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Pests and pest control in Alaska

Pests to know in Alaska

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

Pests documented in Alaska

From public GBIF occurrence records since 1990. A record means a species was documented in Alaska, not that it's common near you.

Many public records (186)

Fewer public records (89)

Range named by extension sources (1)

Invasive species reported here

Alaska's tick surveillance has turned up non-native ticks, including the lone star tick, American dog tick, blacklegged tick, and brown dog tick, in addition to the state's native tick species.[3]

Pests local experts flag

  • The state reports that the risk of tick bites and tick-borne disease in Alaska remains low.[3]
  • The spruce beetle is the most damaging insect in Alaska's forests, and Southcentral Alaska has had an outbreak since around 2016 affecting at least 1.6 million acres.[4]

Public agencies that handle pests

Alaska's Office of the State Veterinarian, working with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Alaska, runs the Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program, which identifies submitted ticks and tests them for pathogens.[2]

Hiring a licensed company

Alaska's pesticide regulatory agency is the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (Pesticide Control Program).[1]

Licensing agency: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation — Pesticide Control Program[1].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

  • The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service's Alaska IPM program identifies insect, plant, and disease specimens, including through an online photo-upload portal or by phone at 1-800-520-5211.[5]
  • UAF Extension offices will look at an insect specimen brought in, and residents can also submit a plant or insect identification request form.[6]

Local guides in Alaska

Through the year

Winter to Spring
Adult spruce beetles that overwinter under the bark of spruce firewood emerge when the weather warms in spring and may attack nearby landscape spruce trees.[4]

Sources

  1. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, “Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/ticks/submit-a-tick (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, “Alaska Tick Surveillance Results.” dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/ticks/tick-results (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, “Spruce Beetle in Alaska's Forests.” forestry.alaska.gov/insects/sprucebeetle (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, “Integrated Pest Management.” www.uaf.edu/ces/invasives/ipm/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, “Pests, Invasives and Diseases.” www.uaf.edu/ces/invasives/ (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Every statement on this page comes from the cited state, federal or university source. Spot an error? Tell us.