Pests to know in Athens
Termites in Athens
Subterranean termites are the most common termites in Georgia, and UGA Extension says most Georgia home yards hold one or more termite colonies.[7]
Invasive species reported here
The Joro spider, native to Japan and East Asia, was first documented in the United States in 2014 in northeast Georgia.[6]
Pests local experts flag
Athens-Clarke County identifies the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) as the most common biting and nuisance mosquito in Athens.[1]
Climate
Central Athens (ZIP 30601) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night is 15 to 20°F.[10]
Public agencies that handle pests
- Athens-Clarke County's earlier mosquito program, which used adulticide spraying, was cancelled in 1997, according to a county presentation on local mosquito control.[1]
- Athens-Clarke County treats standing water that can't be eliminated only on public property, and general spraying for adult mosquitoes is done only as a last resort after review.[2]
- Environmental Health staff in the Northeast Health District, which operates clinics in Clarke County, work on rabies prevention and investigate public complaints.[5]
- Georgia was the first U.S. state to report the Asian tiger mosquito in every county, during the 1990s. The state health department calls it the top pest species in non-coastal areas.[8]
Local rules and responsibilities
Athens-Clarke County asks residents to report overgrown lots and properties with trash or dumping, which breed mosquitoes, to its Code Enforcement Division.[2]
Hiring a licensed company
Georgia structural pest control workers must carry a Department of Agriculture employee identification card while performing pest control services.[9]
Free local help
Through the year
- Winter to Spring
- Termite swarmers fly each spring in Georgia, most commonly from February to April.[7]
Sources
- Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, “Mosquito Control in Athens-Clarke County (presentation).” www.accgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/3068 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, “Mosquito Control Tips.” accgov.com/mosquito (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, “Mosquito Control 2026 (flyer).” www.accgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/3067 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, “Clarke County Extension.” extension.uga.edu/county-offices/clarke.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Northeast Health District (Georgia DPH), “FAQs.” northeasthealthdistrict.org/?p=1209 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, “Managing Joro Spiders in the Landscape.” fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/C1289/managing-joro-spiders-in-the-landscape/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, “Preventing termites in Georgia homes.” fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/news/preventing-termites-in-georgia-homes/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Georgia Department of Public Health, “Vector Surveillance Facts & FAQs.” dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health/insects-and-diseases/vector-surveillance-facts-faqs (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Georgia Department of Agriculture, “Reporting Unlicensed Operators.” agr.georgia.gov/reporting-unlicensed-operators-structural-pest (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 30601 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/30601.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)