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Pests and pest control in Anchorage, AK

Pests to know in Anchorage

Why each one matters here is cited in the sections below.

Termites in Anchorage

Alaska is on FHA's termite treatment exception list statewide: termite treatment documentation isn't required in any Alaska county for FHA new-construction financing.[11]

Invasive species reported here

Alaska has six native tick species with no evidence they carry harmful pathogens. Nine non-native species, some able to spread Lyme disease, have also been found.[5]

Pests local experts flag

  • Tularemia, a bacterial disease, is present in Alaska. It has sickened domestic animals, wildlife (especially hares and muskrats) and people in the state.[4]
  • Ixodes angustus was the tick species submitted most often to Alaska's statewide surveillance, making up 45.8% of ticks sent in.[6]
  • Spruce beetles occur statewide, but historically most damage has been in Southcentral Alaska. Yard and ornamental spruce are vulnerable too, not just forest stands.[7]

Climate

Central Anchorage (ZIP 99501) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5a, where the average coldest winter night is -20 to -15°F.[12]

Public agencies that handle pests

  • The Anchorage Health Department investigates pest complaints in housing, such as bed bugs and cockroaches, and accepts complaints online.[1]
  • The Anchorage Health Department's bed bug fact sheet notes that bed bugs don't transmit disease and that regular inspection is the best prevention. AHD is at 825 L St., 907-343-4200.[2]
  • Through Alaska's Submit-A-Tick program, anyone who finds a tick on themselves, family, pets or wildlife can mail it to the Office of the State Veterinarian in Anchorage for species ID and pathogen testing.[3]
  • According to the State Veterinarian's office, no human cases of tick-borne disease from tick bites in Alaska have been reported, including Lyme disease.[4]

Hiring a licensed company

  • The Anchorage Health Department's Food Safety & Sanitation Program issues permits to and regulates pest control agencies operating in the Municipality of Anchorage.[1]
  • Alaska DEC's Pesticide Control Program certifies pesticide applicators, registers pesticide products sold in Alaska, and investigates suspected pesticide misuse.[10]

Licensing agency: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation — Pesticide Control Program[13].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

  • The UAF Cooperative Extension Anchorage Outreach Center, at 219 E International Airport Rd., runs integrated pest management programs alongside agriculture and horticulture outreach.[8]
  • UAF Extension agents will identify a bug you bring in, if it's dead and sealed in a plastic baggie, and suggest what to do about it.[9]

Through the year

Spring to Summer
Adult spruce beetles leave their host trees in early summer, usually from mid-May through July, and attack new spruce trees nearby.[7]

Sources

  1. Anchorage Health Department, “Pests (bed bugs, cockroaches).” www.muni.org/Departments/health/Admin/environment/FSS/Pages/fsspests.aspx (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Anchorage Health Department, “Bed Bug Fact Sheet.” www.muni.org/Departments/health/Admin/environment/FSS/Documents/Bed%20Bug%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation – Office of the State Veterinarian, “Submit-A-Tick.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/ticks/submit-a-tick (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation – Office of the State Veterinarian, “Tickborne Diseases.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/ticks/tickborne-diseases (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. University of Alaska Anchorage – Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, “Researchers identify new tick species Alaska.” www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-health/departments/population-health-sciences/blog/archive/2023-07-tick-research-update.cshtml (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation – Office of the State Veterinarian, “Tick Surveillance Results.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/ticks/tick-results/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, “Spruce Beetles.” www.uaf.edu/ces/publications/database/insects-pests/spruce-beetles.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, “Anchorage.” www.uaf.edu/ces/districts/anchorage/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, “Pests, Invasives and Diseases.” www.uaf.edu/ces/pests/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  10. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation – Pesticide Control Program, “Pesticide Control Program.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/pest/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  11. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (FHA Office of Single Family Housing), “Termite Treatment Exception Areas.” www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SFH/documents/SFH_POLI_TERMITE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  12. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 99501 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/99501.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
  13. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Every statement on this page comes from the cited local, state or university source. Spot an error? Tell us.