand, an infestation. That is why we are here to help give you a quick guide to the unwanted guests you should have concerns about being in your home versus bugs that may have come inside by mistake.

The most important type of pests to know are the kinds that wreak havoc in or on your interior living space – from eating away at the structure to an uninvited move-in. Here we will identify pests that you won’t want to find in your home, but if you do, you will want to take further action with Infinite Pest Solutions.

  1. Termites
  2. Bed Bugs
  3. German Roaches
  4. RodentsMice and Rats
  5. Big Headed Ants
  6. Carpenter Ants
  7. Ghost Ants
  8. Fleas

On the other hand, there are a number of common household pests in Florida that do not pose such a threat on your living space. Although these pests do not cause a threat to your environment, they can still be a nuisance and are typically unwanted. There can be a number of reasons why these critters have made their way into your Florida home – from a door or window being left open one second too long to cracks and crevices that have gone unnoticed.

  1. House Spiders
  2. Millipedes
  3. Centipedes
  4. Silverfish
  5. White footed ants
  6. House crickets
  7. Earwigs
  8. Palmetto Roach

With these guides, you can determine if you’re in need of immediate solutions or can rest easy knowing a critter entered by mistake. If you still find yourself unsure, that is why we are here for you! An Infinite expert can be at your door within the same day or next for a thorough inspection and a customized pest control plan to get rid of the pests. What bugs you, bugs us!

Our Southwest, FL Service Locations: