Pests don't wait. Protect your home today.
Ojus Pest Control for Lakeside Homes West of Aventura
Family-run, licensed and insured pest control in South Florida.
$50 OFF your first service + FREE inspectionNew customers · No code needed · No expirationOjus is one of the oldest named communities in northeast Miami-Dade. Settlers farmed along the Oleta River in the 1890s, and in 1897 the area took its name from a Seminole word meaning "plenty." It was briefly an incorporated town before dissolving in 1935, and today it's an unincorporated neighborhood bordered by I-95 on the west and Biscayne Boulevard just inside Aventura on the east, with West Dixie Highway and Miami Gardens Drive near its old center.
Ojus is also a neighborhood of water. Many of its lakes were dug as rock pits in the early 1900s to supply road-building material, and the Oleta River drains its east side. Homes sit on lakefront lots, along canals and on tree-shaded streets near Highland Oaks Park and Greynolds Park. That mix of water, old trees and established homes shapes the pests we see. Pro-Spray is a family-run, Licensed & Insured company. Call or text 833-845-9284 for a FREE inspection and $50 off your first service.
Old rock-pit lakes behind the house
Ojus's lakes are deep, steep-sided former quarries, and many backyards run right to the edge. The bank between the water and the patio is usually thick with sea grape, palms and shrubs. That strip is where mosquitoes rest during the day, where fire ants build mounds in the soft soil and where rats travel at night under cover of the plants.
When we inspect a lakefront home, we spend the most time on the water side: the foundation, the patio and pool cage, the gaps where pipes and AC lines enter the house and the shaded landscaping closest to the walls. We don't treat the lake, but we treat the resting spots and entry points around your home.
The Oleta River side
Homes on the east side of Ojus are close to the Oleta River and its mangrove edges. Rivers and mangroves bring no-see-ums, the tiny biting midges that come out at dawn and dusk and slip through ordinary screens. They breed in wet, mucky soil along the shoreline. Treating shaded resting areas near the home helps, and a ceiling fan on the patio does more than most people expect, because no-see-ums are weak fliers.
Established homes and mature trees
Much of Ojus has been built up for decades, and the streets are shaded by big oaks, ficus and royal palms. Mature trees make the neighborhood beautiful, and they also give roof rats a highway to the roof. Rats run along branches and power lines, drop onto the roof and get in through gaps at soffits, roof vents and AC line openings. Older homes are more likely to have those gaps.
Signs include scratching in the ceiling at night, droppings in the attic or garage, chewed fruit and gnawed wiring. Our rodent service finds how they're getting in, uses traps and tamper-resistant bait stations placed out of reach of kids and pets, seals openings and follows up. Trim branches several feet back from the roof. See rodent control.
Palmetto bugs from the leaf litter
Shady yards under big trees collect leaf litter, which stays damp and sheltered. That's prime habitat for the American cockroach, known locally as the palmetto bug. It also lives in storm drains, sewers and tree holes. After heavy rain, it comes indoors through garage doors, gaps under doors and floor drains. Rake a clear strip along the foundation, pull mulch back from the walls and keep drain stoppers in at night. We treat the exterior, the entry points and the indoor spots where they show up.
Ants along the lakes and in the house
Ask Ojus homeowners about ants and you'll hear about two kinds. The first is the trail of tiny dark ants running along the kitchen backsplash, almost always white-footed ants from a colony living in a palm or under the mulch outside. The second is the painful one: fire ants that heap up loose soil along the lake bank and the edges of the driveway. A third, less familiar ant shows up in parts of Miami-Dade too. The little fire ant, here since the 1920s, lives in trees and potted plants and drops onto people working in the yard. And big-headed ants leave piles of sand between pavers.
Each one needs a different approach. Indoor trails respond to bait that workers carry home to the queen. Fire ant mounds near the house get treated individually. Ant nests in the yard around the home can be treated too. Lawns, shrubs and plants are not something we treat.
Mosquito control in Ojus
Lakes, canals, the river and plenty of shade make Ojus a comfortable place for mosquitoes. Inside the yard, they breed in bromeliads, plant saucers, buckets, kids' toys, boat covers and clogged gutters. The Asian tiger mosquito breeds in tiny containers and bites during the day.
Our monthly service uses a backpack fogger to treat the shaded spots where mosquitoes rest, with extra attention on the vegetation along the lake or canal edge of your yard. We put larvicide in standing water that can't be dumped and show you which containers to empty. The schedule is customizable, and we do one-time event sprays before a party by the water. See mosquito control.
Townhomes and condos near Biscayne
Toward the Biscayne Boulevard side, Ojus has townhome and condo communities. Shared walls and plumbing let German cockroaches and ants move between units. We treat units with gel baits and growth regulators where roaches actually hide, and we follow up. If several units in a building are affected, treating them together works best, and we're happy to talk with your association.
The West Dixie Highway corridor
The old center of Ojus around West Dixie Highway and Miami Gardens Drive has shops, restaurants and small businesses along with the railroad tracks. Commercial areas bring dumpsters, deliveries and food waste, which attract roaches and rodents, and those pests spread into nearby homes. For businesses, our commercial pest control service handles kitchens, storage rooms and dumpster areas on a schedule that fits your hours.
Greynolds Park and Highland Oaks Park
Ojus residents have two well-loved parks nearby. Greynolds Park, built on an old rock quarry near the Oleta River, has wooded trails and wetlands, and Highland Oaks Park is a neighborhood favorite for sports and dog walks. Wooded parks and their edges are home to ticks, fleas from wildlife and plenty of mosquitoes. After a walk, check your kids and dogs for ticks, especially behind the ears and between the toes.
Mango season and backyard fruit
Ojus yards are full of old mango, avocado and citrus trees, many planted decades ago. When the fruit drops in summer, it feeds rats, draws fruit flies and ants, and ferments on the ground. Pick up fallen fruit every day or two during the season, and don't toss it in an open compost pile near the house. Trees heavy with fruit that hang over the roof are the top reason we find rats in Ojus attics in summer.
Along the railroad and I-95
The FEC railroad tracks run through Ojus, and I-95 forms its western edge. Rail and highway corridors are long strips of brush, drainage ditches and debris, which rodents use as travel routes between neighborhoods. Homes backing up to the tracks or the highway sound walls tend to see more rats and palmetto bugs. If you're on one of those streets, we look closely at the back fence line, sheds and the gaps where utilities enter the house.
A neighborhood with history
Ojus has been settled since the 1890s, when farmers grew tomatoes, beans and sugar cane along the river, and the limestone dug from its rock pits helped build the region's early roads. Today, homes from many eras sit side by side: older block houses, mid-century ranch homes and newer townhomes. Each era has its own weak points, from loose soffit vents on older roofs to the shared plumbing walls in newer townhomes, so we adjust every inspection to the house in front of us.
Fleas and pets
Dogs bring cat fleas home from parks and walks, and raccoons and opossums that travel along the lakes and river leave flea eggs in shady resting spots. Fleas develop in carpets, pet beds and shaded corners of the yard. We treat inside the home and the shaded yard areas where fleas develop, and pets need a vet-approved flea product at the same time.
Spiders and wasps
Lakefront lights draw insects at night, which brings spiders to eaves, pool cages and screens. Most are harmless orb weavers and house spiders, but brown widows are common under patio furniture and around pool equipment. Paper wasps build open nests under eaves and in rolled-up shutters. We treat spider hiding spots and remove wasp nests around the home.
Boats, kayaks and lakeside gear
Plenty of Ojus residents keep a kayak, canoe or small boat by the lake. Covers and hulls that collect rainwater breed mosquitoes, and stacked cushions, life jackets and paddles under the eaves give spiders and palmetto bugs a place to hide. Flip kayaks and canoes upside down, keep covers taut so water runs off and store cushions off the ground.
Older plumbing and drain flies
In older homes, slow drains and dry traps can bring up palmetto bugs and drain flies, the small, fuzzy, moth-like flies you see resting on the bathroom wall. Drain flies breed in the film inside drains, so scrubbing the drain with a brush and running hot water regularly is what fixes them. We'll let you know if what you're seeing is a drain problem or a pest problem.
Garages, sheds and storage
Many Ojus homes have a garage or backyard shed packed with tools, holiday decorations, fishing gear and boxes. Cardboard and clutter give palmetto bugs, spiders and mice shelter, and a gap under the garage door is all they need. Switch to plastic bins with lids, keep things off the floor and replace worn garage door seals. We treat garage and shed perimeters during regular service.
After storms
When heavy rain raises lake and river levels, low parts of Ojus can stay wet for days. Fire ants float in clumps, palmetto bugs come up from flooded drains, rats move into garages and attics, and mosquitoes hatch about a week later. Our guides to floating fire ants after flooding and rodents after a hurricane explain what to watch for.
Pests we see most in Ojus
Mosquitoes and no-see-ums near the lakes and river, roof rats in mature trees, palmetto bugs from leaf litter and drains, white-footed and fire ants, German roaches in townhomes and condos, and fleas from pets and wildlife.
What happens at the first visit
We start with a FREE inspection of your home and the yard around it, with special attention to the water side. We explain what we found in English or Spanish. You can take $50 off a one-time first service or choose our $125 quarterly plan. There are no contracts and no cancellation fees. Bug Free Guarantee: If pests come back between visits, so do we, at no extra cost.
Services in Ojus
- Pest control for roaches, ants and spiders
- Mosquito control
- Rodent control
- Bed bug treatment
- Commercial pest control
- Plans and pricing
Nearby, we also serve Aventura, Ives Estates and North Miami Beach.
Pests don't wait. Protect your home today.
Pro-Spray is a family-run, Licensed & Insured pest control company (Florida license JB 258079). Hablamos español.
- $50 off your first service + FREE inspection (no code needed, no expiration)
- No contracts and no cancellation fees, just a simple service agreement
- Bug Free Guarantee: If pests come back between visits, so do we, at no extra cost.
Call or Text 833-845-9284 | Contact us
Ojus Pest Control FAQs
Do you serve Ojus?
My house is on one of the lakes. Will I have more pests?
What's biting me by the river at dusk?
Can you treat a townhome near Biscayne Boulevard?
Do you speak Spanish?
How do I get the $50 off?
Pests don't wait.
Protect your home today.
Get $50 OFF your first pest service and a FREE inspection & estimate. Ongoing protection is $125 quarterly (about $42/month), with no contracts and no cancellation fees.
Prefer to text or email? Text us · info@prospraypest.com