GA summer pest guide: Everything bugging you and how to fight back

Summer in Georgia means heat, humidity and a parade of pests that want to move in with you. From mosquitoes that target certain blood types to flies that multiply into the trillions, here’s a reference guide to the season’s most common invaders and how to keep them at bay.

Here are key takeaways:

• Fire ants, carpenter ants, termites, cockroaches, wood-destroying beetles and rodents rank among the most destructive pests threatening Georgia homes and yards, with prevention centered on sealing gaps, storing food in airtight containers and keeping wood and mulch 12 to 18 inches from foundations.
• Georgia is home to at least 63 different mosquito species, thanks to the state’s diverse habitats and humid climate, according to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.
• People with blood type O are nearly twice as likely to be bitten by mosquitoes than those with other blood types, and wearing darker clothing makes you a bigger target because you stand out against the horizon.
• A single pair of houseflies mating in the spring could theoretically produce trillions of flies before summer’s end, with each fly laying three to four batches of more than 100 eggs during its 10-day lifecycle.
• Fly control requires a multi-front approach: cleaning up food waste, sealing entry points, using natural repellents like basil, lavender or peppermint oil and setting DIY traps with apple cider vinegar and dish soap.
• Pests are drawn to homes by four main factors — food, moisture, shelter and scent — and rodents can squeeze through gaps as small as a dime, making it critical to seal vents, cracks and openings around pipes.
• Floral-scented candles, sugary drink residue and perfumed lotions attract bugs, while lavender, peppermint oil, vinegar, citronella and citrus scents tend to repel them.
• Both heavy rain and drought drive cockroaches indoors in Georgia — rain floods their outdoor burrows and mulch beds, while drought dries up those same hiding spots — and roach populations peak in late summer and fall, according to UGA Extension Integrated Pest Management.
• Eliminating moisture is the most reliable defense against roaches, and repeated sightings can signal a colony living in a wall void that requires professional pest control.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "GA summer pest guide: Everything bugging you and how to fight back."