Arete Pest Control

10/23/2026

The spotted lanternfly is now confirmed in metro Atlanta, and late October is when it lays eggs.

This invasive planthopper was first found in Georgia in Fulton County. UGA Extension is tracking its spread and asking residents to help.

Adults are about an inch long with gray spotted wings and a flash of red underneath. They feed on more than 70 plants, including grapes, maples, and fruit trees, and leave a sticky mess that grows black mold.

Right now, look for egg masses. They are gray, putty-like smears about an inch long on tree trunks, fence posts, grills, patio furniture, and the underside of your car.

If you find one, scrape it into a bag with rubbing alcohol. Then take a photo and report it at gainvasives.org/slf/report.

Each egg mass holds 30 to 50 eggs. Every one you remove this fall is a few dozen fewer next spring.

Traveling out of metro Atlanta? Check your vehicle first. That is how they spread.



More from UGA Cooperative Extension
https://site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/2026/06/invasive-insects-to-look-out-for-in-georgia/

10/22/2026

Big brown bug crawling up the inside of your window this week? Before you panic about stink bugs, take a closer look.

If it is about three quarters of an inch long with flat, leaf shaped sections on its back legs, that is a western conifer seed bug.

They spend summer feeding on pine and spruce cones. When nights get cold they head for the nearest warm wall and squeeze in through torn screens, vents, and gaps around windows.

Good news. They do not bite, do not breed indoors, and do not damage your house. They are just loud, clumsy, and annoying.

Utah State University Extension says exclusion is the fix. Repair screens, add door sweeps, and seal cracks on the south and west sides where they gather.

Already inside? Scoop it into a jar and set it outside, or vacuum it up.

Getting dozens every fall? An exterior treatment in October knocks the numbers down before they find a way in.



More from Utah State University Extension
https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/western-conifer-seed-bug-leptoglossus-occidentalis

10/21/2026

This is Rodent Awareness Week, and the timing is not a coincidence.

October is when mice and rats across north Georgia start looking for a warm place to spend the winter. Your garage, attic, and crawl space are on the list.

A mouse squeezes through a gap the size of a dime. A rat needs about a quarter.

Walk the outside of your house this week. Check where pipes and wires enter the wall, the gap under the garage door, and the vents in the foundation.

Seal anything wider than a quarter inch with steel wool and caulk, not foam alone.

Inside, keep pantry food and pet food in sealed containers. Outside, pull firewood and brush away from the foundation.

Hearing scratching at night already? Do not wait for it to get louder.



More from the CDC on sealing rodents out
https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/rodent-control/seal-up.html

10/20/2026

Three spiders show up in northern Utah homes every fall. Only one of them is a real medical concern.

Our new blog covers the western black widow, the yellow sac spider, and the hobo spider. Where each one hides, what a bite actually does, and which one sends you to a doctor.

Spoiler. Brown recluses do not live in northern Utah, no matter what you have heard.

It also explains why you see more spiders in October. Males are wandering for mates and cooler nights push them indoors. It is a shift in movement, not a population boom.

Read it before you reach for the shoe.

https://aretepestcontrol.com/a-guide-to-the-most-dangerous-spiders-in-utah-beware-of-the-bite/

Black widows, hobo spiders, and yellow sac spiders all move indoors in Utah each fall. Learn how to tell them apart and when you need a pro for spider control.

10/19/2026

Shallow tunnels winding across your lawn? Chewed bark at the base of young trees? That is vole damage, and fall is when it starts.

Voles look like stubby mice with short tails. They stay active all winter under mulch, leaf piles, and tall grass, eating roots, bulbs, and bark.

One pair can turn into dozens by spring. The lawn you reseeded in September is what they are feeding on.

Mulch pulled back from trunks and a tidy lawn edge help. So does getting them trapped before the colony grows.

See how our Georgia vole removal works.

https://aretepestcontrol.com/vole-removal/

Stop lawn damage with expert vole removal in GA. 5-star rated vole control services safely remove voles and provide long-term exclusion.

10/16/2026

Hearing something heavy under the deck or in the crawl space at night? In Georgia this time of year, it is often an opossum.

As temperatures drop they look for dry, sheltered spots. Decks, sheds, crawl spaces, and attics with an easy opening all qualify.

Opossums are not aggressive, but they bring fleas and ticks with them, and they can tear into insulation and ductwork.

Trapping and relocating one yourself is not the answer. Georgia has rules on handling wildlife, and the entry point stays open for the next one.

We remove them humanely and seal the way in so you are not doing this again next month.

https://aretepestcontrol.com/opossum-removal/

Get rid of unwanted opossums quickly. Expert trapping, cleanup, and exclusion in GA protect your property with humane removal methods. 5-Star experts.

10/15/2026

Small red and black bugs collecting on your siding or window screens? That is probably the elm seed bug.

It is about a third of an inch long with a black triangle on its back, framed in red.

Elm seed bugs feed on elm seeds, so homes near elm trees get the worst of it. In fall they gather on warm walls and slip inside through cracks to overwinter.

They are harmless, but they come in numbers and give off an odor when disturbed.

What helps, according to Utah State University Extension. Rake up elm seeds that have piled against the house. Seal gaps around windows, doors, and vents. Vacuum the ones that get in.

Pulling young volunteer elms while they are small keeps next year's population down too.

If they keep coming back every fall, an exterior treatment can stop them at the wall.



More from Utah State University Extension

The elm seed bug is a black and red bug about 1/3 inch long. It eats elm seeds and has a red abdomen on underside.

10/14/2026

Parents ask us one question more than any other. Is this safe for my kids?

The honest answer depends on how the treatment is done, not just what is used.

Our new blog breaks down what actually protects children. Targeted applications instead of blanket spraying. Baits placed where little hands cannot reach. Sealing and sanitation that cut the need for products in the first place.

It also covers the questions to ask any provider before they walk in your door.

If you have kids or grandkids at home, this one is worth five minutes.

https://aretepestcontrol.com/child-safe-pest-control-tips/

Learn child-safe pest control tips to protect your kids and the environment. Explore their effectiveness and ensure a safer, healthier home environment for your family.

10/13/2026

Utah now has a stink bug problem, and October is when you notice it.

The brown marmorated stink bug was first found in Salt Lake City in 2012. By 2016 it was established across northern Utah, and Salt Lake County still hosts the bulk of them.

As nights cool, they gather on sunny south and west walls looking for a way inside to spend the winter.

They do not bite or breed indoors. They just show up by the dozens and smell terrible when crushed.

Seal gaps around windows, doors, and utility lines before the first hard cold snap.

If they are already inside, vacuum them up and empty the bag outdoors. Do not squash them.

Seeing them pile up on your house? We can treat the exterior before they move in.



More from Utah State University Extension

BMSB was first detected in Utah in 2012; it is now established in four counties (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah) and has been detected in two other counties (Cache and Box Elder). As an aggressive generalist herbivore, BMSB infests a broad range of plants and habitats, enabling its rapid spread a...

10/12/2026

Picking a pest control company in Georgia should not feel like a coin flip.

The cheapest quote and the biggest ad are not the same as the right fit.

Our new guide walks through what to check before you sign anything. Licensing, the questions worth asking, and the red flags that should make you pause.

It also covers what a real inspection looks like and why a guarantee only matters if you know what it covers.

Read it before your next quote.

https://aretepestcontrol.com/bug-exterminator-task/