By Fred Talley, Faith Pest Control

Well, howdy neighbors! Fred Talley here from Faith Pest Control, right here in our beautiful corner of North Georgia. If you’re like me, you’re already looking forward to those long summer days and the community spirit that makes Jasper such a special place to call home.

I’m writing to you today because there’s a mighty big event coming to town that you won’t want to miss. It’s time to dust off your tunics and polish your armor, because the Ga. Mt. Charity Camelot-Fest is returning to Jasper this June!

Mark your calendars for June 20 and 21, 2026. The festival will be held right here at the Chattahoochee Tech Conference Center (100 Campus Dr.).

This isn’t just your average weekend outing; it’s a full-blown trip back to the days of King Arthur. We’re talking about:

• Live Knights and Performers: You’ll see roaming bards, stage acts, and maybe even a wizard or two wandering through the crowd.

• The Artisan Market: Plenty of handcrafted treasures and traditional festival food (yes, you can feast like royalty!).

• Games for the Littles: From archery-style games to knightly quests, there’s plenty to keep the kids entertained.

• A Great Cause: The best part? All the proceeds go directly to support our local Public Library.

Cosplay is highly encouraged, so don’t be shy about dressing up as a knight, a noble, or even a forest fairy. It’s all in good fun for a great community cause.

Now, while we’re all excited about the knights and the fair ladies coming to Jasper, there are some other “guests” trying to make their way into our homes this summer that aren’t nearly as welcome. I’m talking about those nasty North Georgia spiders, ants, and termites that think your kitchen is their personal banquet hall.

Listen… I want to be YOUR BUG MAN!

Nothing spoils a summer evening like finding a black ribbon of ants marching across your counter or hearing that “scritch-scritch-scritch” in the walls. Termite and pest control is serious business—it involves protecting your home, your family, and your four-legged friends.

At Faith Pest Control, we don’t just “spray and pray.” We use common-sense, pet-friendly methods to put the treatment where the bugs live and your pets don’t.

I am so confident in my expertise that I’m willing to place MY NAME and MY MONEY on the line. If you hire me to get rid of your pest problem and, at the end of 30 days, you are not 100% HAPPY, I will come back and retreat your home for FREE. If you’re still not happy, I’ll give you back every penny of your money, plus an additional $25.00 for your time and trouble. Period.

So, go enjoy the Camelot-Fest and support our library! Just remember, if you come home and find that the only “dragons” in your house are the roaches under the fridge, don’t you hesitate to give me a ring.

Give us a call at 770-823-9202. Let’s keep the pests out and the tails waggin’!

Have a great day, neighbors,

Fred Talley, Owner/Operator Faith Pest Control, Jasper, GA 770-823-9202

Summer “Stingers” in the North Georgia Mountains: What’s Buzzing Around Your Eaves?

By Fred Talley, Faith Pest Control

Well, neighbors, summer has officially arrived in Jasper. The sun is out, the lake is calling, and if you’re like me, you’re spending as much time as possible on the back deck or out in the yard. But there’s a downside to this beautiful North Georgia weather: The stingers are out in force.

Up here in the mountains—from Talking Rock to Big Canoe—summer is the peak season for things that fly, buzz, and pack a punch. At Faith Pest Control, we’re getting the calls every day from folks who walked into a yellow jacket nest or found a “paper lantern” hanging over their front door.

Here’s the breakdown of who’s who in the world of North Georgia stinging insects this summer:

1. The “Ground Troublemakers”: Yellow Jackets

If there’s one bug that can ruin a backyard BBQ faster than a summer thunderstorm, it’s the Yellow Jacket.

The Hiding Spot: Unlike honeybees, these guys love to build nests in the ground—often in old rodent burrows or under railroad ties.

The Danger: They are notoriously cranky. If you run a lawnmower over their “front door,” they’ll come out swinging. And unlike a honeybee, a yellow jacket can sting you multiple times without losing its stinger.

1. The “Eavesdroppers”: Paper Wasps

You’ve seen these nests—they look like an upside-down umbrella with open honeycombs.

The Hiding Spot: They love our North Georgia architecture! You’ll find them under the eaves of your house, behind shutters, or tucked into the corners of your porch.

The Behavior: They aren’t quite as aggressive as yellow jackets, but if you get too close while painting or cleaning your windows, they’ll defend their home with a painful sting.

1. The “Gentle Giants”: European Hornets

These guys are big—sometimes over an inch long—and they can look pretty scary when they’re bumping against your porch light at night.

The Hiding Spot: They usually nest in hollow trees, but they aren’t above moving into an attic or a wall void if they find a gap in your siding.

The “Attraction”: They are the only wasps in our area that are active at night. If you leave your porch lights on, don’t be surprised to see these big fellas circling the glow.

1. The “Drill Bits”: Carpenter Bees

While the males don’t have stingers (they’re just “all bark and no bite” hovering in your face), the females do.

The Damage: Their real “sting” is to your wallet. They bore perfectly round holes into your cedar siding, decks, and fascia boards. If left alone, they’ll turn your beautiful mountain home into a piece of Swiss cheese.

Fred’s “Stay Safe” Summer Tips

Before you grab a can of spray and head out there, keep these things in mind:

Watch the Flight Path: Before you start weeding or mowing, stand back and watch your yard for a minute. If you see bugs consistently flying in and out of a hole in the ground or a crack in your siding, you’ve found a nest.

Avoid “The Swat”: If a wasp flies near you, try to stay calm. Swatting at them is interpreted as an attack, and that’s when they call for backup.

Check the Kids’ Playsets: Check under the slides and inside the “fort” area of backyard playsets once a week. These are favorite hiding spots for wasps.

Don’t Block the Exit: If you find wasps entering a hole in your house siding, do not caulk that hole shut while they are inside. They will find a way out—and “out” might mean chewing through your drywall into your living room!

We’ve Got the Gear to Handle It

Look, I know a lot of folks like to “DIY” their pest control, but when it comes to stinging insects, it can get dangerous fast—especially if you have an undiscovered allergy.

At Faith Pest Control, we have the protective gear and the specialized treatments to knock out these nests safely. We live and work right here in Jasper, and we want to make sure your summer stays fun and sting-free.

Give us a shout at Faith Pest Control, and let’s keep those “mountain stingers” in the woods where they belong!

The Jasper Homeowner’s Essential Pest Control Checklist

By Fred Talley, Faith Pest Control

Living up here in the North Georgia Mountains, we get the best of everything—the views, the fresh air, and a front-row seat to every season. But let’s be honest: our neck of the woods is also “Bug Central.” Between the heavy woods in **Bent Tree** and the lake breeze over in **Big Canoe**, our homes are under constant pressure from critters looking for a free meal and a warm bed.

At **Faith Pest Control**, I always tell my neighbors that a little “mountain maintenance” goes a long way. If you want to keep the ants out of your sweet tea and the termites out of your floorboards, here is my personal checklist for every Jasper homeowner this season.

### 1. The “Six-Inch Rule” for Foundation

The quickest way to invite termites and wood-decaying beetles into your home is to give them a “bridge.”

* **Pull back the mulch:** Keep your pine straw or wood mulch at least six inches away from your wooden siding or foundation.

* **Check your “soil-to-wood” contact:** If you’ve got wooden stairs or lattice touching the dirt, you’re basically ringing the dinner bell for subterranean termites.

### 2. Gutter and Drainage Audit

Water is the #1 attractant for pests in North Georgia.

* **Clear the debris:** Clogged gutters create “micro-swamps” where mosquitoes breed and carpenter ants love to nest.

* **Extend your downspouts:** Make sure rainwater is moving *away* from your crawlspace. A damp crawlspace is a playground for camel crickets (those “sprickets” we all hate) and wood roaches

### 3. Seal the “Mountain Breezes”

If a breeze can get under your door, a **Kudzu Bug** or a **Stink Bug** can get in with it.

* **Check your door sweeps:** If you can see daylight under your front door, it’s time for a new sweep.

* **Screen your vents:** Make sure your attic and crawlspace vents have tight-fitting, heavy-duty mesh to keep out “the big stuff” like squirrels and raccoons.

### 4. Manage the “Greenery”

We love our trees, but they shouldn’t be touching your roof.

* **The “Two-Foot Trim”:** Keep tree limbs and shrubs trimmed at least two feet away from your house. These branches act as a “highway” for ants and spiders to bypass your ground-level treatments and walk right onto your roof or into your windows.

### 5. Kitchen & Pantry Lockdown

As the weather shifts, ants are on a mission for moisture and sugar.

* **Seal the snacks:** Invest in some airtight containers for your flour, sugar, and pet food.

* **Wipe the “invisible” spills:** Ants follow pheromone trails. Even if a spill looks dry, the “scent” is still there. A quick wipe-down with soapy water breaks that trail.

### Don’t Tackle the Mountain Alone

I know you’re busy enjoying the North Georgia lifestyle—maybe hitting the trails or spending a Saturday at the Jasper Farmers Market. You shouldn’t have to spend all your free time chasing bugs.

At **Faith Pest Control**, we specialize in the specific pests that call Jasper home. We don’t just treat your house; we protect your peace of mind with a professional perimeter barrier that stands up to our mountain weather.

**Give us a call today, and let’s che