Jonathan Sargent, owner of Sargent Pest Solutions and a Master’s Degreed Entomologist, breaks down the indoor pests Upstate homeowners actually deal with — and the handful of household changes that explain why they show up in the first place.
If you’ve ever wondered whether the bug on your bathroom floor is a real problem or just a bug being a bug, you’re not alone. Jonathan Sargent, a Master’s-degreed entomologist and owner of Sargent Pest Solutions in Greenville, spends most of his week answering that exact question for Upstate homeowners. Here’s what he actually tells people — starting with the pests that generate the most calls: cockroaches, ants, and the handful of household changes that quietly invite both of them in.
Not All Cockroaches Are the Same Problem
The first thing Jonathan wants homeowners to understand is that “cockroach” isn’t one pest — it’s several, and they don’t behave the same way.
“They are totally different species. So it would be like comparing a Chihuahua and a Great Dane. They have some things in common, but they have enough differences we do have to treat them very differently.” — Jonathan Sargent
In the Upstate, the three you’re most likely to run into are the German cockroach, the American cockroach, and the smoky brown cockroach. The distinction matters because it changes where the problem is actually coming from. German cockroaches live exclusively indoors — they don’t show up on their own. They arrive by package, by suitcase, or by way of a visiting relative’s bag. American and smoky brown cockroaches, on the other hand, naturally live outside and only move in when conditions push them there.
That’s also where the term “palmetto bug” comes from — and it isn’t a species at all. It’s a regional nickname, most often applied to the larger cockroaches like the smoky brown or American cockroach, and which bug it refers to tends to depend on where you grew up and what your family called it growing up.
One Roach on the Floor: Panic or Not?
Jonathan hears both ends of this constantly — homeowners who call in a panic over a single dead roach, and homeowners who barely notice a few here and there. His answer depends on the species: spot two or three German cockroaches, and there’s a good chance a bigger problem is already established indoors. Spot two or three smoky brown cockroaches, though, and it’s not necessarily an infestation — it’s usually worth a look at what’s drawing them in, but not cause for alarm.
The Ants Actually Showing Up in Upstate Kitchens
Most of what homeowners call “sugar ants” are one of two look-alike species — the Argentine ant or the odorous house ant. Jonathan notes you genuinely can’t tell them apart without a microscope, and from a treatment standpoint, it doesn’t matter: both are social insects, and both operate the same way once one worker finds something worth eating.
“As soon as one finds honey on the counter, she turns around and starts laying down pheromones, calling all the others. That’s why you’ll see a single ant one day, and the next day you’ve got a big trail of ants going in and out of the kitchen.” — Jonathan Sargent
Fire ants are a different situation, especially around pet food. A fire ant mound near the foundation usually isn’t an indoor problem on its own — but if a scout ant finds the dog bowl, it recruits the same way sugar ants do, and a yard problem becomes a kitchen problem fast.
One pattern worth knowing about heading into fall: Jonathan’s team consistently sees a late-season ant push right before the weather turns. It happens most years, and it isn’t a sign anything’s gone wrong — just a normal seasonal shift.
What’s Actually in That Box of Cereal
Pantry pests — what Jonathan’s industry calls “stored product pests” — almost always arrive in the house inside packaged food from the grocery store. The most common culprit in the Upstate is the Indian meal moth, along with a handful of beetle species. The fix isn’t a treatment; it’s a habit: before a box of pasta or grain goes in the cart, flip it over and check for webbing or small exit holes chewed through the cardboard. Jonathan is careful to note this isn’t just a discount-grocer issue — it can happen anywhere along the supply chain, including the warehouses that stock name-brand stores.
Why Does a House Suddenly Have a Pest Problem?
This is the question Jonathan’s technicians are actually trained to answer before they treat anything.
“That’s one of the things my company really focuses on — trying to figure out the why, not just show up and start treating a home.” — Jonathan Sargent
When a home that’s never had pest issues suddenly does, four things get checked first:
- Tree branches or shrubs now touching the roofline, gutters, or siding — an easy bridge in for ants, roaches, and other pests; including rodents.
- A change in basic sanitation — a new puppy, a fuller trash can than usual, food left out overnight.
- Cardboard stored in the attic or garage, which pests like roaches and silverfish are drawn to.
- Porch or exterior lights left on overnight, which attract insects that then work their way indoors.
Sometimes none of the four apply, and there’s no single smoking-gun reason — pests are simply looking for a new place to live, and a house happens to be there. But Jonathan says one of those four is usually the answer, and it often produces a genuine lightbulb moment for the homeowner.
The Bottom Line
Cockroaches, ants, and pantry pests all show up for reasons that are usually traceable — a gap, a habit, a season change. Jonathan’s approach starts with figuring out which one applies to your house before any treatment happens at all.
Ready to talk to someone about it?
Sargent Pest Solutions serves homeowners across Greenville and the Upstate. Call (864) 915-5555 and we’ll help you figure out what’s actually going on.