Field guide
Know what's bugging you
Correct identification is the first step in getting rid of any pest. This field guide covers the pests we see most in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia homes: how to identify them, when they're active, the signs to look for, and what you can do before you call.
Termites
Subterranean termites
Reticulitermes spp. (mainly R. flavipes)
Subterranean termites are soil-dwelling insects that feed on wood and other cellulose, and they are the most destructive wood pest in Tennessee. They don't bite or spread disease, but colonies can damage a home for years before anyone notices. They are common throughout Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, with swarms peaking in spring.
Subterranean termites activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Peak
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Moderate
- July: Moderate
- August: Moderate
- September: Moderate
- October: Low
- November: Low
- December: Low
Ants
Imported fire ants
Solenopsis invicta, S. richteri and their hybrid
Imported fire ants are invasive, aggressive ants that build dirt mounds in sunny lawns and sting in swarms when disturbed. Most stings cause burning pain and a white pustule, but some people have serious allergic reactions. Hybrid fire ants are the dominant form in East Tennessee and are well established across North Georgia.
Imported fire ants activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Moderate
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Peak
- July: Moderate
- August: Moderate
- September: Peak
- October: Peak
- November: Moderate
- December: Low
Ants
Carpenter ants
Camponotus spp. (mainly C. pennsylvanicus)
Carpenter ants are large black or reddish-black ants that hollow out wood to nest. They don't eat wood or sting, but a long-term colony can weaken damp framing, trim and window sills. They're common in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, especially in homes with leaks, rot or wood touching the ground.
Carpenter ants activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Moderate
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Peak
- July: Moderate
- August: Moderate
- September: Moderate
- October: Low
- November: Low
- December: Low
Cockroaches
German cockroaches
Blattella germanica
German cockroaches are small, tan roaches with two dark stripes behind the head that live almost entirely indoors, mostly in kitchens and bathrooms. They contaminate food and their droppings and shed skins trigger allergies and asthma. They're common in homes, apartments and restaurants across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia.
German cockroaches activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Moderate
- February: Moderate
- March: Moderate
- April: Moderate
- May: Peak
- June: Peak
- July: Peak
- August: Peak
- September: Moderate
- October: Moderate
- November: Moderate
- December: Moderate
Spiders
Brown recluse spiders
Loxosceles reclusa
The brown recluse is a shy, light-brown spider with a dark violin shape on its back and six eyes instead of eight. Its bite can cause a slow-healing wound, but most bites heal without serious problems. Tennessee is within its native range, and it does turn up in Southeast Tennessee homes.
Brown recluse spiders activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Moderate
- April: Moderate
- May: Moderate
- June: Peak
- July: Peak
- August: Peak
- September: Moderate
- October: Moderate
- November: Low
- December: Low
Spiders
Black widow spiders
Latrodectus mactans and L. variolus
Black widows are shiny black spiders, and adult females have a red hourglass or red spots on the underside. Their venom affects the nerves and a bite can cause intense pain and muscle cramps that need medical care, though deaths are extremely rare. They're common outdoors around Southeast Tennessee homes, sheds and woodpiles.
Black widow spiders activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Inactive
- February: Inactive
- March: Low
- April: Low
- May: Moderate
- June: Peak
- July: Peak
- August: Peak
- September: Peak
- October: Moderate
- November: Low
- December: Inactive
Rodents
House mice
Mus musculus
House mice are small gray-brown rodents that nest inside walls, attics, cabinets and crawl spaces. They contaminate food with droppings and urine, chew wiring and insulation, and can spread disease-causing germs. They're among the most common household pests in Southeast Tennessee, moving indoors in large numbers as nights cool in fall.
House mice activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Peak
- February: Moderate
- March: Low
- April: Low
- May: Low
- June: Low
- July: Low
- August: Low
- September: Moderate
- October: Peak
- November: Peak
- December: Peak
Ticks
Ticks
Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, Ixodes scapularis and others
Ticks are small blood-feeding relatives of spiders that wait on grass and brush for a person or animal to brush past. The lone star, American dog and blacklegged ticks are common in Southeast Tennessee and can spread illnesses such as ehrlichiosis and spotted fever. Risk peaks in spring and summer, but some ticks stay active in winter.
Ticks activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Moderate
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Peak
- July: Peak
- August: Moderate
- September: Moderate
- October: Moderate
- November: Low
- December: Low
Bees
Carpenter bees
Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bees are large black-and-yellow bees that drill round, half-inch holes into bare or weathered wood to nest. Males can't sting and females rarely do, but years of reused tunnels can damage eaves, decks and trim. They're very common in Southeast Tennessee, with activity peaking in April and May.
Carpenter bees activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Inactive
- February: Inactive
- March: Low
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Moderate
- July: Low
- August: Moderate
- September: Low
- October: Inactive
- November: Inactive
- December: Inactive
True bugs
Brown marmorated stink bugs
Halyomorpha halys
Brown marmorated stink bugs are invasive, shield-shaped brown insects that crowd onto houses in fall looking for a place to spend the winter. They don't bite, sting, breed indoors or damage the house, but they release a strong odor when disturbed. They're a common fall and winter nuisance across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia.
Brown marmorated stink bugs activity by month in Southeast Tennessee - January: Low
- February: Moderate
- March: Moderate
- April: Moderate
- May: Low
- June: Inactive
- July: Inactive
- August: Low
- September: Peak
- October: Peak
- November: Moderate
- December: Low
Can't find your pest?
Send us a photo or describe what you're seeing. We'll identify it and tell you what it takes to get rid of it.