Pest control you can check

Identify it first

Most treatment mistakes start with the wrong ID. Browse the library by group, or learn how to get any bug identified.

German Cockroach Blattella germanica Sourced profile → Bed Bug Cimex lectularius Sourced profile → Eastern Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes spp. (shown: R. flavipes) Sourced profile → Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta Sourced profile → House Mouse Mus musculus Sourced profile → Blacklegged Tick Ixodes scapularis Sourced profile → Carpenter Ants Camponotus species Sourced profile → Brown Recluse Loxosceles reclusa Sourced profile →

Start here

The basics of doing pest control well, from the least-toxic approach to reading a label.

• Integrated pest management (IPM)What integrated pest management means, EPA's four steps (action thresholds, monitoring and identification, prevention, control), the control categori…
• How to pest-proof your homeHow to keep mice, rats, insects and fall invaders out of your house: seal openings with the right materials, cut off food and moisture, and fix the c…
• How to read a pesticide labelThe pesticide label is the law. How to read the parts that matter: the signal word, EPA registration number, directions for use, sites and pests, pre…
• DIY pest control guidesDo-it-yourself pest control guides built from university extension, EPA and NPIC sources: pest profiles with control steps, plus how-tos for termites…
• Seasonal pest calendarA season-by-season guide to household and yard pests, from late-winter ant baiting and spring termite swarms to summer yellowjackets and the fall rus…
• Bug bites and stingsBed bug, flea, mosquito, tick, spider, fire ant, wasp and scorpion bites and stings: what's known about each, why bites alone rarely identify the cul…

Safety at home

Using pesticides around the people and animals you live with.

• Pesticide safety and protective equipmentWhat protective equipment to wear when using pesticides at home: start with the label, pick the right glove material, protect your eyes, and wash wor…
• How long after pest control is it safe?How long to stay out after pest control: why the label decides, what 'until dry' means, and the extra precautions for babies, pregnancy and pets.
• Pest control with babies and childrenHow to treat pests safely with a baby or young children at home: why kids are more sensitive, when they can go back in, where to put baits, and which…
• Pest control with petsHow to use pest control around dogs and cats: when pets can go back in, bait safety, lawn granules, why dog flea products can kill cats, and who to c…
• Pest control during pregnancyIs pest control safe while pregnant? What the National Pesticide Information Center, CDC and MotherToBaby advise: how to limit exposure, when to come…
• Hantavirus: cleaning up after rodents safelyHow to clean up rodent droppings, urine and nests safely to avoid hantavirus: CDC's steps (ventilate 30 minutes, 1:9 bleach, soak 5 minutes, never sw…

Termites

Swarmers, damage, inspections and treatment choices.

• TermitesSubterranean, Formosan and drywood termites: how to tell which you have, the signs of an infestation, how liquid treatments, baits and fumigation com…
• Termite swarmers vs flying antsWinged termites and winged ants swarm at the same time of year. The three features that tell them apart (antennae, waist and wings), plus how carpent…
• Signs of termite damageHow to recognize termite damage: mud tubes, wood hollowed along the grain with soil in the galleries, drywood pellets, and how it differs from carpen…
• How to protect your home from termitesThe steps homeowners can take to make a house less attractive to termites, and why treating an existing infestation is a job for a licensed company, …
• How to check your home for termitesWhat to look for when checking your home for termites, where to look inside and out, and why a licensed inspection is still recommended, from UC IPM,…
• Fumigation: when you need it and how to prepareWhen whole-structure fumigation makes sense for drywood termites, the alternatives (heat and localized treatments), why it doesn't work on subterrane…

Hiring a pro or renting

Checking a license, comparing quotes and knowing who is responsible.

• How to find a good pest control companyHow to choose a pest control company: confirm the license with your state, the questions to ask, how to compare written estimates, and the red flags …
• Check a pest control license in your stateHow to check that a pest control company or technician is licensed, with the pesticide regulatory agency, phone number and licensing page for every s…
• Pest control costs: what drives the priceWe don't publish made-up price ranges. Here is what actually drives the price of pest, termite and bed bug treatment, what to ask for in a written es…
• Pests in a rental: who does whatWho handles pests in a rental, what tenants and landlords each have to do (with California's rules as a worked example), how to report a problem, how…

Local guides

Each state's pesticide regulator, extension lab and local pests, plus city guides built from local data.

• State pest guidesPest guides for all 50 states, each built from that state's extension service, agriculture and health departments and federal sources: termites, inva…
• Local pest guidesLocal pest guides for 84 U.S. metro areas, each built from that area's own county vector control, health department, state agency and university exte…

Tools

• Pesticide databaseProducts grouped by IRAC, FRAC and WSSA mode of action, each built from its EPA-accepted label.
• Mixing calculatorLabel rates for common products, converted to the amount for your sprayer.
• How to identify a bugPhoto and specimen tips, look-alikes, and extension labs that identify bugs.
• Pest control FAQShort, sourced answers to the questions homeowners ask most.

From the Wire

Pest control news, rewritten in plain English by the PCB News Desk. All Wire posts →

• New Executive Order Targets Ticks and Mosquitoes: 90% Fewer Invasive Mosquitoes on Federal Land in D.C. by 20282026-10-06
• West Nile Season Is Starting Early in 2026 — Positive Mosquitoes Found in Six States Before June2026-06-03
• Spotted Lanternfly Feeds on 103 Known Plants — and 56 of Them Grow in North America2026-05-30
• Another Family Pest Company Sells to a PE-Backed Roll-Up — Here's What That Means for Customers2026-05-26
• Big Agrochemical Is Reshuffling — and Betting on Biologicals and RNA Sprays Over Old-School Chemicals2026-05-22
• The PCT Top 100 Turns 25: What the Industry's Biggest List Says About Your Local Exterminator2026-05-19