Pest control, Atlanta GA

They’re creepy.

They’re an eyesore.

But are centipedes dangerous?

What Are Centipedes?

You know that long, creepy, flat, bug with lots of legs? It’s called a centipede. You may have seen a few around your home or property. The centipede is very common around the Atlanta, GA area.

Depending on the species, the centipede can have as many as 346 legs, or as few as 30. They are long, skinny insects that are usually a dark reddish-brown in color. Most species of Georgia reach lengths of about two inches, but there have been reports of centipedes that are as long as six inches. These are rare.

Centipedes hunt their prey at night, eating roaches, snails, spiders, and other insects. They are commonly found under vegetation, boards, or rocks around your property. Inside your Atlanta home, they can be found in basements, garages, crawl spaces, and around windows, doors, and baseboards.

Are Centipedes Dangerous?

Centipedes do bite. They do so with pincher like claws, called “poison claws,” that are found next to the centipede’s head. Centipedes are capable of releasing toxic venom when they bite. It’s because of this, centipedes should not be handled. Even if you are being careful while holding a centipede, their multi-segmented bodies are very flexible. This allows a centipede to bite from a wide variety of angles if held.

These centipede bites are relatively harmless, just painful. As of today, there is no public record stating an Atlanta, GA centipede caused human death. Like with many other insects (bees, wasps, etc.) these bites can cause a severe reaction if a victim has insect allergies. If this is the case, medical attention should be sought immediately.

Most centipedes do not pose a serious threat other than pain and swelling. The bigger the centipede, the more pain and swelling a victim is likely to endure. Conversely, some of the smaller centipedes are too small to penetrate human skin. Pain from a bite wound can last several days and may be accompanied by discoloration, numbness and necrosis.

Atlanta Pest Control For Centipedes

While centipedes are not considered deadly, they do inflict painful bites. They are also an eyesore. You definitely do not want these things inside your home. If you are seeing an unusually large number of centipedes inside your home, you may have an infestation. Have a pest control professional, who is experienced in dealing with centipedes, address your situation.

Pest Control Atlanta

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Published by Bulwark

 If you are a home or property owner in the Atlanta, GA area, you’ve likely come across multiple millipedes. These leggy insects are actually quite common in moist and humid areas like Georgia. They have become so common in fact, that Atlanta pest control professionals have seen a significant increase in millipede related calls. So what exactly are these squirming insects? Are millipedes dangerous? Are they even considered pests? How do you get rid of them? Here’s what you need to know: 

What Are Millipedes?

They’re creepy. They’re crawly. They’re leggy… 

They are millipedes, and they can grow over 200 pairs of legs and reach lengths of more than four inches. They may be showing up around your Atlanta property very soon. 

The millipedes that are commonly found in Georgia are black or brown. When disturbed, they will curl up into a ‘C’ shape, much like a pill bug might do. They prefer cool, damp places, like moist soil. They are frequently found under wood piles, rocks, and other debris. Millipedes feed on decaying material and plant matter. They can live as long as 10 years. 

Are Millipedes Dangerous?

No. 

The millipedes found in areas of Atlanta and Georgia are not dangerous to humans. They do however; give off a repulsive smelling discharge made up of a combination of irritating chemicals. This discharge can cause skin rashes, and may be toxic to small animals. Millipedes will lose body fluids as they die, causing staining on indoor surfaces. 

Do Millipedes Invade The Home?

Yes, millipedes can invade your home. They can live indoors in crawl spaces and basements; or wherever moisture is present. 

If you are seeing millipedes inside your Atlanta area home, do not panic. If these pests are not yet dead, they will be soon. Millipedes cannot survive very well indoors… They simply dry out. Like I mentioned before, millipedes prefer the moist outdoor conditions in the soil; and are most commonly found under rocks or debris. 

In dealing with millipedes inside your home, whether dead or alive, a vacuum with a hose attachment is your new best friend. Suck up those millipedes. If your vacuum is of the wet-vac variety, leave a solution of water in bleach in the vacuum. The millipedes will be sucked into a solution that will not only kill the creepy crawlies, but also disinfect them. 

Are Millipedes Pests?

Millipedes are pests! 

They can attack the stems and roots of healthy plants and trees, causing permanent property damage. This can be a result of millipede dehydration; something that is common during the long, hot Atlanta summers. These millipedes attack healthy plants to get water. 

Millipedes also feed on the sap of a plant or tree. Once a millipede gets it is lips around some of that sweet sap, it will keep feeding… And feeding! They can also do a lot of damage to seedlings. 

While the millipedes that are commonly found in the Atlanta area are not dangerous, they can be quite an eyesore and can even be quite destructive. If left untreated, millipedes can live almost ten years. If you are seeing them on your property in great numbers, hire a pest control company who is experienced in treating millipedes. 

Atlanta Pest Control For Millipedes

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Valentine’s day. (Photo credit: MalinStrandvall)

Valentine’s Day Roaches- A Bad Idea

This Valentine’s Day, you better pull out all the stops to impress your significant other. There’s no excuse this year! Show her just how much she is loved.

Get her some beautiful red roses, a box of decadent chocolates, and take her out to a nice restaurant. Bring your date back to your candlelit place and have some romantic music playing. Have some champagne on ice; to go along with your strawberries.

After you pull out all the stops, make sure your overtures are not nullified by a disgusting cockroach. I know pest control is not all that romantic, but a cockroach encounter will pull the romance out of an otherwise perfect evening.

Take A Look:

Cockroaches

The cooler Georgia months, like February, draw cockroaches inside. These disease ridden pests enter, looking for shelter from the cold weather. Cockroaches are scavengers that feed on decaying organic material, and are particularly fond of rotten food. They have even been known to eat fingernails, human hair, and dog droppings. Roaches are most commonly found in kitchens, basements, and the crevices of porches; but a few can find their way into your bathtub.

CBS Anchor Gives Bulwark Some Valentine’s Day Love

JaQuitta Williams of CBS Atlanta sent Bulwark Exterminating an email, thanking the company for the flowers that were sent to her as a Valentine. She even saw the above Valentine’s roach video, and said it to be “cute.”

What were your thoughts on the video?

Roach Control Atlanta

Bulwark Exterminating
5221 Palmero Court #105
Buford, GA 30518
(770) 904-4141
bulwarkpestcontrol.com

Orkin Pest & Termite Control
1935 Cliff Valley Way NE #118
Atlanta, GA 30329
(866) 713-9979
orkin.com

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Published by Bulwark

Stink Bug Population Spreads Across Georgia

If you live in Atlanta, GA, or anywhere along the east coast for that matter, you’ve likely become well acquainted with a smelly pest. The brown marmorated stink bug was first discovered in the U.S. about ten years ago. They have now become very widespread, wreaking havoc in some 39 states, including Georgia.

These bugs are considered an agricultural pest, feeding on the trees and plants of fruit orchards and vegetable gardens. This has been proven to have economic distress on Georgia farmers.

Stink Bug Ranks As Top Invasive Pest

Because of the brown marmorated stink bug’s destructive capabilities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has labeled the pest as it’s “top invasive insect.” USDA researchers and scientists are working hard to better control these pests.

Scientists Work To Control Stink Bugs

The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is working hard to discover better methods for controlling the destructive stink bugs. Scientists have identified a pheromone that stink bugs release when they eat, that signals there is food nearby. This pheromone is very effective at drawing in other stink bugs, and scientists have found a way to synthesize it. This new synthetic pheromone can be very useful when used as bait in stink bug traps.

Separate scientists at Baylor University’s College of Medicine are also working to control these invasive stink bugs through genome sequencing. If scientists can discover the genes necessary to the stink bug’s survival, they can determine what insecticides can best control their populations.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Atlanta Pest Control

While scientists a busy working on eliminating this stink bug invasion, you can take matters into your own hands by calling an Atlanta pest control professional. If you are having problems with stink bugs; or pests like fire ants, roaches, or spiders; hire an Atlanta exterminator.

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Published by Bulwark

Thanksgiving Reflections

Every Thanksgiving each of us get the opportunity to reflect on all of our many blessings, while we eat way too much. Among all of the holiday hustle and bustle, the black Friday shopping, the football, and of course the food; take some time and reflect.

What are you and your loved ones thankful for this year?

I’m grateful for my wife and my daughter. I’m grateful for my job here at Bulwark. I’m grateful for all the freedoms I enjoy while living in these United States. Even the city of Atlanta offers many things to be grateful for.

Things We’re Thankful For in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA has many things to be thankful for. We are thankful for Atlanta’s pleasant weather this time of year, for the many fine restaurants, and for the Fox Theatre. I’m grateful that the Atlanta Falcons are 9-1 so far this season. I’m optimistic about the Atlanta Hawks NBA season. I’m thankful that Georgia Tech made it to a bowl game this year. Finally, I’m thankful for golf in Atlanta, The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, LEGOLAND, the Georgia Aquarium, Six Flags Over Georgia, and Coca-Cola.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All of us here at Bulwark Exterminating would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, make sure you eat way too much pie and turkey, watch a lot of football, and enjoy the holiday with your loved ones. Make sure you stretch really well before playing in any “Turkey Bowls.” Nobody wants to spend their Thanksgiving holiday icing a pulled hamstring. Be careful during your black Friday shopping so you don’t get trampled. Finally, make sure your Thanksgiving is pest free.

Make Sure Your Thanksgiving is Pest Free

Bulwark Exterminating
5221 Palmero Court #105
Buford, GA 30518
(770) 904-4141
bulwarkpestcontrol.com

MosquitoNix Atlanta
433 Bishop Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 872-5770
mosquitonixatlanta.com

Orkin Pest & Termite Control
1935 Cliff Valley Way NE #118
Atlanta, GA 30329
(866) 713-9979
orkin.com

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Published by Bulwark