PestControlBasics
Menu

Identify

Treat

Local

About

Pests and pest control in Connecticut

Pests to know in Connecticut

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

Pests documented in Connecticut

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

Many public records (505)

Fewer public records (197)

Range named by extension sources (1)

Termites in Connecticut

The eastern subterranean termite is the most frequently encountered termite species in New England, including Connecticut.[2]

Invasive species reported here

The spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect not native to the U.S., has spread across Connecticut and, as of 2026, had been seen in all of the state's counties.[3]

Pests local experts flag

  • Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975 among a group of arthritis patients from the area of Lyme, Connecticut.[4]
  • The ticks Connecticut residents are most likely to encounter are the American dog tick and the blacklegged (deer) tick, and the blacklegged tick is the one that can transmit Lyme disease.[5]

Public agencies that handle pests

  • Connecticut's Mosquito Management Program is a joint effort of DEEP, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Department of Public Health; CAES traps, identifies, and tests mosquitoes for encephalitis viruses.[6]
  • Each year more than 25 CAES scientists and staff trap, identify, and test mosquitoes for viruses, including West Nile, Eastern equine encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon, and La Crosse.[7]

Hiring a licensed company

Connecticut's pesticide regulatory agency is the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (Pesticide Management Program).[1]

Licensing agency: Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection — Pesticide Management Program[1].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

  • The CAES Insect Information Office answers insect and arthropod questions for all Connecticut residents, identifies specimens, gives management advice, and identifies ticks and refers them for testing.[8]
  • The CAES Tick Testing Laboratory has accepted ticks from Connecticut residents for identification or testing by mail or drop-off since the COVID-19 pandemic, though it encourages submitting through local health departments.[9]

Local guides in Connecticut

Through the year

Winter to Fall
Eastern subterranean termites swarm in spring, usually March through June, occasionally on warm winter days as early as January, and do not swarm in summer or fall.[2]

Sources

  1. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) fact sheet.” portal.ct.gov/caes/-/media/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/entomology/eastern_subterranean_termite_reticulitermes.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Spotted lanternfly in Connecticut.” portal.ct.gov/caes/plants-pest-info/spotted-lanternfly (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Tick-Borne Diseases fact sheet.” portal.ct.gov/caes/-/media/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/entomology/tickbornediseasesfspdf.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. UConn Home & Garden Education Center, “Home & Garden Education Center.” homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. State of Connecticut, “Connecticut Mosquito Management Program.” portal.ct.gov/mosquito (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “State of Connecticut Mosquito Trapping and Arbovirus Testing Program.” portal.ct.gov/caes/mosquito-testing/introductory/state-of-connecticut-mosquito-trapping-and-arbovirus-testing-program (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Insect Information Office New Haven.” portal.ct.gov/caes/insect-office/new-haven/insect-information-office-new-haven (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Tick Testing Laboratory.” portal.ct.gov/caes/tick-office/tick-office/tick-testing-laboratory (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.