South Bay calls itself the Crossroads of South Florida, and the name fits: State Road 80 and U.S. 27 meet here, just below Lake Okeechobee. Trucks, canals, cane fields and a working lakefront all come together in a city of about 5,000, which gives pests plenty of ways to arrive. Toro Pest Management has protected South Florida businesses and families since 1969, and we match every South Bay plan to what is around the property.
- 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
Business Pest Control at the South Bay Crossroads
Commercial traffic sets the pace in South Bay. State Road 80 runs east and west, U.S. 27 runs north and south, and the two meet in town, so goods, crews and travelers pass through all day. Along U.S. 27 South you will find large operations with South Bay addresses, including the South Bay Correctional Facility, run by GEO Group under contract with the Florida Department of Corrections, and the Okeelanta Cogeneration Facility, a biomass-fired power plant linked to Florida Crystals. Palm Beach County also operates a park, a boat ramp and the Crossroads Center, a 3,200-square-foot community building, off Levee Road.
Where deliveries, kitchens, dumpsters and open doors come together, pests follow. Our commercial pest control covers:
- Warehouses and distribution sites that receive goods from U.S. 27 and State Road 80.
- Food and beverage processing and storage operations.
- Restaurants and food service, including roadside stops and institutional kitchens.
- Government facilities and schools.
- Lodging, parks and campgrounds with a steady turnover of guests.
- Property managers of apartments and rental homes.
The first visit usually focuses on the back of the building. We check receiving doors, dumpster pads, floor drains, break rooms and storage shelving, because that is where most infestations begin in a commercial space. Then we go over housekeeping steps your staff can take, such as breaking down cardboard quickly and keeping stock off the floor and away from walls.
You get a plan based on your building and your schedule, along with written records of each visit. Our technicians learn sanitation, food safety and structural practices at the TORO Institute, the training facility at our Miami headquarters, from our on-staff entomologists.
The North New River Canal, Cane Fields and South Bay’s Setting
South Bay grew up beside water. The settlement started along the North New River Canal, also known as L-18, which was finished in 1912, and only 12 families lived there in 1917. The city took its name from its location on Lake Okeechobee and incorporated in 1941. As smaller settlements around it faded, South Bay, Belle Glade and Pahokee came to be known together as the Glades Communities.
The 2020 census counted 4,860 residents, and the University of Florida estimated 4,984 in 2024. The city lies just 13 feet above sea level, near the south bank of the lake, and surrounded by the muck soils of the Everglades Agricultural Area. UF/IFAS puts that area at about 700,000 acres, much of it in sugar cane. South Bay RV Park, a 35-acre county park, sits by the lake with 72 paved sites, and the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail passes through town.
Each of those features matters for pests. The canal and lake edge support mosquitoes and wildlife. Cane fields and ditch banks shelter rodents. Nearby Belle Glade averages about 55 inches of rain a year, according to NOAA normals, which keeps the soil damp for termites and ants. Campers, anglers and trail users add their own traffic near the lake, and their gear can carry insects from one place to another. And the highways bring a steady stream of boxes, pallets and vehicles that can carry insects in from somewhere else.
South Bay Homes, Apartments and Mobile Homes
South Bay’s housing includes single-family homes, apartments and mobile homes, and each one needs a different inspection. A block home calls for a close check of the roofline, the slab and pipe openings. Apartment buildings share walls and plumbing, so cockroaches or bed bugs in one unit can reach the next. On a mobile home, we pay extra attention to what is happening underneath, including skirting, piers and utility lines.
Our residential pest control starts with a free inspection of the home and yard. Your technician finds the pests, explains how they are getting in and recommends a plan that fits your home and budget. Ongoing service keeps protection in place through wet months and dry months alike, and it comes with our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee: if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.
Rental owners should mention how many units they have and whether any are vacant. An empty unit gets no attention, and that is when roaches or rodents can settle in without anyone reporting them.
You can lower the pressure between visits, too. Keep garbage cans lidded and away from doors, repair torn screens, clear items away from skirting and walls, and empty anything that collects rain. If you are buying a home in South Bay, schedule a termite inspection first. It is a small step that can bring hidden damage to light.
Six Pests to Know Around South Bay
Rats and Mice
UF/IFAS calls the cotton rat the most common rodent in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Roof rats live both in fields and near buildings, and house mice usually stay in or close to them. Our rodent control combines exclusion, sanitation advice and trapping or stations.
Signs to watch for: chewed packaging, runways along walls and droppings near food.
German Cockroaches
This small, light-brown roach breeds quickly in warm, greasy, sheltered spots. It rides into buildings in boxes, used appliances and grocery bags, then spreads through kitchens and shared walls. Our cockroach guide covers how to spot this species.
Signs to watch for: roaches in cabinets by day and specks around hinges.
Mosquitoes
The lake rim and canals offer breeding water after every storm, while the Aedes aegypti and Asian tiger mosquito need only a bottle cap's worth in a yard. Palm Beach County Mosquito Control handles area reports, and our mosquito control works on your property.
Signs to watch for: daytime bites in shade and wigglers in standing water.
Subterranean Termites
Colonies live in moist soil and reach wood through mud tubes. University of Florida researchers reported in 2026 that the invasive Asian and Formosan species continue to spread across the state. Our termite control relies on soil treatments or baiting systems.
Signs to watch for: mud tubes on piers and slabs, and wings near doors.
Drywood Termites
Drywood colonies need no soil contact. They enter through small cracks in exposed wood, then tunnel in trim, siding, rafters and wooden pallets. Read about drywood termite treatment if you find their droppings.
Signs to watch for: tiny pellets beneath wood, and small kick-out holes.
Flies
House flies breed in garbage, food waste and manure, and drain flies grow in the film inside floor drains. In a kitchen or food operation, they point to a sanitation gap. Clean dumpster pads and regular drain cleaning cut them off at the source.
Signs to watch for: flies around dumpsters and small moth-like flies at drains.
We also help South Bay customers with ants, bed bugs, fleas, birds at commercial buildings and wildlife near the canal.
South Bay’s Pest Seasons at a Glance
| Period | South Bay pests to expect | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-October to mid-March (sugar harvest) | Rodents shifting from cut fields toward buildings, roaches near warm kitchens | Seal doors and pipe gaps, and keep dumpster lids closed. |
| March to June | Asian subterranean swarms around sunset, then Formosan and drywood flights | Check window sills for wings and schedule a termite inspection. |
| May to October (rainy season) | Mosquitoes along the canal and in containers, ants heading indoors, flies around waste | Dump standing water weekly and rinse out garbage bins. |
| June to November (hurricane season) | Rodents and wildlife on the move, mosquitoes after flooding | Remove debris after storms and repair doors, seals and skirting. |
Toro’s Promise to South Bay Customers
- A long South Florida history. Dr. Jose Perez Linares started Toro in 1969, and the third generation runs it today.
- Real science behind the service, with entomologists on staff and training at the TORO Institute.
- A guaranteed response within 24 hours, which matters when a business cannot wait.
- Free first inspection and $25 off the first service for new customers.
- A 110% Satisfaction Guarantee on residential and commercial work.
- Hablamos Español. South Bay customers can reach us in English or Spanish.
Getting Started With Toro in South Bay
- Book a free inspectionCall or use the form. We check the building, yard and surrounding edges, including any dock, dumpster or canal bank.
- Review the planYou see what we found and what we recommend, with a schedule that suits your home or operation.
- Treat and excludeWe close entry points where we can and apply treatments according to their label directions.
- Count on the guaranteeUnder our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.
Free inspection and $25 off your first service in South Bay.
Schedule Your Free InspectionSouth Bay Pest Control FAQ: What Locals Ask
Do you work with commercial properties along U.S. 27 and State Road 80?
Yes. We serve businesses, public buildings and homes throughout ZIP code 33493, and a response within 24 hours is guaranteed. Commercial clients get a plan built around their operating hours, with written service records.
How do pests get into a building near the highway?
Often in deliveries. German cockroaches ride in cardboard boxes, rodents slip through dock and service doors, and stored-product insects arrive in infested goods. Inspecting shipments, keeping doors closed and sealing gaps under them all reduce that risk.
Does living next to the canal make mosquitoes worse?
It can. Canal edges, ditches and low yards hold water after rain, and floating plants support some mosquito species. Still, many of the mosquitoes that bite around your home come from containers in your own yard, so weekly emptying and a treatment of resting areas both help.
What are the rodents I see around the cane fields?
UF/IFAS lists cotton rats as the most common rodent in the Everglades Agricultural Area, along with rice rats, roof rats and house mice. Roof rats and mice are the likeliest to come indoors, so those are the first ones we plan for in South Bay buildings.
Is my mobile home at risk for termites?
Yes. Drywood termites can infest wood framing and trim, and subterranean termites can use tubes to climb piers, skirting and utility lines. Anything stored against the skirting makes the problem harder to spot, so keep that area clear and ask us to inspect underneath.
Is the first inspection free, and can I speak with someone in Spanish?
Yes. There is no charge for the first inspection, new customers take $25 off their first service, and our team can help you in Spanish. Call 305-594-4767 or use the Free Inspection form on this page.
Our Service Area Around South Bay
Toro also serves the communities around South Bay:
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.
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