ball ground
Springtime Pests in GA: Ball Ground, Canton, Jasper
Springtime Pests in GA: Ball Ground, Canton, Jasper
Are you finding yourself quarantined with unwelcome, pesky house guests? I think we can all agree that springtime looks a little different this year. As the current COVID-19 situation unfolds, we are all spending more time than usual inside our homes. Unfortunately, though, virus or no virus, all of the bugs emerging from their winter hibernation are about to make your home a little more crowded. Which unwelcome house guests will be invading as spring temps continue to rise? Be on the lookout for these four pests so you can send them packing this spring with a little pest control help from SurGuard Exterminating (SEI).
Ticks
With extra time at home and more incentive for kids to play outside, homeowners have to be vigilant in keeping an eye out for ticks this spring. Although warm southern states such as Georgia have to deal with a year-round tick season, the tick activity here peaks in the spring. For assistance ridding your Cherokee or Pickens County home from ticks, call SurGuard Exterminating for more info. The three most common ticks in Georgia are as follows: the lone star tick, the American dog tick, and the black-legged tick. These pests make a living by hiding out on the edges of grass or leaves (a process known as “questing”), catching a ride on a chosen host, and finding a desirable spot to bite before drawing blood. Unlike other biting pests, a tick stays attached to its victim, though. Fun fact: Ticks are actually arachnids, which means they’re closer relatives to spiders than a mosquitoes or other types of bugs.
Carpenter AntThis particular home-invasive pest can become the culprit of major structural damage to your trees or house if left untreated. The carpenter ant, the largest ant species found in Georgia, has power in numbers. A mature nest can house between 10,000 and 20,000 workers with some even boasting more than 50,000. In Georgia, carpenter ants emerge from hibernation and are active from March/April until early fall.
Carpenter ants, contrary to popular belief, do not eat wood as termites will. Instead, they chew out nesting sites or tunnels to feeding sites, excavating the most favorable damp, dead wood with preferable warm temps. In compromising whatever structure selected, they leave behind their signature “frass,” a pile of sawdust-like shavings. Ask SEI how they can help prevent such disaster from befalling your home – servicing zip codes 30114, 30107, 30143, 30183, and more.
Palmetto Bugs
With the scorching summer heat just around the corner, another pest you should be on the lookout for is the palmetto bug, which is another name for the American cockroach. They become active in the spring sometimes as they scramble to get outside after taking refuge in your house during the cold winter months. These creatures are most active at night when they are on the hunt for food. The last thing anyone wants is to wake up and step up one of these in the middle of the night!
Cockroaches are quite resilient and can generally live an astounding three months without food or one month without water. You are likely to find these pests hiding out in any damp, dark corner of your house. They might forfeit their plan to get outside and decide to stay around your house, though, if you have the right conditions and enough food for them. Yikes! Canton, Jasper, and Ball Ground home owners, let us help you send these creatures away for good.
Kudzu Bugs
Although not harmful to humans, this next pest can cause quite the stink in your house, figuratively and literally. Kudzu bugs, the smaller cousin of the brown marmorated stink bug, emit a similar pungent odor when disturbed or crushed. Kudzu bugs’ activity rises in the spring and fall before and after its preferred host plants (kudzu or soybean) have peaked. A Kudzu bug can be particularly detrimental to you if you are a home gardener or have any bean plants.
When in doubt, call SurGuard Exterminating for all your pest control needs. We offer unbeatable service throughout Ball Ground, Canton, and Jasper with a 100% guarantee, so don’t hesitate. Act today and save yourself and your house from allowing these unwanted pests to take up any more of your time and home. No matter how big or small the problem this spring, we are here for you.
Written By: Ashley Gibson
David Gibson, Owner
SurGuard Exterminating, Inc.
770-735-8229
surguard@yahoo.com
Snakes in Canton and Ball Ground, Georgia
Snakes In Canton and Ball Ground, Georgia
There are several kinds of snakes you can find in Canton and Ball Ground, Georgia. Some snakes are poisonous like the rattlesnake, copperhead, and cottonmouth (also known as the water moccasin) while some are non-poisonous like the rat snake, garter snake, and corn snake. There are a few ways you can identify a non-poisonous snake from a poisonous snake. Non-poisonous snakes have a rounded head with round pupils while a poisonous snake have a pointed head with slit pupils. Poisonous snakes have heat-sensing pits unlike non-poisonous snakes.
Generally, humans and snakes can live together in harmony. Most snakes will avoid human interaction at all cost. Having snakes around can be beneficial because they eat cockroaches, mice, and rats. Non-poisonous snakes can also drive poisonous snakes away. The reason snakes like to live around your home is because they can find food, water, and shelter. On occasion, they will become a problem because they are getting into your house or in your personal space. If a snake gets stepped on or cornered it may feel threatened and can bite you or your pets.
Here at SurGuard Exterminating, we are well trained in taking care of the occasional snake that invades your personal area. We will try with every effort to live catch and release in a more suitable area so everyone is happy. It’s also a good idea to keep brush piles, firewood, and debris piles away from your home since these areas can be a perfect harborage for snakes.
Feel free to contact us if you have an unwanted visitor and need him removed. No snake too big or too small!
Written by Carson Gibson (age 11)
David Gibson, Owner
SurGuard Exterminating, Inc.
770-735-8229
surguard@yahoo.com
Noises in The Attic! What’s next?
Noises in The Attic! What’s next?
There’s nothing quite like the first hint of crisp fall air and the changing leaves that follow a long, sweltering Georgia summer. However, early fall also marks the last peak breeding season of the year for both gray squirrels and flying squirrels. Homeowners should be aware that colder temperatures mixed with this upcoming rise in the local squirrel population could bring these furry creatures into unwanted places, such as your attic, to build their nests.
Squirrels, one of the most highly destructive types of rodents, can cause major issues in your home. They are notorious for gnawing on everything from cables and electrical wiring to wood and insulation, increasing chances for short circuits in your wires and ultimately putting your house at a high risk for fire. Thousands of house fires each year result from this pesky squirrel behavior. As an additional threat, squirrels can also chew through water pipes, causing extreme water damage or flooding that your insurance company won’t cover. Don’t put your household at risk. Squirrels’ teeth never stop growing throughout their lifetime so don’t let your household become their continual chew toy.
How can you find out if squirrels have taken up residence in your house before it’s too late? It’s simple! Be observant and get to know the wildlife in your area. Gray squirrels are the most common species of squirrel in Georgia. You might hear noises from gray squirrels scratching and scurrying in your attic during the day from sunrise to sunset. On the other hand, you can expect to hear noises from flying squirrels from dusk to early morning as they are nocturnal creatures. In addition to observing chew marks and hearing noises, homeowners may also start to notice unusual debris, such as pine cones, leaves, nuts and sticks, accumulating in their attic. As colder weather approaches, squirrels will also seek the warmth and comfort of your home’s insulation so observing burrow holes can be another telltale sign of a squirrel’s residence.
If you think your home may have a squirrel infestation, don’t hesitate. Call SurGuard Exterminating located in Canton, Ga. and have us come out and determine how these critters are getting into your home. We will seal all entrances, cracks, and openings as well as trim overhanging branches that could be leading pests to your home. All of our wildlife exclusion work is done with a 100% guarantee so you can be ensured that if your squirrels return so will Surguard Exterminating!
David Gibson
SurGuard Exterminating, Inc.
770-735-8229
surguard@yahoo.com
Ant Treatment and Control in Ball Ground, Canton, Woodstock and Marietta, GA
They come in a small package but are difficult to eliminate.
Ants are one of the most prevalent insects we see in Canton, Ball Ground, Woodstock, or Marietta, Georgia. Ants can invade your home through even the tiniest cracks. They will come indoors looking for food, water, and harborage. Trying to rid your home of ants on your own is difficult at best. Do it yourself treatments often only kill the ants you see and has a tendency to “scatter” the nest to other areas of your home. More importantly, different types of ants require different treatment approaches, so proper identification is crucial to solving the problem. If you are having issues with ants, let one of our trained pest control technicians identify your problem to select the best treatment. You can help control ant invasions by storing items such as sugar, syrup, honey, and even pet food in sealed containers. Rinse out empty soft drink containers and remove garbage daily. General maintenance on your home, such as fixing leaky pipes, repairing water damaged wood, and cleaning your gutters will help to prevent ants. Once an appropriate plan of action is in place, pest elimination can be guaranteed.
With The SurGuard Advantage, our pest control professionals can help eliminate your ant problem for good.
By: David Gibson
SurGuard Exterminating
770-735-8229
surguard@yahoo.com