You find a flyer in your mailbox. Mosquito control service, $79 a quarter. Sounds reasonable. You book it, a truck shows up, someone walks the yard with a sprayer, and they’re gone in 20 minutes. Come July, you’re still slapping at your arms every time you step outside.
Here’s what the flyer doesn’t mention: that $79 treatment covers adult mosquitoes only. No breeding site inspection. No larval treatment. No coverage for the ticks sharing the same woodline. And if the mosquitoes come back before the next scheduled visit? That’s another service call, at another charge.
For homeowners across northeast Georgia, finding reliable pest control services that actually deliver on their promises takes more than picking the cheapest option. Lavender Pest Control, a family-owned company serving the region since 1977, has been fielding calls from frustrated customers who tried the bargain route first. What they share is almost always the same story.
Why inexpensive mosquito sprays become ineffective around the second week
A female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. Those eggs only require water to be as deep as the cap on a pop-top soda can to survive. In as little as 7-14 days (depending on temperature) those eggs will hatch and develop into a new population of mosquitoes. It’s a matter of mosquito biology, and this is why a one-time adulticide spray only lasts for two weeks or so.
Killing off the adult mosquitoes without eliminating the mosquitoes’ breeding pool is like bailing water out of a leaking boat without ever fixing the hole. Mosquito populations rebound quickly because the breeding pools, which can consist of water in flower pots, tarps, clogged rain gutters, etc., were never addressed. Mosquito control should mean walking the property to find and spray the mosquito breeding pools.
That is the difference between a real treatment and just driving through the area and spraying for mosquitoes. Mosquito control is only effective when the technician inspects the property for mosquito pools, treats those areas, AND sprays the property for adult mosquitoes. This will keep the mosquito population to a minimum. Over time, the mosquito population will continue to shrink.
What’s actually cheap about “cheap” mosquito control companies?
Let’s crunch the numbers when it comes to cheap mosquito companies. When you hear about a $79 company spraying your property for mosquitoes, you might think it sounds like a deal, right? But callbacks, which happen when the mosquitoes show up again before the next scheduled visit, usually come with their own invoice. One callback? Now you’re at $158. Two? You’re looking at $237. And you still don’t have any coverage for ticks, ants, spiders, fleas, or anything else roaming your yard.
So what does a real program cost, and what do you actually get for it? Lavender performs a mosquito yard service as a monthly add-on (April-September) that pairs with the quarterly general pest control service. Yes, the total is higher than $79 a quarter. The better question to ask is: what is the cost of a mosquito free summer? With customers on our general pest control program who see activity between visits, we will return to treat the issue as often as it takes for that pest control program to work. The fly-by mosquito companies may come back out if pests show up again, but don’t be surprised if an invoice follows them.
The mosquito only service does not cover ticks
Ticks also like to hide around the edges of wooded areas and in piles of leaves in the spring, just like mosquitoes. We get all three species of ticks in northeast Georgia: the Lone Star tick, the Blacklegged (deer) tick, and the American dog tick. Many tick species are common in areas near wooded lots, especially properties that have overgrown edges, or that back up to woods. The CDC tracks tick-borne illness across the Southeast, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a particular concern in Georgia, carried by ticks that cohabitate the same landscape as your mosquitoes. A treatment program designed exclusively for mosquitoes does little to mitigate these risks.
The Fleas and Ticks yard add-on is a separate purchase, but it is done on the same visit as the rest of the treatment. It covers the perimeter of your home and any tick-prone hotspots. You avoid needing two companies (or relying on your budget mosquito guy to also handle ticks, which we don’t recommend because we have yet to find a budget mosquito guy who also handles ticks) and get everything handled in one visit with the general service.
The Problem Flea Bombs Can’t Fix
Fleas have four life stages. The insecticide used in flea bombs works only on adult fleas, not on eggs and larvae. The pupae are the toughest to kill. This is why you can bomb your house today and in a week or two, the cycle begins anew. You killed the adults but missed the new wave of larvae and pupae.
Lavender kills every single life stage of a flea. A flea treatment is also included as part of our general pest control services at no additional cost, because it’s what we expect for a customer on a scheduled program. This was our design from the get-go; it was not something we had to add on.
Getting It Right Matters
With seasonal pest control companies in northeast Georgia, there is usually a high turnover rate of employees. The guy out to your property in May is not the same guy out there in August. These guys also are not well trained in pest identification. This is crucial.
Take for example the invasive Joro spider. These are large, yellow and black orb weavers that have become established in parts of northeast Georgia over the last few years. The good people at Lavender put together a detailed guide specifically on how to identify and treat a Joro spider infestation because proper identification will dictate how you treat a pest. A technician who is not capable of identifying the Joro spider correctly may treat it incorrectly or, even worse, ignore it altogether.
Lavender’s technicians, including Daniel, Matt, Cody, and Natasha Dove, were trained by the founders of the company and are required to pass a state exam registered through the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The founders have been in this industry since 1968. They passed down years of this knowledge. It is not something one learns by just being hired as a part-time or seasonal employee.
Understanding a Comprehensive Treatment Program
When customers in northeast Georgia begin to search for mosquito control, they are typically looking for a solution to just one problem. A layered pest control plan, however, takes into account the full list of pests that live and reproduce in and around your property. Lavender’s service lineup includes three separate yard add-ons:
Mosquito Yard Service: Available April to September, this monthly add-on inspects all potential breeding sites and applies treatment to standing water, followed by a yard-wide adulticide treatment targeting mosquito harborages.
Fleas and Ticks Yard Service: A separate monthly service applied to the outer perimeter and the wooded edges of your property, where fleas and ticks thrive.
Fire Ant Service: This quarterly add-on is for clients with fire ant problems.
The quarterly general pest control program is the core of everything you need in your yard and home, including our between-visit guarantee for coverage on ants, roaches, spiders, fleas, and other household pests as part of the regular visit. The mosquito, fleas and ticks, and fire ant services are available as add-ons at the frequencies listed above.
Customers are also welcome to purchase single or double mosquito treatment sessions as a seasonal, one-off service without needing to sign up for an annual treatment plan. This option doesn’t qualify for the between-visit retreatment guarantee but gives customers the ability to pay as they go, as needed.
Mosquito and Pest Control Northeast Georgia FAQs
Are the treatments safe for kids and pets? Yes. All products are applied strictly to the outdoor area in the harborages where pests hide, not sprayed around the interior of your home. The only safety precaution we ask is for customers to keep pets and small children off any visibly wet products until dry after application. Our products have no or low odor.
Does the guarantee apply to mosquito services? Unfortunately, no. The guarantee only applies to customers participating in the general quarterly pest control program.
What pests does the general program cover? The general pest control program includes most household pests such as ants, roaches, spiders, fleas, and rodents. Fleas are treated as part of the program at no extra charge.
Do you handle bees and other pests? Bees, wasps, and wildlife (snakes, bats, raccoons, squirrels, armadillos, moles) get referred out to local specialists. That said, Lavender will knock down a visible nest during regular inspections for scheduled customers.
Do you have a termite program? Lavender’s termite program comes with a transferable warranty, meaning it carries over to the new owner at closing. That’s a genuine selling point when you list your house.
Secure Your Outdoor Spaces Ahead of Peak Mosquito Season
In northeast Georgia, mosquito season lasts from approximately April to September, and these pests don’t wait for property owners to get started with treatments. The best time to begin a treatment program is before a large population has already been established, rather than waiting until mosquitoes have ruined a couple of backyard weekends.
Contact Lavender at (706) 549-8759 for a free quote or with any questions you might have regarding the best pest control for your home. Or, contact us online for your appointment. Lavender Pest Control provides service to Athens, Gainesville, Buford, Monroe, Watkinsville, Jefferson, and other northeast Georgia areas. Book now and go into mosquito season with a plan that actually works, instead of one more flyer in the mailbox.
