Port St. Lucie Rental Pest Checklist

On the Treasure Coast, pests are active all year, and the summer rainy season brings more of them indoors. Tenants who report early make treatment faster, cheaper and more effective. This checklist helps tenants in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Stuart and nearby communities know what to watch for and what to report.

Report right away

• Winged insects swarming inside, especially near windows or lights in spring
• Small piles of pellets below windowsills, door frames or furniture
• Mud tubes on walls, the slab edge or in the garage
• Scratching in the attic or walls at night, or droppings in cabinets
• Blood spots on sheets or bites in a line after sleeping

Report within a few days

• Small roaches in the kitchen or bathroom, especially during the day
• Ants trailing inside that keep coming back
• Wasp nests near doors, windows or the lanai
• Standing water that won't drain near the home

Simple things tenants can do

1. Keep food sealed and wipe up crumbs and spills
2. Empty plant saucers, buckets and toys that hold water after rain
3. Keep pet food in sealed containers and don't leave it out overnight
4. Don't spray store-bought insecticides on ant trails; it can make the problem harder to treat

In the rainy season

Heavy rain drives ants and palmetto bugs indoors and fills containers that breed mosquitoes. A quick report helps the manager schedule treatment before it gets worse. More: rainy-season pests on the Treasure Coast.

For property managers

Regular exterior service and a yearly termite inspection prevent most pest calls. See general pest control plans, termite treatment, rodent control and bed bug treatment.