Waves Field Notes
Waves Blog
Banish bugs with pro tips and DIY tricks — expert advice for keeping your Southwest Florida home pest-free year-round.
Florida Woods Cockroach: How to ID It and What It Means Indoors
How homeowners in Southwest Florida can tell a Florida woods cockroach from other palmetto bugs, what its spray does, and what one inside means. Learn more.
Most Read
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Do Cockroaches Play Dead? Here's the Real Answer
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Plaster Bagworms in Southwest Florida: What They Are and How to Get Rid of Them
Pest Control · Jun 18, 2026 · 9 min -
Lizard Poop vs. Rat Poop: How to Tell the Difference (SWFL)
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9 Drought Tolerant Plants That Actually Love Southwest Florida’s Heat
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Taexx In-Wall Pest Control: What It Is, Is It Safe, and Does It Work?
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November lawn & landscape guide
What to watch for in your yard this November
See what's in season for Southwest Florida lawns, shrubs and trees, learn the signs to look for, and get help with changes you notice.
Home pest outlook
Weather-adjusted estimate for this city, not a finding at your home
November · Lawn
Reviewed Oct 2, 2026 · based on UF/IFAS publications
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Tropical sod webworm Peak season St. Augustine, Bermuda, Bahia Notched, chewed blades and ragged patches. The larvae do the damage; moths flying up at dusk mean it is time to look. Easing next month - Large patch In season St. Augustine, Zoysia Yellow-orange rings that brown as nights cool. Blades pull free at the base. Peak season starts next month
Photos: Luiz Puodzius via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0, resized.
See all 2 November lawn issues →A seasonal level is not a finding on your property and does not mean treatment is needed.
How this guide works →November · Shrubs & trees
Reviewed Oct 2, 2026 · based on UF/IFAS publications
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Florida wax scale Peak season Hollies and other shrubs White waxy bumps along stems, with yellowing and sooty mold. Easing next month
Photos: Agnes Trekker via iNaturalist, CC0 1.0, resized.
See all 3 November shrub and tree issues →A seasonal level is not a finding on your property and does not mean treatment is needed.
How this guide works →November · Weeds
Reviewed Oct 2, 2026 · based on UF/IFAS publications
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Winter weeds (cudweed) In season Thin lawns Flat rosettes appearing as nights cool. Peak season starts next month
Photos: Sterling Herron via iNaturalist, CC0 1.0, resized.
See all 1 November weed issues →A seasonal level is not a finding on your property and does not mean treatment is needed.
How this guide works →Which one is it?
Side-by-side identification hubs for the pests homeowners mix up most.
Newsletter
Local events, pest pressure, deals — free.
One email a month. What's biting, what's blooming, and what we're seeing across SWFL.
All Articles
269 posts Florida Woods Cockroach: How to ID It and What It Means Indoors
How homeowners in Southwest Florida can tell a Florida woods cockroach from other palmetto bugs, what its spray does, and what one inside me…
How Big Do Silverfish Get? Sizes From Egg to Adult
Silverfish size from egg to adult per UF/IFAS, how to tell them from firebrats and booklice, and what tiny ones mean in a Southwest Florida …
How Big Are Termites? Sizes by Caste in Southwest Florida
Termite size by caste: what UF/IFAS measures for workers, soldiers and swarmers, why size alone can't name the species in Southwest Florida.…
How to Read a Rain Gauge Before Adjusting Your Venice Irrigation
What a rain gauge can and can't tell you, where UF/IFAS says to put one, and how to log rain before you change a Venice irrigation schedule.…
Lakewood Ranch Lawn Watering: What a Soil Meter Can Tell You
A soil moisture meter reading is one clue. How to log it with rainfall, watering and wilt signs before a Lakewood Ranch lawn assessment. Lea…
Gaps Under Doors in Bradenton: How to Check and Choose a Sweep
Check the gap under an exterior door in Bradenton, measure for a sweep, keep it draining, and find other ways pests get in. Learn more on th…
Pest Control Cost in Southwest Florida: How to Compare Quotes
Compare Sarasota pest control quotes by pests covered, treatment areas, visit schedule, follow-up, and FDACS license checks. Learn more on t…
Termite Treatment Cost: What Your Florida Quote Should Explain
Compare termite treatment quotes by identification, property scope, monitoring, and warranty terms in Florida. Learn more on the Waves blog.…
Can Rats Carry Rabies? What SWFL Homeowners Should Know
Can rats carry rabies? Learn why the risk is low, what to do after a rat bite, and how SWFL homeowners can reduce rodent exposure and spot e…
Little Black Caterpillar in Florida? How to ID the Fuzzy Ones, Which Sting, and What To Do
Found a little black caterpillar in your Florida yard? How to ID the fuzzy black ones, which ones sting, and when to call a pro — from a SWF…
Termites in Venice, FL: Species, Signs, and Swarm Seasons
Which termites infest Venice and Sarasota County homes, what signs to look for, UF/IFAS swarm seasons, and what to do first. Learn more on t…
Palm Fronds Touching the Roof? How Rats Use Them, What to Trim
Do rats climb palm trees? How fronds touching the roof give rats a way up, which fronds UF/IFAS says to cut, and signs to check. Learn more …
6 Signs Your Shrubs Have a Pest Problem (Not a Watering Problem)
Sticky leaves, white fluff, stuck-on bumps, webbing, leaf drop or chewed notches can point to shrub pests in Southwest Florida. Learn more o…
Should You Top Dress Your Lawn With Topsoil? A SWFL Answer
UF/IFAS on top dressing a St. Augustine lawn with topsoil in Southwest Florida: what it does, when sand helps low spots, and what to do inst…
What UF/IFAS Says About Overseeding St. Augustine in North Port
Thinking about winter rye on a North Port St. Augustine lawn? What UF/IFAS says about overseeding, the spring transition and the upkeep. Lea…
What Bit You Last Night? Bed Bug vs. Flea vs. Mite Bites, Compared
Bed bug, flea and mite bites leave different clues. A UF/IFAS and CDC sourced guide to telling them apart in Southwest Florida homes. Learn …
Termite Infestation in Sarasota: Signs, Prevention and Control
How to spot a termite infestation in Sarasota, what prevention looks like on a slab home, and how control works by species. Learn more on th…
Mosquitoes Breeding in Patio Drains: How to Check and Fix It
How mosquitoes breed in patio drains, gutters and low spots that hold water, how to check a drain for larvae, and what the CDC says to do. L…
Shrubs Touching the House: Why Pests Use Them and What to Trim
Shrubs and limbs touching your walls give ants, roaches and roof rats a bridge in. How far to keep plants back, what to trim and what to che…
Wood Touching Soil and Termites: Where to Look, What to Fix
Wood touching soil gives subterranean termites a hidden way into your home. Where to check posts, mulch and form boards, and what to fix fir…
5 Fall Lawn Care Mistakes Southwest Florida Homeowners Make
Five fall lawn care mistakes that set back St. Augustine lawns in Southwest Florida, from ryegrass to heavy feeding, per UF/IFAS. Learn more…
Roof Rats Getting In Through Attic Vents: What to Check
How roof rats reach your attic through soffit, gable, roof and plumbing vents, the signs to look for, and how a vent gets rat-proofed. Learn…
One-Time Treatment or Ongoing Plan: Which Fits Your Bradenton Home?
Compare one-time and recurring pest control by scope, follow-up, and property needs before choosing a service. Learn more on the Waves blog.…
Why Is My St. Augustine Lawn Turning Brown? (Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and Parrish)
Brown St. Augustine grass in Sarasota or Manatee County usually means chinch bugs, a fungus or watering stress. A clue table, five checks an…
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