06.15.09
NEW SERVICES OFFERED FROM PPMSF
Pest & Plant Management of South Florida is expanding it's services to include trapping and removal of unwanted animals and insects encroaching on South Florida homes and lawns. This includes, but is not limited to larger animals, such as iguanas, raccons and opossums. We offer bee extermination as well as fly and mosquito control in addition to our standard pest and rodent services. Don’t take matters into your own hands.
Call us today at 561.547.4406 to help you manage your pests and plants.
IGUANAS
As part of the exotic pet trade for decades, escaped or released iguanas have become a landscape pest in South Florida to the point that some form of control is now necessary. A few problems with the ever–growing population are:
- Eating ornamentals, flowers and fruits
- Burrowing holes next to sidewalks, seawalls and foundations compromising structural integrity
- Defecating in areas where they habitat
- Swimming in residential and community pools
Three large members of the iguana family — the common green iguana, the Mexican spiny-tailed iguana and the black spiny-tailed iguana — have established themselves into our communities, along with many large lizards that can be misidentified as iguanas. Those include the brown basilisk, knight anoles and the Jamaican giant anole. Our sub–tropical climate is ideal for these large herbivores (plant–eaters) to survive and reproduce.
 Adult iguanas are herbivores and feed mainly on foliage, flowers and fruit. Occasionally, they will eat insects, lizards, nestling birds and eggs. Juvenile iguanas tend to eat more insects and small prey. A few of the plants, shrubs, flowers and fruits iguanas eat are:
- orchids
- ornamentals
- hibiscus
- bouganvillea
- berries
- figs
- mangoes
- tomatoes
- bananas
- lychees
Iguanas are generally docile but as with any creature cornered or harrased, they will strike to defend themselves or their young. Their bite is painful and their saliva and feces can contain salmonella bacteria.
In the event you are experiencing an infestation or wish to investigate a preventative treatment, please contact us at 561.547.4406. We would be happy to discuss the merits of various treatment options available to you and the related costs for each.
More information
 Wikipedia
City of Boca Raton website
Green Iguana Society
Articles:
04.28.09 – The Sun Sentinel
05.04.09 – The Palm Beach Post
08.2004 – University of Florida IFAS Extension
08.18.03 – CDNN (Cyber Diver News Network)
Sanctuaries:
Wildlife Care Center
South Florida Reptile and Amphibian Rescue, Refuge and Sanctuary
Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care Collection
BEES
Africanized honey bees, or “killer bees”, are becoming more common in South Florida. Highly aggressive, these bees are potentially more dangerous than their cousins because they respond quicker to threats and sting in large numbers, as well as pursueing an enemy 1/4 mile or more.
Do not attempt to remove these bees yourselves. They do constitute a danger if provoked and should be treated with respect and observed from a safe distance. A bee visiting a flower is not a threat nor does it indicate there is a colony nearby.
Areas in which bees nest are:
- hollow trees and exposed tree branches
- burrows in the ground
- eaves and soffits under roofs
- chimneys and attics
- garages, shed and other outbuildings
- lumber piles
- water meter and electrical boxes
- manholes
- gutter down-spouts
- abandoned vehicles and appliances
- empty containers and flower pots
- utility infrastructure, such as power and light poles
- old tires
- bird nesting boxes
- playground equipment
PPMSF will humanely trap and remove any unwanted pest from your property. We are trained in all phases of trapping and removing. Call us today at
561.547.4406 for a free estimate.
More information
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry
University of Florida IFAS Extension
Articles:
04.17.09 – Florida Farm Bureau
03.11.09 – Channel 7 News - Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
02.27.09 – Palm Beach Daily News
02.08.09 – UPI
02.08.09 – Palm Beach Post
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