Drywood termites and multi-unit buildings
A big share of St. Pete Beach lives in condominiums, townhomes and small apartment buildings, and the drywood termite is the species that causes the most trouble in them. It flies in during spring and summer swarms, settles in window frames, door trim, furniture and attic framing, and moves freely through shared walls and roof spaces. Pellets in one unit often mean colonies in the neighbors’ units too.
That shapes the treatment. A spot treatment inside one unit can deal with a small, contained colony. Anything more usually needs a building-wide decision, because tent fumigation covers the whole structure and requires the association to approve it, coordinate the residents and plan around the rental calendar. We can inspect individual units, write up what was found for the board, and quote the building as a whole.
Vacation rentals and bed bugs
Short-term rentals on the island turn over guests every few days in season, and bed bugs arrive in luggage. Owners and managers who catch them early, in one bed, can usually deal with them in a single conventional or heat treatment before the next booking. Left alone for a few weeks, they spread to sofas and other bedrooms and the job grows. A quick check of mattress seams and headboards at each turnover is the best defense, and we can train cleaners on what to look for.
Salt air, storms and Pass-a-Grille
Pass-a-Grille, at the south end of the island, has some of the oldest wood-frame cottages on the beaches, with the same drywood and subterranean risks as Gulfport’s older streets. Elsewhere, salt air and constant irrigation keep fascia, soffits and window frames damp, which suits both kinds of termite. The 2024 storm surge flooded much of the island; many homes were gutted, rebuilt or raised. Rebuilt homes should have had a pre-construction soil treatment, but repaired homes may not, so ask for the paperwork.
Pests we see most on St. Pete Beach
- 01Drywood termites in condos, townhomes and older cottages.
- 02Bed bugs in vacation rentals and hotels.
- 03American roaches (palmetto bugs) coming up from drains and the landscaping.
- 04Saltmarsh mosquitoes after high tides on the bay side.
Prices on St. Pete Beach
Single-family homes on the island are priced the same as in St. Petersburg. Condo work depends on how many units are involved: an inspection of one unit is about $75–$150, while fumigating a building is quoted on its full volume after the association agrees. Bed bug heat treatments for a rental typically run $1,500–$3,000 depending on size. All of these are estimates to help you plan. The written price follows the inspection, and the price guide covers the rest.
Services on the beaches
We cover St. Pete Beach, Pass-a-Grille, Treasure Island and Tierra Verde for termite inspections and WDO reports, tenting, termite treatment, bed bug treatment, mosquito control and rodent control.
Last updated October 8, 2026