Argentine ants a common pest in Georgia. They are about 3 mm long, dark colored. Their colonies have multiple queens. They like moist places and sweet food. They "farm" scales and aphids on plants, protecting them from predators, and consuming their sweet secretions. This damages the plants.

You can often see their trails climbing trees, bushes, and buildings. They enter homes in search of food and water.

Killing worker ants has little effect, because the queens can produce many more workers. People commonly make argentine ants worse by spraying trails that come into the house with Raid or a similar OTC product. This triggers a natural defense mechanism in Argentine Ants known as ‘colony budding’ that can actually make the problem worse.

The red fire ant was accidentally introduced into the United States in 1929, when a cargo ship that had used soil as ballast arrived in Mobile, Alabama from South America. But South Americans don't have nearly the problem that the United States does. They only have 20% as many fire ants as we do, probably because North America lacks the natural enemies of their native area.

Fire Ants vary in size within one nest, from 1/16 to 1/5 inch long.They are dark reddish-brown in color on the head and body, with a darker abdomen. Mounds can be more than 15 inches high, 15 inches in diameter and up to 5 feet deep. When disturbed they are aggressive, especially near the nest. They inflict painful stings that raise a small welt.

Fire Ants are not picky eaters. They are omnivores and will eat almost any plant or animal material, including other insects, ground-nesting animals, mice, turtles, snakes, and other vertebrates, young trees, seedlings, plant bulbs, saplings, fruit and grass. When foraging for food, the oldest and most expendable 20% or so of the colony’s workers explore within 50 - 100 feet of the nest in a looping pattern.

The American cockroach is a large cockroach, adults are approximately 1-1/2 inches long. It is commonly called a ‘Palmetto Bug’ or a ‘Water Bug’. The adult is a shiny reddish brown to dark brown. Adult American cockroaches have wings and will occasionally fly. However, they are awkward fliers and prefer to run when disturbed.

American cockroaches generally live outdoors. However, populations can also move indoors and live in human structures.

American cockroaches usually live in moist, humid environments but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. American cockroaches usually infest basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, and decorative landscaping.

American cockroaches feed on a wide variety of materials, including cosmetics, beer, potted plant shoots, wallpaper paste, soap, postage stamps, and fermenting fruit. They can foul human food, clothing, paper goods, and surfaces with their feces and body parts.

German Cockroaches are the most common pests in housesand restaurants. Adult German cockroaches are light brown except for the shield behind the head marked with two dark stripes, which run lengthwise on the body.

They eat food of all kinds and may hitchhike into the house on egg cartons, soft drink cartons, sacks of potatoes or onions, used furniture, soft drink boxes, etc.

They can develop into large populations and live throughout the house, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. During the day, these roaches may be found hiding clustered behind baseboard molding, in cracks around cabinets, closets or pantries, and in and under stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers.

When seen during the day in clusters, the population is large. Some homeowners are allergic to roaches. The pests can contaminate food with certain bacterial diseases that result in food poisoning, dysentery, or diarrhea.

Millipede and centipede invasions have long been a problem for many homeowners. They have been reported in every month of the calendar year. Thousands of migratory millipedes can create a mess. Once they die, expect a smell that can last for several weeks.

Centipedes have been known to do the same, but usually in much smaller numbers. They are slow crawling, appear to have hundreds of legs and generally gray to light brown in color. They love to live in decomposing thatch, leaves and mulch. They will get nutrition from these locations and may choose a root system of a nearby plant on which to feed.

When they breed, the eggs hatch larva which will feed right where they emerge. This leads to large populations or nests which can number in the thousands.They will remain feeding as long as there is a food supply to support the nest. This could be for a year or two but at some point expect a migration. Excessive rain, drought, or lack of food will cause them to migrate. This phenomenon can occur at any time of the year and may result in several thousand moving in a direction that is in line with your home.

Earwigs are elongate, flattened insects, ranging from light red-brown to black and are easily recognized by their forcep-like appendages (pincers) on the end of their abdomen. Earwigs may cause alarm to homeowners when discovered indoors. They have a frightful appearance, move rapidly around baseboards at the ground level, and may emit a foul-smelling, yellowish-brown liquid from their scent glands.

These creatures, active at night while hiding during the daytime, normally live outdoors and do not establish themselves indoors. They are harmless to humans and animals, although if handled carelessly, the earwig can give a slight pinch with the forceps.

Serious feeding damage may occur on flowers, vegetables, fruits and other plants, giving the leaves a ragged appearance with the numerous, small, irregular holes. Also, decomposing organic matter is consumed. They are considered temporary pests in spite of the fact that they sometimes occur in large populations.

Spiders are one of the most common pests encountered in homes. They are beneficial in the fact that they feed solely on other insects. However, most homeowners are very afraid of them and not willing to share their home.

There are two species in Georgia that are harmful – black widow and brown recluse. Black widows are relatively common and found in dark areas usually around the exterior of buildings – woodpiles, under crawl spaces, underneath gutter downspout shields, etc.

They are easily identified by the red hourglass shape that stands in stark contrast to their shiny black body located on the underside of their abdomen. Brown Recluse spiders are not very common. They are commonly found inside and outside – in areas that see little or no activity – like under furniture or behind appliances.

They are, as their name applies, very reclusive. They will avoid contact with humans. Brown Recluse spiders have a very distinct marking on the top of their body that looks exactly like a violin – giving them their common name of ‘Fiddleback Spider’.

Bed Bug infestations were common in the U.S. before World War II. Improved sanitation and hygiene practices coupled with the development and widespread use of effective pesticides (DDT in particular) helped to nearly eradicate these pests here. However, in other regions of the world, bed bugs have remained prevalent. Increases in immigration and international travel in recent years have led to the reemergence of infestations here in the states. Particularly vulnerable are hotels and apartments where resident turnover is more common. However – no location is immune.

Bed Bugs are very small, flattened, brownish insects that must feed on blood in order to survive. They molt (shed their skin) 5-6 times during their lifecycle. They must have a blood meal between each molt. Females usually lay 1 or 2 eggs per day which leads to infestations reaching serious levels rather quickly. The bugs are surprisingly hardy and can go for up to one year without feeding.

Bed bugs rarely seek shelter farther than 2 or 3 feet from their food source. This means that their usual hiding place is on or in the bed. They prefer the crevices and folds of the mattress and box springs usually. They will also get behind the head board, on or under night stands, lamps, picture frames, mirrors, in receptacle or switch covers, or any area that offers them protection. They usually emerge at night to feed. Bed bug bites usually resemble mosquito bites. Some people experience itching while others do not. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any diseases or pathogens.

Because of their hardiness and sheltering behaviors bed bug infestations are extremely difficult to eliminate. It takes a cooperative effort between the Pest Management Professional and the property owner to effectively treat them. Virtually every surface and item in the infested area must be treated. Effective treatments combine an extremely thorough inspection with the application of several different formulations of pesticides as well as non-insecticidal methods which include vacuuming and steaming.