Marathon in the Florida keys has been dealing with a scaly invader which has been causing chaos to homes and tourist destinations. The culprit, the infamous Green Iguana! These sneaky reptiles have been infesting and affecting Marathon in many negative ways. One of the major problems occurring in this beautiful island is iguanas burrowing and iguana poop, which is a common occurrence around homes, businesses and hotels. Not only can burrows cause bodily harm but they can impact the stability of structures such as roads and sidewalks. Iguana poop has also been a major concern especially in hotels and resorts because of potential health risks to guests that are vacationing in these establishments. As the years have passed, iguanas have proliferated throughout South Florida and efforts to control them have been in full effect. Iguana control has become a necessity, such as regular pest control to keep the iguana population in check!
Tourist Destinations Impacted By Iguanas
When tourists visit Marathon in the Florida Keys, they are ready to fish or just relax by the poolside. But if iguanas are around, your plans may come to a halt! These invasive species have created problems for many hotels and resorts because of plant damages and constant defecation. Being herbivores, iguanas have a voracious appetite for certain tropical plants. This can impact the aesthetics of these establishments because of iguanas constantly feasting on these beautiful tropical plants. Tourists wanting to cool off and relax by the resort’s pool may come to a halt because of the presence of iguanas.
During the day these reptiles will be scavenging for food and water and they will dive into swimming pools to cool off as well. They do this to regulate their body temperatures since they are cold-blooded reptiles. But cooling off may come with a surprise, iguana poop that is! We consider these reptiles to be defecating machines because of the constant amount of feces left behind at these tropical resorts. Once they defecate in the resort’s swimming pool. Staff must close the pool until the pool is cleaned and sanitized. This can bring frustrations to guests and may lead to bad reviews, which can impact the credibility of these resorts. Iguana removal services are a much needed approach to avoid any of these unnecessary situations.
Urban Community Infestations
If you ever driven through neighborhoods within Marathon, you may swerve or slam on the brakes a time or two to avoid running into these sneaky reptiles. Did you know a man in Key Biscayne Florida was hospitalized because of a run in with an iguana while riding his bike? Wild events are common in south Florida with these scaly invaders. Homes throughout Marathon are constantly implementing preventive measures to keep iguanas off of their property to avoid damages to their houses and plants. When iguanas breed on one property they typically infest neighboring properties. This is because female iguanas can lay eggs in burrows. Imagine seeing only one or two iguanas, and then suddenly encountering 70 newly hatched iguanas! As wild as it may sound this happens often in urban communities. Once these hatchlings emerge from the ground, it can become difficult to control them.
Homes that are highly affected by iguanas are ones that live next to wooded areas. These specific wooded areas are breeding grounds for iguanas. Once iguanas mate, breed and hatch, they will disperse to neighboring homes, businesses and resorts. If iguana prevention is implemented, iguana infestations can be minimal because of ongoing iguana control and monitoring.
Boat Charters & Iguanas
Ever found an iguana in the middle of the ocean on your boat or charter? You might be amazed but this is also a common occurrence. Iguanas are very curious and travel through various areas looking for food resources. At times they will lounge on your boat to sunbathe again to regulate their body temperature. If unnoticed, iguanas can sneak into compartments if they are left open which can be a scary situation while you’re out in the middle of the ocean searching for that trophy fish. Throughout Marathon, Islamorada & Key Largo you will find these docks where boats are stored infested with green iguanas.
The constant clean up of iguana poop has become very time consuming for fishing captains and 1st mates. You can just imagine having your boat charter clean the boat leaving it spotless only to have a sneaky iguana splatter poop all over the boat! Not only is this a health risk but their droppings can also cause damage to upholstery and paint due to its acidity. Usually tourists will book these fishing charters in advance, so running into iguana related issues prior to heading out to sea can interrupt fishing schedules. We have helped dozens of boat owners and marinas with iguana related issues by providing iguana removal and iguanas deterrents such as our iguana clear wraps around docks, trees and pilings.
Marathons Ecosystem impacted by Iguanas
Throughout the Florida keys you will find areas such as Curry Hammock State Park which are being impacted negatively by invasive iguanas. Native species that reside in Marathons depend on certain food sources such as the nickerbean plant. What happens is iguanas will devour these plants which impact native species such as butterflies. Certain butterfly species such as the Miami blue butterfly depend on these plants to host their eggs. Iguanas can out-compete with these natives for food sources which can cause a decline in their populations. Some of the species impacted by iguanas are the burrowing owl, the Miami blue butterfly, and the gopher tortoise. These reptiles displace other species by entering their burrows. As some of these species are endangered, local authorities like the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation (FWC) have called for iguana control services from local pest control companies. By providing iguana removal services for these pristine locations, tourists can enjoy the beauty that Marathon’s state parks have to offer for generations to come.
Preserving Marathon Through Iguana Control
Iguana control is a service that Marathon residents and resorts have counted on to preserve the island’s beauty. Not only does it help these locations but it also keeps tourists safe by eliminating potential health risks. Iguana trapping is a very successful technique used by iguana control experts to remove large infestations. Traps are usually placed in areas where iguanas cause issues, once iguanas locate the bait within the trap, they are successfully captured. Using various traps such as repeating traps can be very beneficial because of iguanas being various sizes. These traps can catch multiple iguanas at once. Humane Iguana Control has created their own custom repeating traps that have the capability of capturing up to 40 iguanas at once. These custom traps have shown promising results for big infestations. By removing iguanas ahead of time, you can avoid having new infestations which will reduce the risk or damages and health risks. If you’re ready to stop iguanas from taking away your piece of mind, contact us for professional iguana pest control services.
