Did You Know These Are Ground Pests?

Mosquitoes and ticks aren’t the only pests we contend with in Nashville. Some of the most invasive are ground-based. Gnats and yellow jackets are two!

When people think of pest control, they often imagine someone spraying flying insects. Or sometimes they think of technicians like ours spraying bushes since mosquitoes like to live in them.

But a lot of the dangerous pests in Nashville live at ground level. That means they create colonies and breeding sites right beneath our feet.

Understanding how ground-dwelling pests behave is important, because it’s a big part of protecting any property against pests. This is extra true as we’re heading into fall when many of these species become most active and aggressive.

Yellow Jackets Are Aggressive Ground Nesting Pests

Yellow jackets are among Nashville's most feared ground pests, and for good reason. Honeybees will build their nests in trees or structures, so you might think yellow jackets would do the same. But in reality, they build their colonies underground.

You’ll find them setting up shop in abandoned rodent burrows, tree roots, and landscape features. Worse still, these hidden subterranean nests can house thousands of aggressive wasps. And they become increasingly territorial as fall approaches.

What makes ground-nesting yellow jackets particularly dangerous is their proximity to human activity. Homeowners mowing lawns, children playing in yards, or pets exploring landscaped areas can accidentally disturb these hidden colonies—again, keep in mind that they’re hidden underground—and this can trigger mass attacks. Unlike other wasps that sting once and die, yellow jackets can sting repeatedly and will pursue perceived threats for far longer distances than would seem reasonable.

Tennessee is warm for most of the year. This gives yellow jacket colonies a chance to grow large throughout summer, reaching peak aggression in late August and September when food sources become scarce. Ground nests may as well be invisible once leaves start to fall. And that makes accidental encounters all the more likely when you’re raking leaves or working out in the yard. So professional treatment can quickly become essential because DIY approaches often just leave angry survivors to rebuild. Rebuild and retaliate.

Gnats Are Tiny and Persistent Ground Dwellers

While less dangerous than yellow jackets, gnats are another frustrating category of ground-based pests that plague Nashville properties. Fungus gnats, drain flies, and other small flying insects breed in moist soil, decaying organic matter, and poorly drained areas around homes. These tiny pests emerge from ground-level breeding sites in massive numbers. So much so that once an infestation takes hold, you’ll experience them more as clouds than as individual insects. And sure enough, they’ll make your patios, gardens, and outdoor entertaining areas miserable to be around.

Gnats love Nashville’s humidity because they seek out moisture. That’s why you’ll find them clustering around overwatered landscaping, compost areas, and anywhere organic matter accumulates in soil. Adult gnats may only live for a few days, but they multiply fast. So you can expect new generations to emerge continuously from ground-based breeding sites. Plus female gnats lay hundreds of eggs in moist soil, creating ongoing population explosions that traditional surface spraying can't address.

With gnats, the trick is this: cut off the ground-level lifecycle. You can see adults, and they’re definitely annoying. But the real problem is the larvae in the soil. That’s why we treat the breeding ground itself, not just the bugs that are flying around and giving you trouble right this second.

Mosquito Squad’s Winter Protection Plan Treats Ground Pests

Mosquito Squad's comprehensive approach is based on the simple fact that effective pest control has to address ground-dwelling species as well as flying insects. That’s why our granular pest control treatments specifically target soil-based breeding sites. We go after the underground colonies that traditional liquid applications can't reach.

The Winter Protection Plan includes both targeted granular applications and strategic liquid treatments. This helps us create a multi-layered defense against both ground and aerial pests. Granular treatments penetrate soil where yellow jacket colonies develop and where gnat larvae mature, disrupting their lifecycle at the source. Doing this helps us ensure longer-lasting results for you because it cuts the breeding cycle off and controls the overall pest population.

Choose Mosquito Squad for Nashville pest control!

Mosquito Squad treats mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and many more outdoor pests throughout the Nashville TN area! Contact us today at (615) 492-3662 or fill out our online form for your complimentary granular pest control near me assessment and treatment quote.

Also Read: Why are so many wasps around my pool?