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Clothes Moth

close up of a golden brown clothing moth on blue and white cloth.

Clothes Moths in Florida

Adult clothes moths have a distinct, iridescent sheen on their wings. One species, known as the webbing clothes moths, feature golden or yellow wings with bright red or orange hairs on their heads. Casemaking clothes moths have a similar shape but differ in color, with brown or tan wings speckled with dark spots. Both species measure about a quarter of an inch long, though webbing clothes moths tend to be slightly larger. Their larvae are pale yellow or cream-colored with dark red or brown heads. These moths can inhabit vents and ductwork, where their larvae feed on trapped lint, hair, and debris. Unlike most moth species, clothes moths actively avoid light.

Clothes Moth Habitat

Clothes moths settle in areas with an accessible food source, often found in closets, storage boxes, chests, dressers, and taxidermy displays. Indoors, their larvae commonly infest wool clothing, carpets, upholstered furniture, and any old wool rug remnants they can find. Lint from wool rugs and pet hair accumulating behind baseboards, or in floor cracks, can also attract infestations. A common egg-laying site is the carpet beneath the back legs of a sofa, as it’s an area that often evades any vacuuming. While adult moths, pupae, and eggs do not feed, the larvae are responsible for fabric damage. They consume materials like wool, feathers, hair, leather, fish meal, lint, and other animal-based fibers. Items frequently targeted include scarves, coats, toys, rugs, blankets, sweaters, taxidermy mounts, and upholstered furniture.

Clothes Moth Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The larvae are known to cause damage, as they feed on all of the mentioned materials. Casemaking clothes moth larvae carry a silk cocoon with them, expanding it as they grow. This disguise is made of the fiber they’re currently feeding off of, making them difficult to spot, and allowing them to feed unnoticed if you don’t catch them.

Huntsman Spider

Identifying Huntsman Spiders in Florida

Huntsman spiders, belonging to the family Sparassidae, are known for their large size, long legs, and remarkable speed. They can have a leg span of up to 5 inches or more, and are typically brown or grey with a flattened body, which helps them squeeze into narrow spaces. Unlike web-building spiders, huntsmen are active hunters, preying on insects and other small animals.

Huntsman spiders are relatively common around the world, but less common in the United States. Unfortunately, they are becoming more common in Jacksonville FL and throughout Florida due to our warm tropical climate they enjoy. Occasionally mistaken for a large brown recluse spider, the huntsman spider is not venomous. Huntsman spiders run fast, and unlike most spiders, ambush and hunt prey.

Where in Florida Do Huntsman Spiders Live?

Huntsman spiders are found throughout Florida, everywhere from urban and rural areas to the coastal regions. Whether they live indoors or out, huntsman spiders prefer spending the day in hiding, emerging at night to hunt. Trees, woodpiles, buildings, and even cars can easily turn into huntsman spider habitats. Their flattened bodies allow them to fit into cracks and crevices to enter homes, barns, and sheds. Cold-sensitive, these spiders cannot exist outdoors in areas with freezing winter temperatures. They will either migrate indoors or die off.

How Common Are Huntsman Spiders in Florida?

Huntsman spiders are relatively common in Florida. Their prevalence across both urban and rural areas contributes to their role in controlling pest populations by preying on insects. Contact Bug Out professional pest control services if you need help managing their presence.

Are Huntsman Spiders Dangerous?

Huntsman spider bites are painful and may cause side effects such as allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, but they are not highly venomous. These arachnids are large, so they can easily frighten, but they are not generally aggressive. Most huntsman spiders will try to run away from humans rather than bite. Huntsman spiders are considered beneficial as they feed on a variety of insects, such as cockroaches, moths, and on occasion, small reptiles.

Dealing with huntsman spider problems on your property? We can take care of them! Contact your local Florida spider exterminators and schedule an appointment today.

FAQs

Where Do Huntsman Spiders Hide in Florida?

Huntsman spiders, a relatively common Florida spider species, are vulnerable to colder temperatures and tend to hide in warm, dark, and sheltered areas. Common hiding spots include behind furniture, in garages and closets, and within cracks and crevices of homes. They are also frequently found in outdoor sheds, woodpiles, under loose bark, and under rocks.

How Large Do Huntsman Spiders Grow in Florida?

Huntsman spiders are notable for their impressive size, typically reaching a leg span of 3 to 5 inches or more. Their bodies alone can measure about 1 inch in length, making them one of the larger spider species found in Florida.

Are Huntsman Spiders Aggressive in Florida?

Huntsman spiders, commonly found in Florida, are known for their size and speed but not for aggression. While their appearance may be intimidating, these spiders are generally non-aggressive and prefer to flee rather than fight. A huntsman spider bite is rare and generally harmless, causing only mild symptoms.

Skunk

Skunks in Jacksonville FL

The average skunk is about the size of an adult house cat, and its’ fur is mostly black with white on top of the head and neck. Skunks are found throughout the United States and are known to produce an oily, yellow sulfur-alcohol compound that contains sulfuric acid. This pungent liquid is stored in two separate scent glands located on each side of the anus and can be squirted accurately at targets as far as 6 to 10 feet away as a self-defense mechanism. The secretion is acrid enough to cause nausea and can produce severe burning and temporary blindness if it strikes the eyes.

Skunk Habitat

Skunks construct dens in burrows and will often use abandoned burrows dug by ground squirrels, foxes, or coyotes, enlarging them if necessary. In urban settings, they den under decks, porches, or beneath buildings. If other suitable dens are unavailable, skunks will burrow and construct dens. Skunks do not hibernate; but in regions with colder weather, they may congregate in communal dens during the winter. Skunks are attracted to residential areas by the availability of food, water, and shelter.

Skunk Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Skunks are primarily nocturnal animals and their activity around buildings may go unnoticed until one takes up occupancy beneath a porch, deck, slab foundation, or has an encounter with another animal, such as a dog. A pet that exhibits an offensive smell, is an indicator that a skunk may be nearby. Skunks have been found infected with an array of diseases, including rabies. If your pet has an encounter with a skunk, it should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If you are having an issue with skunks, it is best to consult a professional wildlife control company for removal.

Opossum

Opossums in Jacksonville FL

There are at least 103 species of opossum, but the Virginia opossum is the single species found in the United States. About the size of a large house cat, opossums are considered beneficial mammals because they eat a variety of insects and snakes, causing many property owners to consider them beneficial. Opossums are nomadic, seldom staying long in any one place, and utilizing abandoned burrows or crawl spaces. They may sometimes become a nuisance to homeowners when foraging for food and shelter.

Opossum Habitat

Possums do not dig dens or burrows underground, however, they will live in those that have been abandoned. They will wait for another animal to abandon their home before moving in, and actually prefer to live in trees for the protection they provide. They may enter attics, walls, and crawl spaces of homes if they have access. The presence of an unusual and foul odor in your home may point to there being a possum living in your walls

Opossum Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Opossums pose no major threat to humans or pets. Their teeth are not meant for attacking or even preying on animals; their teeth are good for chewing and holding. They do not attack humans and instead will play “dead” when danger is perceived. Opossums don’t dig holes, destroy gardens, bite, sting, or stay in one place for very long. However, opossums can carry various parasites and diseases. They are not the cleanest of animals and carry a strong odor if they access attics and crawl spaces in homes. If opossums are an issue, it’s best to have them removed humanely by a professional wildlife control company.

Mole

Moles in Jacksonville FL

Moles are small insect-eating mammals and are widespread across the United States. Contrary to popular belief, moles are not part of the rodent family and are highly specialized digging machines. They spend most of their time underground and some are even semi-aquatic. Although their presence is well known by their recognizable mounds, they are rarely seen. Moles cause significant damage through their burrowing activity, which dislodges plants and dries out their roots. In lawns, the resulting mounds and ridges are unsightly and disfiguring.

Mole Habitat

Moles prefer wooded areas as their natural habitat, but they are also comfortable in residential yards and farm fields. Moles live almost entirely underground in a vast network of interconnecting tunnels. Active year-round, moles are particularly busy in spring and fall, frequently creating shallow tunnels just below the surface where they capture worms, insects, and other invertebrates. Moles are beneficial in that a typical 5-6 ounce mole can eat as much as 50 pounds of insect pests and grubs in a year! During rainy periods, molehills are abundant as earthworms move toward the surface.

Mole Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Since moles are seldom present above ground and rarely come into contact with people, they are not considered to be a physical threat to humans. Contrary to popular opinion, moles will not eat vegetation in residential and rural landscapes. However, their surface tunnels can disturb plant roots, which can cause distress. In lawns, molehills make walking and mowing difficult, sometimes damaging the grass. Mole tunnels can be hijacked by meadow voles, small rodents who do eat plants. The first sign of a mole problem will be several molehills or ‘ridges’ caused by tunneling. If you are having an issue with moles, it is best to consult a professional wildlife control company for removal.

Fruit Fly

Fruit Flies in Jacksonville FL

Over 177 species of fruit flies occur in North America, north of Mexico, and eight species are believed to be common in the United States. The scientific name, Drosophila, means “lover of dew” probably suggesting these flies require moist environments to reproduce. They are known as fruit, vinegar, or pomace flies and are often confused with other small flies found in structures. Fruit flies are vectors of disease, consuming bacteria and sugar from decaying foods and can often be seen near bowls of fruit, glasses of wine, garbage, and trash cans.

Fruit Fly Habitat

Fruit flies are small flies that can pass through ordinary insect screens and are often found in homes, restaurants, fruit markets, bars, salad bars, and any other place where fruits and vegetables are found. They will often enter structures from nearby dumpsters, trash receptacles, and damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables have been disposed of. Fruit flies lay large numbers of eggs on fruit, and the hatched larvae feed on the fruit. Fruit flies are active during periods of warm weather; single generations may develop in less than a week when temperatures are between 80° and 89°F.

Fruit Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Unlike some insects, fruit flies do not sting or bite. They are primarily nuisance pests, however, results of a recent study showed that fruit flies are capable of transferring E.coli, Salmonella, and Listeria to surfaces and relocating E.coli from a contaminated source to fresh, ready-to-eat food. Although fruit flies spend the majority of their time fermenting foods, they also travel to dishes, flatware, drinking glasses, and even toothbrushes. While you may not consume the contaminated produce itself, when you eat or drink from these objects, you’re exposed to the same bacteria the fruit fly has transported from site to site.

If you are dealing with a fruit fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

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