Arete Pest Control

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/

10/09/2026

Pulling the holiday decorations out of the attic this month? Check the boxes for silverfish before you bring them downstairs.

Silverfish love cardboard, paper, fabric, and glue, and Georgia attics give them everything at once. Heat, humidity, and years of undisturbed storage.

Once the furnace kicks on, they follow the warmth into bathrooms, closets, and bookshelves.

They will not bite, but they chew through photos, wrapping paper, and stored clothes, and they are hard to get rid of once they settle in.

Store keepsakes in sealed plastic bins, run a dehumidifier in damp areas, and seal the gaps they travel through.

See how our Georgia silverfish control works.

Stop silverfish infestations in North GA. Expert treatments target moisture-loving pests in basements and bathrooms to protect your home. 5-Star Rated.

10/08/2026

If you run a restaurant, warehouse, or property in Utah, October is when the mouse problem starts, not December.

Rodents move into commercial buildings the moment nights turn cold, and loading docks, dumpster areas, and utility penetrations are the open doors.

One sighting in a dining room or a note on a health inspection costs more than a year of prevention.

The right program is built around your operation. Scheduled exterior barriers, monitored bait stations, exclusion work, and documentation ready for auditors and inspectors.

Service is discreet, with flexible scheduling and unmarked vehicles, so customers and tenants never notice.

Get ahead of the holiday season. See how our Utah commercial pest control works.

Ongoing commercial pest control and emergency treatments for restaurants, offices, rentals, and warehouses in Salt Lake and Utah Counties.

10/07/2026

Small cone shaped holes all over your lawn, and a smell near the deck at night? You have a skunk, and October is when they settle in.

Skunks dig for grubs in the fall while the soil is soft, then look for a dry place to spend the winter. Under decks, sheds, porches, and crawlspaces are their favorites.

The spray is the obvious problem. The quieter one is rabies. Skunks are one of Georgia's main rabies carriers, and this year's positive cases across Gwinnett are a reminder.

Do not try to trap or block one yourself. A cornered skunk sprays, and a sealed den can trap an animal inside, where it dies under the floor.

Professional removal gets the animal out humanely, then closes the entry points so nothing else moves in.

See how our Georgia skunk removal works.

Humane skunk removal in Georgia. Wildlife experts handle trapping, safe removal, and exclusion to protect your GA property from damage and odors.

10/06/2026

Sluggish flies showing up at your windows on sunny October days? Those are cluster flies, and they are not coming from your trash.

Cluster flies spend the summer outdoors, where their larvae develop on earthworms in lawns and fields. In early fall they gather on warm, sunny walls and work their way into attics, wall voids, and ceiling spaces to overwinter.

Utah State University Extension says the key identifiers are a dull grayish brown color, yellow hairs on the thorax, and slow, clumsy movement. They do not bite and do not breed indoors.

Every warm spell through winter wakes a few up, which is why they keep appearing at windows in January.

The fix is exclusion, and the window is now. Caulk cracks around windows, siding, soffits, and vents. Repair screens. Seal attic gaps.

Once they are inside, a vacuum is the easiest tool. They are too slow to bother swatting.

If your home gets them every year, an exterior treatment on the sunny sides in early fall breaks the cycle.



Source: Utah State University Extension, Cluster Flies

Cluster flies are dull grayish-brown. They have yellow hairs on the thorax. They are typically seeking shelter in the winter. They may become active during warm periods of winter.

10/05/2026

The first cold snap in Georgia flips a switch for rats and mice. Scouting ends, and moving in begins.

October is the busiest month of the year for rodent calls, and most of them start the same way. Scratching in a wall after dark, droppings in a pantry corner, or a chewed bag of dog food in the garage.

A mouse needs a gap the width of a pencil. A rat needs about the size of a quarter. Pipe penetrations, garage door corners, foundation vents, and gaps along the roofline are the usual routes.

Traps catch the ones already inside. Exclusion keeps the rest out. Skip the second half and you will be setting traps all winter.

See how our Georgia rodent removal works.

Protect your home with 5-star rodent control in North GA. Detailed inspections and specialized treatments stop damage before it starts.