2021 in Review: A-1 Pest Control Edition

In 2021, A-1 Pest Control has once again decided to take a look at what this year looked like in pest control, from our own observations to local and national pest trends to some sensational stories that went viral in a big way. Without further ado, here is our 2021 in review: A-1 Pest Control edition.

Most Popular Blog

To start things off, we thought it was only fair to see which of our blogs was the most popular this year, considering you’re reading this blog right now. So which of our esteemed blogs had the most readers this year? The winner is….

The 5 Deadliest Pests in North Carolina

It seems like people were on the lookout for deadly pests, and we had some answers! In fact, some of other popular blogs were pretty focused on the deadly and destructive. Yikes!

Runners up: How Even Common House Spiders Can Cause Big Problems For North Carolina Homes, It’s Termite Swarming Season! Here’s What You Need to Know, The Stinging Insects of North Carolina

Most “Popular” Pest - North Carolina

We took a look at Google Trends to get a sense of what sort of pests were popular this year in the Tar Heel State, and we found some interesting data.

The “Top” searched pest this year was termites – and considering how freaky a termite infestation can get, that’s no big surprise.
Bed bugs, another absolutely dreadful pest, came in third among the top-searched pests in the state.
Last year’s most searched pest, ants, dropped down to second place.
Aphids and wildlife were the two breakout stars as far as Google search went, with big increases in search interest.

Most “Popular” Pest - Nationwide

Our friends from the NPMA helped out with this one. According to data that they analyzed from the entire year of 2021, 5 pests, in particular, were the most “popular”, at least as far as online search went:

Flies
Rodents
Regional pests (cicadas, lantern flies, stinkbugs)
Stinging insects
Mosquitoes

No big surprises here – these are some of the most annoying pests around.

The Biggest Pest Story of the Year

One pest story made a lot of noise in the news this year, and that was…

Billions of Brood X cicadas emerge in the eastern US

Billions of cicadas emerged from a 17 year period underground searching for a mate – and that meant a lot of cicadas making a whole lot of noise. It was the topic of countless news stories, podcasts, and TV broadcasts. While cicadas are essentially harmless, in such large numbers they create a symphony of constant background noise. This video demonstrates the sound that became commonplace for many Americans on the East Coast last spring:

While eastern North Carolina was largely immune from this Brood X cicada presence, areas west of Raleigh no doubt became familiar with their mating calls. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your preference), we won’t be seeing and hearing these billions of cicadas again until 2038.

So that’s our 2021 pest control in review! If you’re ever in need of any pest control in 2022, just get in touch with us and we’ll be more than happy to help you with any pest issue that you might be having!

Facebook Tweet Pin

Bugs and Critters That LOVE Your Pantry

We Launched Our New WordPress Website!

Lynn H.

1685446577

Nick is a very nice guy who has taken care of my spider and mouse problem.

Janetralph E.

1681481060

Very professional workers! They explained everything they did and were on time. I would recommend them to anyone. Ralph Earp

Lisa P.

1686077345

Hunter did a great job!!!!

Becky J.

1681409911

Joe Kerns came back before I was scheduled for new bugs that I had the first time. He was very well spoken and clear with what and why he was doing what he came for. I was quite impressed with his professionalism, the work that he did, and how well he explained things. I could see a difference the next day!

Kathryn J.

1682946722

Extremely professional and reliable.

Ted G.

1683744260

Polite courteous employees

Joan M.

1687959115

Hunter did an excellent job on the service and explaining the treatment and details on how often it may be needed. Will definitely recommend and adding additional plan

Nspirazations Property Solutions, L.

1682996094

Very professional and helpful.

Frances M.

1694181920

Great job!! So professional thorough and terrific quality!! Recommend them highly!!

Steve M.

1685037731

A1 has always has high quality people and service. Joe was out yesterday for my quarterly pest spray and borer bee application . He was very professional and through. It is a hard job but he went out of his way to insure it was done expertly. He went out on my second story roof to insure the coverage was complete. A1 is great and Joe is an asset to their team. If you are looking for pest control A1 is your company.

Todd M.

1693230437

Nice local folks, strong management and it works! I have been dealing with an Acrobat Ant issue and Joe came out (right on time) and dealt with them professionally. I cannot believe how many are showing up dead. I had a bigger problem than I realized. Glad I did not try to handle this one on my own. Thanks Joe!

Ellen B.

1690841235

WOW! A-1 Pest Control provided exceptional service. They conducted an initial termite control service and rodent/pest control service for us. Brandon Walsh, one of the Service Pros, was outstanding! He went above and beyond. Hard to match this kind of service in today's world. Thank you A-1 Pest Control!

Carol G.

1682721060

We love having Nick come he always does a thorough job! Very polite and professional! Very concerned about any issue you may have! I so appreciate him and all his hard work! A-1 is very lucky to have him ! Very much appreciated!

Madeline S.

1681918817

Hunter came out and was so professional and thorough! I would definitely recommend A1 and Hunter.

Larry E.

1682556629

This pest control service came highly recommended by several of my coworkers. I am happy to say I was not disappointed. Jamie, Nick, and Chris were very professional, thorough, and courteous. I had a great experience. I am very satisfied with my service. I highly recommend this business

Cole P.

1686061411

Jason at A-1 was very professional and helpful. Would highly recommend.

Chuck D.

1694801447

A thorough examination of the home was performed for bugs, damage, etc for a prospective home buyer.

Cindy M.

1685458379

Brandon Welsh came out and did an incredible job. Inspected, explained everything he was doing and next steps. Very professional and friendly. Fantastic service!!

Lynn P.

1688563302

Brandon recently sprayed at our home in Banner Elk for hornets and spiders. He took such care to clean away all webs and nest explaining what he was doing and why. Thank you for a professional job. Well done.

Bob A.

1689281081

We were very impressed with our recent inspection by Gregg. He was very thorough and detailed about the services that he performed and the condition of our home with regard to pest. Gregg has been here before, and we really felt that he had our interest at heart, and we are very pleased with Gregg and A1

Kathleen T.

1683836749

Justin and Jeremy installed a Radon Mitigation System in our house. They were friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. They kindly answered all of my questions whether it was radon related or pest related. I was impressed with how they left the work space better than they found it. Great work! I look forward to continuing business with A-1 Pest Control.

Lisa B.

1691631149

Very good did a good job

Debi T.

1681834782

This morning, John Wise performed our quarterly pest inspection. He was very polite, kind, and knowledgeable of what needed to be done. We are so pleased to have him on board; this was this first visit to our property. He had no problem whatsoever with checking the crawlspace area where A-1 had installed the plastic barrier, or my showing him where all the little black boxes were.We wanted you to know what a valuable employee you have in John. We are happy he is here to service our home and hope he continues on this route.McNair and Debi Tornow60 Fox Pointe DriveBanner Elk, NC 28604

Lisa S.

1686087851

They come out and spray my home while l am at work and l trust them to be there without me being there. They always let me know when they are coming and the technician Hunter S that comes out does a great job and l will definitely keep using y’all and telling friends to used A1 pest control. Thank you for the great service that y’all provide.

Ray W.

1691515538

A-1 is a locally family owned business and this is my first time using them! I was very impressed with them. They came out quickly for the inspection and were thorough and informative. Caleb did a good job and explained the treatment process.I was able to get a treatment done in less than a week, which was great because the property was rented and they have a small child.I was very impressed with the service and the price was very reasonable and cheaper than two other estimates I got.Tim came out for the treatment and was very efficient and finished up quickly!I will be a repeat customer for sure! Thanks A-1

Amy M.

1685468986

Nick has been servicing our home for quite some time. Each time he makes sure to be on time and always knocks on the door to ask if we’ve had any new issues he should take care of for us. He is very personable and highly professional. We have had no issues with bugs or spiders and attribute this to his conscientious detail to consistently service our home. Kudos to Nick and A-1 Termite & Pest Control!

Shirley H.

1683032414

Our service for termite inspection is scheduled and we had to pay up front. The person I spoke with to get information and schedule was super helpful and very nice! I'll let you know how it goes. Best price in our area!UPDATE: Jamie came to our home and did the inspection for our refinance and we passed. They sent our inspection documents right away! He talked about the plans for future pest controll and sent me quotes which were very reasonable! Highly recommend!!

Karen W.

1686006343

Hunter did a fabulous job! He was promptly on time, efficient with his work, and very cordial!

Victoria S.

1687886769

We had a wonderful experience. He was professional, on time and very polite.

Adam H.

1687269262

Kolten is extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to work with your schedule as much as possible. We have seen a tremendous decline in pests, and his service has provided much needed relief. The rates are very competitive and fair, and he doesn't act like a salesman. He arrives and gets the job done and informs you of everything he did, and even after the first visit, the service very effective. I feel so much more comfortable in my home thanks to him. I would highly recommend. It doesn't seem like pest "control" or pest "management", more like pest ELIMINATION!

Donna W.

1684333932

Your tech was very thorough and professional. I would recommend A-1 to others.

Erika C.

1695422247

The company has done an excellent job of scheduling & keeping appointments. The technicians have been friendly and have listened to my needs in treating my lawn for ticks. Joel went above and beyond in his efforts to help eradicate mosquitos & ticks. Thank you!

Sandy W.

1685989249

Hunter is the Person that takes care of my home. He is very professional! He calls to set up a time to ensure it’s convenient for me. He always ask what needs attention and takes care of it. He lets me know when he is finished and thanks me for my business. I’m extremely pleased with the service Hunter provides for my home.

David S.

1689262202

Hunter was in the area and just stopped by and ask if everything was ok. I Said that God you came Yellow jackets driving me crazy. Took care if it.

John E.

1691173464

Just moved from Ohio to Blowing Rock area and needed a pest control company reference from my realtor. She recommended A-1 and based on that referral, we contacted A-1. Caleb was the first to visit our new home to inspect and educate us about the pests to be alert for in the NC mountains. We had a lot to learn.Just a few days later, Steve and Jonnie came to apply the first treatment and to install the Sentricon termite control system. Steve and Johnny were very professional and took the time to explain the control program to me. They were careful to avoid contaminating our dog's drinking bowls as well as taking special effort to treat only the areas that were needed.Very impressed with the whole A-1 operation from the field workers to the office support staff. Was not expecting this after my 30 years in Ohio where we did not get this kind of treatment.

Christian D

1684438507

I’ve had A1 pest control help me with Radon Gas testing and removal systems and now they’re helping me with a mice problem. Caleb has been out here both times and was just a pleasure to work with, he’s knowledgeable and is reliable and helpful. Wish their were more companies and employees this awesome. Thanks!

Sandra Y.

1682463738

A-1 Pest Control-Hickory is a professional business who always works for the customers. Pests were a huge problem for me in past years. After working with A1, there is huge difference in bees, wasps, hornets, ants, spiders and many other bugs.They are on time and meet customers requests. Hunter plans and works with me to arrange schedule. He is courteous and friendly! He always works hard to help me.

Terri H.

1685997696

Justin and Avery did an excellent job on an encapsulation of our crawlspace. They worked diligently to complete a quality project. They were professional, friendly and respectful. Our crawlspace looks lovely and they did it all in one day. Thanks, guys, for an awesome job !!😃

James D.

1681502152

We've been using A-1 Pest Control for a year now and they've done an outstanding job. I recently had an influx of ants in the house, so I called A-1 since it wasn't time for the quarterly spraying. Hunter arrived as scheduled and sprayed all the rooms. He is very professional and personable and my dogs love him! I would highly recommend A-1 Pest Control.

Sky H.

1689774748

A-1 Pest Control has been providing our quarterly service for the past year, and it has been a pleasant experience from the beginning. They scheduled our initial service quickly, and once we were established we had the same guy take care of our route each time. He always thoroughly explains what he is doing, and they tailor each quarterly treatment to that seasons expected pests. He always tells us at the end of service that if we see anything at all before the next service to give them a call-he is right around the corner. We ended up having some wasps outside recently, and I sent an email to their office. They followed up within the same day, and had someone out the next morning. This is a very well run company with employees who care. We highly recommend them to anyone in need of pest control!

Crystal O.

1689942829

I've been a customer of A1 pest control since 2012, and they have been fabulous to work with! Yesterday, I had an issue with European hornets, and they were out within the hour to assist me with getting rid of the hornets. Thank you!

Seder P.

1695067861

Tommy Clawson is professional, friendly and always does a wonderful job everytime he comes out. A-1 over all is a great company.

mcneill G.

1694528411

Brandon was thorough and polite.

×