This episode breaks down how Orlando homeowners can tell bed bug bites from mosquito bites during Florida's busy spring season. Listeners learn the classic bite patterns, why the two pests spike in April, and what to do when the itch will not stop.
Spring in Orlando comes with a lot of great things. Longer days. Warmer nights. And a whole lot of bugs looking for a snack. If you have woken up recently with mysterious itchy bumps on your arm and you are not sure what caused them, you are not alone. Central Florida families ask that question every single spring. Was it a mosquito? A flea? Or something you really do not want to think about, like a bed bug? Here is the good news. You can usually figure it out in about sixty seconds once you know what to look for. Start with the pattern. Bed bugs leave a very specific signature. They take a small bite, crawl a tiny distance, bite again, then crawl and bite one more time. What you see on your skin is a row of three red, itchy bumps that pest control pros nickname breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you see that row, and especially if you see it somewhere that was exposed while you were sleeping, that is your clue to start checking the mattress. Mosquito bites look completely different. One bite here, one bite there. Raised, pink or red, often warm to the touch. They show up anywhere skin was exposed, which in Florida means pretty much anywhere from March through October. Flea bites are the third possibility. They tend to cluster around the ankles and lower legs, and they show up in scattered patches rather than neat rows. If you have pets, check their bedding and the carpet edges for what the industry calls flea dirt. It looks like ground black pepper. Why does this matter so much in April and May? Two reasons. Reason one. Spring break and conference season bring a wave of travelers through Orlando. Hotels, short term rentals, theme park resorts. All of it. Bed bugs hitchhike in luggage, and even one pregnant female can seed an infestation within a few weeks. Pest control calls for bed bugs climb every spring, like clockwork. Reason two. Florida's rainy season is ramping up. Mosquitoes only need a teaspoon of standing water to breed. That is not much. A forgotten pet water bowl. The drip tray under a potted plant. The bottom of a wheelbarrow left out in the yard. All of it is a potential nursery. So what should you actually do? Start with the easy stuff. Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to calm the itch. Do not scratch, because broken skin lets in infection. Then do a little detective work. Pull back the sheets. Check the mattress seams. Look around the yard for standing water. If the bites keep coming, the row of three pattern shows up, or you just want a trained eye on the problem, that is when a professional pest control exterminator makes the most sense. A trained technician can spot bed bug signs that homeowners miss, and can identify mosquito breeding grounds you did not know existed. ABC Home and Commercial Services has been handling Orlando pest problems since two thousand six. The team treats bed bugs, mosquitoes, fleas, roaches, rodents, and pretty much anything else that tries to move in without paying rent. ABC is family owned, now run by the third generation of the Jenkins family, and every technician is background checked and trained under the company's Quality Pro certification. For more information on telling bug bites apart, or to request a service estimate, visit the ABC Home and Commercial website at A B C home and commercial dot com. Spring is short. Bug season is long. Knowing what bit you is the first step to making it stop. ABC Home & Commercial Services Orlando City: Orlando Address: 823 East Colonial Drive Website: https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/orlando