Creatures in your Backyard

After talking with numerous landscapers, we identified the most common, concerning and frightful creatures living in the backyard of South Florida homes – spiders, snakes, centipedes and scorpions. Our landscape crews see these creatures most often and have told us where they live and what to look out for when coming across them.

South Florida is home to numerous species of spiders. Each of these spiders is unique and easily identifiable. They include the Spinybacked Orbweaver, Orchard Spider, Spitting Spider and the Grass Spider. To get a detailed description go here

Spiders prefer to reside in areas that are not well manicured, such as parks and overgrown lawns. They also tend to live near one another in web clusters and spiders of the same species. They are also commonly found in and around trees, or in houses that do not use air conditioning. Spiders that live in the yard are seldom seen in the house because they will starve or die of thirst. When you see these spiders in the yard, don’t disturb them, work around them as much as possible and call a professional landscaper if you continue to have issues.

Florida is also home to fifty species of native snakes. Of these, six are venomous, with four that reside in South Florida. The venomous snakes are the Diamondback, the Pygmy Rattler, the Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin and the Coral Snake. To get a detailed description go here

Snakes both venomous and non venomous in South Florida tend to live in and around the hammock areas of the yard (areas that have a lot of shade), trees, leaf litter, swamps, marshes, lakes and ponds. When you see a snake, don’t try to kill it or capture it. Please call your landscaper or a professional or stand at a safe distance and spray it with a garden hose. Snakes hate that and will leave quickly. Don't kill nonvenomous snakes. Any given area can only support a fixed number of snakes. If you kill the nonvenomous snakes that leaves a food supply that could support a population of venomous snakes.

Scorpions look very intimidating but are primarily a nuisance. No Florida scorpion has a lethal sting but it can be painful. The most common Florida scorpion is the Hentz striped scorpion, which is orangish-brown and is found all over the state. The largest of Florida’s three scorpion species is the Florida Bark scorpion, also known as the Slender Brown scorpion. The third Florida species, the Guiana Striped scorpion, is yellowish-brown in color and is usually around 2 ½ inches long. It is only found around Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties (Florida Bugs.com).

Scorpions are typically found hiding outside under boards and logs, under firewood, around piled bricks, and under debris or other areas that offer shelter and protection. They are natural predators and hunt nocturnally. Although it’s not common, scorpions have been known to wander indoors. However, they do reduce pests in and around the home as they feed on insects, spiders, cockroaches, lizards, crickets, and similar small animals. Florida bark scorpions have been known to feed on termite grubs as well. When you see a scorpion outdoors away from your home, leave it alone. (Florida Bugs.com) If it is in your home you will probably attempt to kill it but make sure you act quickly because they are fast. Also, make sure it is dead before you get too close because they can flatten but not die.

Lastly, centipedes are found a good amount around south Florida homes. They produce venom with which to subdue their prey. However, centipede bites are typically more painful for humans than they are dangerous. Individuals with other insect allergies should observe their symptoms closely in the event of a centipede bite. Beyond the initial pain caused by an attack, possible side effects include severe swelling, chills, fever and weakness. In the event of a severe allergic reaction, emergency medical services should be contacted immediately.

To reduce or eliminate these creatures in and around your home, make sure to place debris piles on blocks away from the house. Keep firewood away from the house and keep it outside until it is ready for use. Prune your bushes and trees back and keep them from hanging over the home. Replace damaged screens, use caulk to seal cracks and use weather stripping to seal door openings. When in doubt, call your landscaper!

Design & Build Landscaping

When a customer inquires about new landscaping ideas, there is a certain level of design and planning capabilities that are needed to demonstrate and visualize their dream. In this specific example (see picture), the customer wanted a cleaned up front yard for parking and a laid back backyard with sand, palm trees, hammocks and a fire pit to enjoy views of the water. They also wanted to clean up the sides of the yard with low water plants and a plethora of color (does this sound appealing?).

Of course, the next question is always cost and protecting their investment. Only companies that have proper design capabilities and an installation and maintenance division can rightfully answer these questions when they are addressed without consulting a third party. With a budget and a plan in place, the home owner knows they have a vision and can "phase in" the new landscaping over a couple of years, knowing where they are going. This vision is critical so if you intend on doing this, make sure you take a look at your place and contact an experienced and capable company (Reef Tropical) to help you re-do your yard to achieve your Tropical Paradise!

Example of Reef Tropical Drawing

Pool Renovation Advice

When a pool floor began to separate, the investigation turned up sub-standard work. The pool in this picture was renovated one year ago and the depth was reduced without proper engineering for steel and concrete. It is important to know that concrete gains strength with steel reinforcement, encapsulation / coverage of steel by concrete and proper thickness of concrete and application. Re-bar is drilled into strong existing walls, and then glued in with hydraulic cement.

As seen in this picture, Reef Tropical Pools had to remove the floor entirely, grading to proper height and executed on thicker rebar / steel specified by engineered drawings. Next, concrete will be applied (note thicker edge as "footing" for strength) and a new finish floated in. With this work, the pool will be stronger with a new Diamond Brite aggregate plaster.

Chinch Bugs in Florida Grass

Chinch bug is the most devastating pest in our popular St. Augustine grass. St. Augustine is our grass of choice for many reasons. It has low maintenance costs and looks great when fertilized and freshly cut. It easily patched and blends in quickly. It also grows fast in the heat and rain of summer but slows considerably in the winter month allowing bi-weekly service to be adequate for most seasonal residents.

Chinch bugs insert their beak and suck the juices from the horizontal growing grass and the grass then grows patches of yellow, then brown and eventually kills the grass. If left untreated it can devastate an entire section of a yard. Chemical treatment and re-sodding is the recommended course of action. Chinch bugs have become resistant to almost every pesticide. The current product being used with great success is “Arena”.

Chinch bugs are hard to see but their damage is easily identifiable. A mature patched surrounded by green grass with a pattern of yellow, brown or dead grass in the middle. The bug itself can be found in the perimeter of the slightly damaged turf. Like in snakes, Mother Nature helps us identify danger by having what looks like a colored strip across the back. It is small so get out your reading glasses. Young chinch bugs are yellow in color and turn red to brown but all appear to have the distinctive mark on them. Chinch bugs never invade shady areas and rarely attack healthy, well-fed and irrigated turf. Instead, Chinch bugs prefer hot spots on the edge of paved areas or by weak, full sun grass caused by poor irrigation, poor nutrition or poor subsurface soil conditions. Scalping turf can stress areas and stressed grass is a welcome mat for pests like Chinch bug.

Chinch bugs can be seen year-round in South Florida but are predominantly a summer pest and win the war with St. Augustine growth in dryer weeks of summer months. It often comes in the same area of your yard, year after year so fix irrigation, top dress with a rich sand soil mix, re-sod with a strong soil base or make a planting of low water, full sun plants.

Feel free to consult with Reef Topical to help you learn about your yards, landscape appropriately and identify pests and treat with safe pesticides with our licensed professional.

Do you miss the change of seasons in the North East?

I certainly do not miss the change in seasons. Fall is in the air in Miami as well. You can't smell it and feel it in the breeze yet, like in Philadelphia, but the boys in the field here with football pads on can. Also, the radio TV and newspapers with football hype building remind us of the eminent arrival of “snow birds” and the anticipation of a season’s change of cooler nights and hearing “it’s forth and one”.

During our mid-August visit to the New Jersey shore the weather was remarkable, similar to our summer South Florida weather. Highs near 90 and lows a bit milder but still the AC was running for sleeping comfort.

What we try to forget is that the biggest downside of living in tropical paradise is our haunting watch of the tropics for hurricane development. Especially in these six weeks around the month of September, the busiest month of Hurricane season. As our friends, family and customers get the kids off to school, pull out the sweaters and get excited for football, we do the same here, with our eyes on the tropics and hopes to get these six weeks behind us.

Wish us luck in these weeks and we will see you when the threat of ice and snow chase you away to our tropical paradise. We will have the pool and landscape ready, even if Mother Nature decides to remind us of the price of paradise.

Can Basketball Really Help Miami?

James, Wade, Bosh

Will the signing of Lebron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat help improve the lagging economy in South Florida?

Some may be skeptical but a Heat ticket is now the hottest ticket in all of sports, replacing the Lakers ticket, proving the boost of interest in Miami. This activity or the "buzz" surrounding the team may stimulate the local economy. Economist suggest that the real estate market and the above average unemployment rate will be slow to recover. This may take several years but Reef Tropical’s pool construction and landscape divisions are receiving calls and delivering proposals suggesting renewed optimism.

Lebron and the Heat will certainly need help to bring Miami out of the troubled times but according to the International Business Times, “People are hopeful that Lebron and company can make a meaningful impact upon Miami's fragile economy”. With the signing of the two super stars, there will be an increase in the migration of wealthy individuals seeking to buy second homes in the Miami area. Also, when athletes of this caliber are introduced into a city, the city has a chance to become a premier sports hotspot similar to New York and Los Angeles. “Miami will become a more attractive destination for travelers and tourists, as well as sports fans, and that should have a positive spillover effect upon downtown restaurants, hotels, cruise-lines and other related businesses.”

Considering the pick up in pool construction projects at Reef Tropical in the last three months, we remain optimistic that the South Florida Real Estate market is the last piece of the puzzle before the economy takes an upward path. Some of the others positive affects of the signing include; hotel occupancy rates, tourism, higher TV advertising fees and merchandising revenues. Go Heat!

Summer Tropical Storms

High Tree Trimming

There was a tropical storm Thursday night July 15^th in Miami that produced loud thunder, lightning, heavy rain and strong winds. It rolled over the area around 11pm at night and lasted about 45 minutes. There will be about half a dozen storms like this before the end of the summer. As my son and I were driving through Miami on Saturday after the storm, we noticed some trees that were slanted due to the storm and other smaller trees that had roots coming out of the ground. This is unfortunate and takes time and money to repair. Additionally, Friday morning I noticed a dent on the hood of my car. This dent is from a medium sized branch that fell from a tree onto my car during the storm. We actually saw the culprit that caused it lying next to the car. Needless to say, the trees have been sub-sequentially trimmed around my house. Again, this takes time and money to repair.

Properly Staked

The point I want to emphasize is the importance of tree maintenance and summer pruning. With proper tree care, also called preventative maintenance, damage can be circumvented or avoided completely. During hurricane season, valiant storms are likely and we advise our customers to take action before the storms hit. When a tree is taken care of and properly maintained, it will be clear of dead branches or unnecessary thickness to allow the wind to filter through the tree easier. Consequentially, there will be less damage. It is similar to taking your car to the shop and servicing the engine so the engine will last longer and won’t cause damage to other car components. Also, new landscaping that comes in a root ball will take six months before it can sustain a 50mph wind. These trees need to be staked and it is important to stake them properly.  

Pool Construction & the Economy

Pool construction and renovations requests have really picked up in the last few months. I believe it is a sign that the economy and confidence of our customers are improving. Spread the word. The Dow Jones is the best indicator of the trend of confidence of customers. It is now up from 2009 lows when construction requests were near zero. So many weak and insolvent competitors have fallen out and so many customers have experienced the real cost of the low bidder, poor quality or other horror stories. We are now getting some people who ask for us to negotiate a value engineered pool renovation or construction to meet their budget and avoid the horror stories. Spread the word on that too.

Rare White Marlin

All year long the 50+ staff at Reef Tropical take care of our customer's pools and landscaping. Our customers are draw to Ocean Reef and the Keys to primarily fish and golf. In June, with most of our customers gone for the season, the Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Dolphin and Golf Tournament. Last Saturday, June 5th was the 4th annual Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce Golf and Dolphin Fishing Tournament. Approximately 50 anglers on 10 boats and 45 golfers enjoyed what the Florida Keys and Ocean Reef is famous for. Eight lucky employees from Reef Tropical participated. After the fishing and golf all participants met at the Fishing Village for a late lunch/early dinner to exchange golf and fishing stories. It was a perfect summer afternoon with 2-3 foot seas and chance of rain that never showed.

The fishing torment land several hundred Dolphin. The top three fish were entered for weigh in and 46 LBS total took home the trophy. But the prize was not the Dolphin on this day.

Attached is a very lucky, very rare white marlin landed by Kevin Starling, Reef Tropical Pool Mechanic / Angler and Ed Katz, Captain. It was aboard the 35' Contender "Land Shark" owned by Sam Persaud. The Fish won in the Most unusual category award. I am sure the top boat with Dolphin would trade us in a minute.

It was a good day to be a Reef Tropical employee.

Reef Tropical Pool Construction in Miami, FL

The Chairman of the Board of probably the most recognized, Miami business (will go unnamed here) has selected Reef Tropical Pools to build his private residence’s pool in Coral Gables, Florida. This prominent business leader’s water feature project was started about a month ago (see photo below) and will be completed in 90 days.

The project was designed by the “world class” Aquatic Consultants and the famous Brian Van Bower. It will feature a pool, spa, eight fountains and shallow children’s play area. The challenging hydraulics and finishes of the project demand an experienced construction and service crew that few Florida companies can provide.

Watch for the progress pictures of this exquisite pool and water features in future blogs as well as Reef Tropical expansion into the Miami Dade and other regional projects. Last month two higher end private residence’s pool projects have been awarded to Reef Tropical in Coconut Grove and Key Biscayne.

Service your pool year round in Key Largo

In the “Off Season”, May through October, we are often asked if we can cancel or curtail the weekly pool service since the pool will see limited or no use in the coming months. There are many reasons to keep weekly pool service on your pool at Ocean reef or in Key Largo, FL.

First and most important is to check and balance the chemicals each and every week. Stable chemical balancing of pool water prolongs the life of your pool finish and equipment. Chemical such as chlorine, muriatic acid and stabilizer can dissipate and change the character of the water in your pool. The plant growing season and golf course and property fertilizers bring airborne challenges into the pool water chemistry mix. Heavy rains of summer can bring one, two or even three or more inches of rain water, drastically altering the chemical balance of the prior week’s pool service. Water from the deck and roof often wash into the pool and spa, further complicating bacteria and algae control. Water temperatures of 80 degrees or more can be sustained in the pool stimulating algae growth. Reef Tropical uses more chlorine in summer months to care for pools, even though human use is substantially reduced. The pool should also be skimmed and vacuumed weekly, all year round.

With chemicals and labor discussed above, pool service in summer months is actually more costly in the “Off Season”.

Experts say the 2010 Hurricane Season will be Active

Let us all avoid tree damage from hurricane winds. The 2010 Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Ocean will begin on June 1, 2010 and end on November 30, 2010. Atlantic hurricanes affect the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the U.S. and the Caribbean nations. For individuals in the paths of potential hurricanes, the key to minimize property damage is preparedness.

As homeowners in the Florida Keys, neglected trees, hedges, or shrubs in some situations have caused much damage to properties, utilities, cable lines and loss of vital services. Precautionary steps should have been taken to minimize or eliminate these damages. Before the beginning of the new hurricane season, homeowners should evaluate their trees, palms and shrubs to be trimmed by professional landscapers.

Here is some basic tree preparation before hurricane season: Trim Back Trees and Bushes, Make sure that any loose or dead limbs are cut back and removed from the property before a hurricane strikes. Also, trim back any trees or bushes that have branches close to any window in the house. Also, remove from trees and palms, any coconuts, fruits, and any fallen debris, which can fly through the air, and cause damage during a hurricane or tropical wind force. The trees that cause the most damage include: Australian pine tree, Mahogany, Ficus, Laurel Oak, Queen Palm and Tabebuia.

Unlike improper shrub pruning or hedge trimming, irresponsible tree service is something that can have serious ramifications for your property. Unless you have plenty of experience in the field, hiring a professional for tree service is generally a good idea. Not only do professional tree service companies have the right tools to trim large tree branches and the proper equipment to do it safely.

As a testament, here is a quote from the Atlanta Georgia, Center for Disease Control: “Each year, approximately 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injuries from using chain saws. The potential risk of injury increases after hurricanes and other natural disasters, when chain saws are widely used to remove fallen or partially fallen trees and tree branches.” Correspondingly, being prepared and taking precautions is as important to hiring a tree service company. Locating a tree company, should be licensed, have insurance for any property damage, personal liability, workers compensation, and provide references.

Taking these precautions may help reduce property damage and keep your family safe. Even if the hurricane does not hit your area directly, consider this practice for the next big hurricane warning.

Additional Preparation Items

1. Secure Garbage Baskets and Covers
2. Take Down Patio Umbrellas & Secure tables and chairs
3. Close Window Awnings
4. Use Hurricane Shutters or Board Up Windows and Sliders
5. Secure Boats or Other Recreational Vehicles
6. Trim Trees, Palms & Shrubs on the Property

By Gilbert Hevia @ Reef Tropical Lawn

Save Money on Water in Key Largo

The cost of water in Key Largo is not as easy as saying, for example, "it is $70.00 per 10,000 gallons of usage" - the price changes. In fact, it gradually goes up as you increase your monthly usage from 1,000 to 12,000 to 30,000 to over 50,000 gallons. Actually, $70.00 is a good average cost of water for your consumption at your house for usage in sprinkler, pool and home. You could say $7.00 per 1,000 gallons or 70 cents per 100 gallons or 7 cents per 10 gallons or less than a penny per gallon. Easy right

The biggest waste in water usage is running toilets and irrigation misuse or malfunction, especially during the summer’s rainy season (less than 5 months), which produces an average of about 40" of rain for the whole season. Turning your irrigation system off when it rains consistently or having a working rain sensor can save you a significant amount of money! Yet, leaving the system off during the rainy season can be a problem because the 40" of rain is not evenly spread through the season and you can have weeks of sever temperatures of 90 degrees or above and hot sun that will dirty out and kill some turf and landscape material.


Consider going Xeroscape (low or no water landscaping) on some area or irrigation zones of your yard. Also consider having a property manager or landscape professional help you with a plan to monitor and curtain water usage. People often look to the swimming pool as a water consumption source. In fact, a well built, well maintained pool uses very little water, especially if you compare it to irrigation water on a property that has lush landscaping. An inch of water loss in a 15,000-gallon pool, which is the average size of a residential pool, is 300 gallons or $2.10 worth of water. Your time to refill and the possibility that you may waste water in the process of filling by leaving the water running, is much more of a relevant cost than the water used to top off a pool from evaporation. 


We suggest that you fix any pool leaks ASAP, as they are costly. It also sets a trap for the person refilling the pool and forgetting to turn off the water.

 Running toilets are all too common in old and even new toilets. Flush a toilet and go on vacation just once and see what that will do to your water bill. Fix any toilet that occasionally runs or you will find out the cost of water the hard way.

Building Business in South Florida

There are numerous happenings in South Florida and it is important that we stay up to date with all of these happenings. Reef Tropical will start blogging about the various services that we provide and the local economy or news from Key Largo, Homestead and Miami. Including but not limited to landscaping, pool maintenance, construction and stock market performance. Building and maintaining high end properties is a hobby, a way to build business and experience paradise in South Florida.