Lake Park began a century ago as Kelsey City, one of Florida's earliest zoned towns, and it still has a tidy grid of homes, a Park Avenue downtown, a working marina on the lagoon and a commercial and industrial side to the west. Packed into about 2.4 square miles, those uses put old wood, boats, dumpsters and yards side by side. Toro Pest Management has protected South Florida since 1969, and we plan each Lake Park service around the block it sits on.
- Since 1969Third generation, protecting South Florida
- 110% GuaranteeIf the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost
- Within 24 HoursResponse guaranteed
- Free InspectionPlus $25 off your first service
From Kelsey City to Lake Park: A Planned Town and Its Pest Pressure
Lake Park was born as Kelsey City. Boston entrepreneur Harry Seymour Kelsey began buying land in the area in 1919, and the town was incorporated in 1923. The Olmsted Brothers helped lay it out, and the plan is believed to be Florida’s first zoned community: homes from the lake to Fifth Street, shops from there to the Florida East Coast Railway, and manufacturing and wholesale west of Dixie Highway. Town Hall went up in 1927 and sheltered residents during the 1928 hurricane. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and the Mediterranean Revival building, stucco over brick with clay tile, still stands on Park Avenue.
The storm and the end of the land boom nearly finished the place. A town directory in 1930 listed only about 75 residents and businesses, and the state nullified the charter that year. In 1939 the local garden club led the push to rename the town Lake Park, and numbered streets took the names of flowers, plants, shrubs and trees, which they still carry. The town had 379 residents in 1940. The 2020 census counted 9,047 residents and 3,755 housing units on about 2.4 square miles, with the Intracoastal on the east and views of Singer Island. Kelsey Park on the waterfront keeps the founder’s name and preserves the 1920s Evergreen House, and the public library on Park Avenue, founded by the Lake Park Woman’s Club in 1962, is another older civic landmark.
That compact, mixed plan is the key to pest control here. Homes, shops and light industry sit only blocks apart, so a rat colony behind a commercial building is never far from a backyard. The original neighborhoods carry decades-old wood, and the waterfront adds boats, seawalls and marina dumpsters. Palm Beach International Airport, a short drive south, averages more than 60 inches of rain a year, with most of it in the May to October wet season. Add heat and hurricanes, and the pressure never really stops.
Lake Park Pests, Block by Block
Drywood Termites
The town's older buildings are prime drywood termite habitat. Colonies stay small and hidden inside a single beam, window frame or dresser, and they spread by flying to the next old board. UF/IFAS also notes boats can carry them, which matters right next to a marina.
Signs to watch for: pellets on sills, shed wings and small holes in trim.
Asian and Formosan Subterranean Termites
The Asian subterranean termite flies at dusk in early March, and the Formosan flies from late April. Both can nest in big living trees and forage underground. Our termite control addresses the soil and the colony.
Signs to watch for: mud tubes along slabs, sidewalks and tree trunks.
Rats and Mice
Alleys, dumpsters and older roofs give Lake Park rodents shelter and food. Roof rats move along palm fronds and wires, and house mice settle into storage rooms. Rodent control here means closing gaps as much as trapping.
Signs to watch for: droppings in storerooms, chewed wiring and runways behind stacked goods.
Cockroaches
German cockroaches favor restaurant kitchens and break rooms, especially where old walls connect tenant spaces, and American cockroaches come up from drains. Our cockroach guide explains how to tell them apart.
Signs to watch for: dark specks near hinges and roaches in the sink at night.
Mosquitoes
Rain barrels, plant saucers, gutters and boat covers all make good breeding spots for Aedes aegypti and the Asian tiger mosquito. Our mosquito control finds those sources and treats shady resting spots around the yard.
Signs to watch for: daytime bites near the back door and larvae in small containers.
Ants
Ghost ants and white-footed ants enter along tree branches, wires and mulch beds, then appear in kitchens and bathrooms. Sprays scatter them, so we use baits. See our ant guide for what to look for.
Signs to watch for: tiny trails on counters and around potted plants.
Lake Park customers also ask about iguanas along seawalls (see our wildlife services), birds on roofs and canopies, whiteflies on coconut palms and ficus, and spiders in sheds and storage rooms.
Pest Control for Lake Park’s Marina, Downtown and Light Industry
The town’s commercial side is bigger than its size suggests. Lake Park Harbor Marina, run by the town on the Lake Worth Lagoon just over a mile north of the inlet, has 112 slips, dual boat ramps, a fuel dock and pump-out stations, with charters heading out for fishing and diving. Park Avenue and 10th Street form the downtown, and redevelopment is adding towers such as the Nautilus 220 condominium near the marina, with more projects proposed. The town’s zoning still includes commercial and industrial land, in keeping with Kelsey’s original plan. Marinas produce fish waste, food trash and a lot of stored gear, and restaurants along the same blocks add grease and dumpsters. New towers bring construction disturbance, which can push rodents out of their old shelter and into nearby buildings, so neighbors of a job site should watch closely.
We provide commercial pest control for:
- Restaurants, cafes and bars on Park Avenue and near the marina.
- Shops and small retail in the downtown blocks.
- Warehouses and light industrial buildings, including units with roll-up doors.
- Multifamily buildings and property managers for new and older rentals.
- Medical offices, schools and public buildings.
Every commercial account receives written service reports, and we schedule around business hours. Technicians train at the TORO Institute at our Miami headquarters, where our on-staff entomologists cover food safety, sanitation and pest management.
Keeping Lake Park Homes Protected
Most Lake Park homes sit on a compact grid, close to neighbors, with mature trees and small yards. Older houses have original framing and wood trim that deserve a slow look, and rooflines can open up over time. Newer condos near the marina need attention to trash rooms, shared plumbing and balconies. Renters and landlords benefit from checking units between tenants, since roaches and bed bugs often arrive with furniture. Trees along the flower-named streets are lovely but need trimming away from roofs, because a single branch or palm frond touching the house gives rats and ants a free bridge. Fences and sheds shared by neighbors also deserve a look, since a rat problem rarely stops at the property line.
Our residential pest control starts with a free inspection. We check the attic, plumbing openings, doors, the yard and anything stored outside, then explain what we found and what we recommend. For homes closest to the lagoon, we also look at seawalls and low spots that stay wet after a storm. Regular visits protect the home through the wet season, and our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee means that if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.
Boat owners should mention their gear. Storing a boat, trailer or old lumber beside the house can give rats and termites an easy start, and a quick look can head off a bigger problem. If you are planning to buy an older home, a termite inspection is an easy precaution. Pets at home? We take them into account and will tell you if fleas are part of the picture.
How Service Works at Your Lake Park Address
- Free look at the propertyWe inspect the home, shop or warehouse, including alleys, dumpsters and storage, and find what is causing the problem.
- A plan for your blockWe go through the options with you and suggest one-time work or a regular program.
- Treatment that fitsWe seal, monitor and treat as needed, using products according to their label directions.
- Backed by our guaranteeWith our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.
Lake Park’s Pest Calendar
| Season | In Lake Park you may see | Prevention tip |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Roof rats and mice moving indoors, roaches in kitchens | Seal roof and door gaps and keep dumpsters closed. |
| Early spring | Asian subterranean termites flying at dusk from early March | Turn off outdoor lights on warm evenings and save a few wings. |
| Late spring | West Indian drywood flights in April, Formosan swarms from late April | Look for pellets around windows and book an inspection. |
| May to October (wet season) | Mosquitoes in containers and boat covers, ants moving indoors | Dump water weekly and clear gutters. |
| June to November (hurricane season) | Rats and wildlife pushed out by storms, flies around storm debris | Clean up quickly and repair damaged screens and doors. |
Why Lake Park Picks Toro
- Rooted in South Florida since 1969, when Dr. Jose Perez Linares founded the company. The third generation leads it today.
- Entomologists on staff who teach at the TORO Institute.
- Response within 24 hours, guaranteed.
- New customers get $25 off their first service, and the first inspection is free.
- Hablamos Español. English or Spanish, whichever you prefer.
Free inspection and $25 off your first service in Lake Park.
Schedule Your Free InspectionLake Park Pest Control Questions
Do you serve all of Lake Park?
Yes. We cover the whole town in ZIP code 33403, from the lagoon-side blocks and the marina to Park Avenue and the commercial streets near Old Dixie Highway. Response within 24 hours is guaranteed.
I own an older home on one of the flower-named streets. Do I need a termite inspection?
It is a good idea. Lake Park's early buildings date to the 1920s, and later houses have decades of exposure too. Old framing and trim suit drywood termites, and Asian subterranean termites can come up from the soil. We check both and identify the species before recommending anything.
Could my boat at the marina bring termites home?
It is possible. A 2025 UF/IFAS study found that private boats can carry invasive termites, including winged adults that settle aboard. Check cabins and wooden trim, and call us if you see wings, pellets or mud on board or at home.
We run a restaurant on Park Avenue. How often should we be serviced?
Most food businesses do well on a regular schedule, and we set the frequency after the first visit, based on what we find. Shared walls in older commercial buildings mean roaches and rodents can move between tenants, so we look at the alley, the dumpster and neighboring spaces as well.
What should I do if I find iguanas near the Lake Park waterfront?
Do not feed them. UF/IFAS says feeding attracts more iguanas and can draw rats and raccoons. Fill vacant burrows, remove cover, and call our wildlife team if they are digging near seawalls or foundations.
Is the inspection free, and do you have Spanish speakers?
Yes. Your first inspection is free, new customers receive $25 off the first service, and hablamos español. Call 305-594-4767 or send the Free Inspection form on this page.
Other Areas We Serve Around Lake Park
Toro also serves the communities around Lake Park:
Last updated: November 2, 2026
110% Satisfaction Guaranteed
If the bugs come back, so will TORO, at no additional cost to you. TORO responds within 24 hours, guaranteed, and our technician will arrive quickly and deal with the pest problem to prevent it from coming back.
- Free return visits
- 24-hour response
- Trained, licensed technicians
