MOST WANTED PESTS
These critters don't play by the rules in Nashville and Middle Tennessee homes. Identify your intruder below, check their threat level, and call Outlaw Exterminating to issue an immediate eviction order.
Subterranean Termite
"The Silent House-Eater"
Middle Tennessee’s moist climate creates prime territory for subterranean termites. They work 24/7 underground, quietly chewing through structural wooden beams, subfloors, and studs without warning.
- •Structural destruction costing thousands in uninsured damages
- •Undermining home foundation support timber
- •Creating hidden mud tubes in crawlspaces and slab edges
- • Discarded swarmer wings near windowsills in spring
- • Mud tubes on exterior foundation walls or crawlspace piers
- • Hollow-sounding wood or sagging floorboards
March - June (Swarming season peak)
Comprehensive subterranean barrier treatments & liquid perimeter defenses with continuous monitoring.
Brown Recluse Spider
"The Fiddleback Outlaw"
Extremely prevalent across Davidson, Sumner, and Rutherford counties. These venomous spiders hide in dark, undisturbed areas like attics, closets, boots, and woodpiles.
- •Necrotic venomous bites requiring medical treatment
- •Infesting attics, crawlspaces, and stored seasonal belongings
- •Rapid multiplication in dark voids and insulation
- • Distinctive violin-shaped marking on the upper thorax
- • Irregular, sticky webs in dark corners or cardboard boxes
- • Nighttime sightings in bedrooms or bathrooms
Year-round (Active indoors during hot summer & cold winter)
Targeted micro-encapsulated crack-and-crevice dusting, glue monitoring traps, and perimeter exclusion.
Mice & Rats
"The Wire-Gnawing Bandits"
Rodents multiply rapidly in Middle TN homes during autumn cold snaps. They chew electrical wires inside walls, contaminate pantry food, and carry dangerous pathogens.
- •Gnawing through electrical insulation (major home fire cause)
- •Soiling attic insulation with droppings and urine
- •Contaminating kitchen food stores with bacteria
- • Small dark droppings along baseboards or under sinks
- • Scritch-scratching noises inside walls or ceilings at night
- • Chewed food packaging or cardboard storage
October - March (Seeking indoor warmth)
Complete rodent exclusion sealing entry points, tamper-proof baiting, and attic sanitation.
German Cockroach
"The Kitchen Invader"
Relentless breeding pests that thrive in kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms. A single female can spawn hundreds of offspring within weeks, spreading allergens and foodborne illness.
- •Triggering severe asthma and allergy flare-ups in children
- •Contaminating prep surfaces, dishes, and pantry food
- •Developing resistance to off-the-shelf bug sprays
- • Small pepper-like dark specks in cabinet corners
- • Musty, unpleasant odor in kitchen drawers
- • Daytime sightings (indicates high population density)
Year-round (Thrives in heated, moist indoors)
Professional insect growth regulators (IGR), targeted gel baits, and flushing treatments.
Asian Tiger Mosquito
"The Backyard Hijacker"
Middle TN summers bring heavy mosquito pressure. They ruin backyard barbecues and carry diseases like West Nile Virus, breeding rapidly in any standing water.
- •Hijacking yards, patios, and outdoor family events
- •Painful, itchy bites on pets and children
- •Transmitting mosquito-borne viruses
- • Relentless biting during dawn and dusk hours
- • Loud buzzing around shady foliage and deck furniture
- • Larvae wriggling in clogged gutters or birdbaths
April - October (Peaks during humid summer months)
Monthly foliage barrier spraying, standing water larvicide treatment, and breeding site reduction.
Yellowjackets & Hornets
"The Stinging Aggressors"
Aggressive stinging insects that build nests under eaves, decks, or directly in lawn voids. Highly dangerous for anyone with sting allergies.
- •Multiple painful stings when defending nest territories
- •Building aggressive nests in high-traffic porch areas
- •Burrowing underground in yards where kids and pets play
- • Paper-like aerial nests hanging from soffits or eaves
- • Insects buzzing in and out of small ground holes in the lawn
- • Frequent aggressive activity around outdoor trash cans
May - October (Most aggressive in late summer)
Safe nest removal, protective suit direct extermination, and preventative eave treatments.
Carpenter Ants
"The Timber Tunnelers"
Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood—they hollow it out to create gallery nests inside moist structural framing, porch posts, and roof fascia.
- •Excavating smooth galleries inside structural timbers
- •Weakening deck posts, door frames, and window sills
- •Invading kitchens in search of sweet foods
- • Fine sawdust-like piles (frass) beneath wood structures
- • Large black ants crawling inside kitchen or bathroom
- • Rustling sounds inside walls at night
Spring - Autumn (Active outdoors and indoors)
Nest destruction, non-repellent transfer insecticides, and moisture vulnerability fixes.
Bed Bugs
"The Nighttime Bloodsuckers"
Hitchhiking pests brought home from hotels, luggage, or used furniture. They hide in mattress seams and bed frames, feeding on humans while they sleep.
- •Causing severe itchy welts and psychological distress
- •Rapidly spreading across bedrooms and upholstered furniture
- •Hiding in electric outlets, baseboards, and frame joints
- • Small rusty red blood stains on bedsheets or pillowcases
- • Itchy red bite clusters in lines on skin
- • Dark fecal spots along mattress tufts and seams
Year-round (High travel surge in summer/holidays)
Intensive targeted chemical and steam barrier treatments with full room eradication guarantees.
Fleas & Ticks
"The Pet-Plaguing Parasites"
Fleas and ticks latch onto pets and ride straight into your home. Fleas reproduce at staggering rates, while ticks carry serious diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever — a danger to pets and people alike.
- •Causing intense itching, hair loss & skin infections in pets
- •Transmitting tick-borne diseases to humans and animals
- •Rapidly infesting carpets, furniture, and pet bedding
- • Pets scratching, biting, or licking excessively
- • Tiny dark jumping specks on pet fur or light-colored socks
- • Small unattached ticks found on skin after outdoor activity
April - October (Peak in warm, humid months)
Interior floor & furniture treatment, exterior yard larvicide, and coordinated vet-guided follow-up to break the reproduction cycle.
Black Widow Spider
"The Crimson-Marked Killer"
One of North America's most dangerous spiders, the black widow is recognized by the red hourglass marking on its abdomen. They hide in dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, garages, and crawl spaces.
- •Delivering neurotoxic bites requiring emergency medical care
- •Hiding in firewood, garages, and outdoor equipment
- •Building irregular webs in dark, low-traffic corners
- • Shiny black spider with red hourglass marking on underside
- • Irregular, tangled webs near ground level in dark areas
- • Sightings around outdoor toys, garage clutter, or sheds
Year-round (Most active April - October)
Targeted crack-and-crevice treatment, web removal, and habitat reduction in dark harborages.
Scorpions
"The Stinging Night Raiders"
While less common than other pests, scorpions do appear in Middle Tennessee — especially in new construction areas where their natural habitat has been disturbed. Their sting is painful and can be medically significant.
- •Delivering painful stings when disturbed or stepped on
- •Entering homes seeking moisture and shelter
- •Hiding in shoes, boots, and damp crawl spaces
- • Sightings near foundation cracks or crawl space vents
- • Found in shoes, boots, or damp laundry areas
- • Fluorescent glow under UV/blacklight inspection
May - September (Most active in hot, dry weather)
Perimeter barrier treatment, crack sealing, and moisture reduction to eliminate attractive harborages.
Silverfish & Earwigs
"The Damp-Dwelling Sneaks"
Silverfish damage books, wallpaper, and clothing, while earwigs invade through cracks seeking moisture. Both thrive in Middle Tennessee's humid climate and signal a moisture problem that should be addressed.
- •Silverfish chewing through books, photos & wallpaper paste
- •Earwigs invading bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens
- •Indicating underlying moisture or drainage issues
- • Silver, fish-shaped insects in damp, dark areas
- • Earwigs with pincers in bathrooms or under sinks
- • Irregular feeding marks on paper or fabric
Year-round (Worse in humid summer months)
Moisture source identification, crack-and-crevice treatment, and dehumidification guidance to fix the root cause.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs
"The Fall Home Invaders"
Each fall, stink bugs swarm Middle Tennessee homes seeking warmth for winter. They congregate on sunny exterior walls, then squeeze through tiny gaps to overwinter inside — emerging months later as a frustrating nuisance.
- •Invading homes in large numbers each autumn
- •Emitting a foul odor when crushed or disturbed
- •Damaging fruit trees and garden produce outdoors
- • Shield-shaped brown insects clustering on sunny walls in fall
- • Sightings near windows, light fixtures, and ceilings in winter
- • Distinctive banded antennae and legs
September - November (Invasion), Winter (Dormant indoors)
Exterior barrier treatment before fall invasion, window & vent exclusion sealing, and vacuum removal of indoor overwintering adults.
House Centipede
"The Speed-Demon Predator"
House centipedes are fast-moving predators that actually eat other pests — but nobody wants them darting across the bathroom floor at night. Their presence often indicates a broader pest problem they're feeding on.
- •Startling homeowners with sudden high-speed movements
- •Indicating other insect populations they're preying on
- •Thriving in damp basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces
- • Long-legged, fast-moving insects on walls or floors at night
- • Sightings in bathrooms, basements, or damp areas
- • Presence often correlates with silverfish or spider populations
Year-round (Indoors, especially in damp areas)
Moisture reduction, targeted crack-and-crevice treatment, and addressing the underlying pest population they feed on.
SIGHTED AN UNIDENTIFIED PEST IN YOUR HOME?
Call Outlaw Exterminating directly or send us a message. We serve Davidson, Sumner, Rutherford, Williamson & surrounding counties!