Tampa, Florida City Guide
Located on the west coast of Florida on Tampa Bay and close to the Gulf of Mexico, the city of Tampa is home to around 350,000 residents. The metropolitan population of greater Tampa stands at around 2.5 million, making the city’s metropolitan area the 17th most populated in the United States. Covering an area of 170 square miles, Tampa has a large geographical distribution with a small but densely populated urban center and a sprawling suburban fringe. The city is also adjacent to a lot of water, with around one quarter of the city’s area covering bodies of water of different types. These factors combine to make for high insect activity in the Tampa area.
The climate in and around Tampa is classified as ‘humid subtropical’, although it does exhibit many characteristics of a tropical climate. This sees the city experience hot summers with frequent thunderstorm activity and cold winters with occasional freezing temperatures. Tampa experiences significant precipitation from June to September, when thunderstorm activity is at its most intense. It is also vulnerable to extreme weather systems, such as hurricanes. This climate profile means that Tampa experiences significant pest activity, particularly during the summer.
Common pest problems in the Tampa area include spiders, cockroaches and snakes. There are few potential pest problems that seem to be as universally loathed as spiders. Although these creepy crawlies do a good job of keeping insect populations under control, humans’ natural fear of these arachnids means that they are usually unwanted in and around the home. Although many species of spider are capable of delivery a painful bite, most are relatively harmless. There are some, however, that should be treated with particular caution if found in the home. The Black Widow spider is one such. These spiders are identified by a shiny, black abdomen with a characteristic red hourglass pattern. They can deliver a nasty, venomous bite which can cause a severe reaction in many people. If a black widow is sighted in the home, it is generally advisable to contact a pest control agent who can arrange for inspection and extermination of any spider populations that may be present.
Snakes are a pest problem that, while not particularly common to most of the United States, can be found in larger numbers in Tampa. The Tampa area is home to more than 35 different species of snake, and like spiders, some can be more harmful than others. Snakes can be found in long grass or water, and sometimes make their way inside a home. Because snakes can be difficult to identify, it can be hard to distinguish between very dangerous species within this group of pest, and the more innocuous varieties. In case of a snake sighting at a residential or commercial property, a professional pest control service should be called out for handling of the snake and identification and treatment of snake infestation.
There are a number of good pest control providers servicing the wider Tampa area. A good example is Haskell Termite & Pest Control Inc. This pest removal agent provides a range of pest control solutions suitable Tampa-specific pest problem, as well as more common issues such as rodents, ants and cockroaches. Other notable pest control agents around Tampa include Always Green Pest Management, All-Pro Wildlife of Tampa Bay and Venning Pest Control.