Pest control in Connecticut

What to know about pest control in Connecticut

In Connecticut, some of the pests around your home can spread disease. Blacklegged ticks carry Lyme disease, and state scientists test mosquitoes every summer for West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis. Connecticut also licenses both the businesses and the people who apply pesticides, so you can check a company before you hire it.

Common pests in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Public Health, the state's mosquito management program and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station publish guidance on these pests.

• Blacklegged ticks. This tick, also called the deer tick, is the one that spreads Lyme disease in Connecticut. Tick-borne diseases here can start with fever and muscle aches. Finding and removing ticks quickly after time outdoors helps prevent infection, and you should call your doctor if you get symptoms. See our page on fleas and ticks.
• Mosquitoes. The state mosquito management program, run by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and the Department of Public Health, among others, tests mosquitoes for West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis. In recent seasons, state scientists have found mosquitoes carrying eastern equine encephalitis in new communities. See our page on mosquitoes.
• Carpenter ants. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says the eastern black carpenter ant is the most common ant that infests buildings. Carpenter ants nest in wood softened by water or rot, often where porches, chimneys and decks join the house or around bathrooms. Piles of coarse sawdust outside a nest and scratching sounds in walls at night are signs to look for. Repairing water-damaged wood and leaking gutters leaves them fewer places to nest. See our page on ants.

Who licenses pest control companies in Connecticut

The Pesticide Management Program at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) oversees pest control. Any business that applies pesticides for hire, exterminators included, needs a DEEP Certificate of Registration, and the people who do the work need their own certification. A commercial supervisor decides whether pesticides should be applied, and operators apply them under a supervisor's direction. Read more on DEEP's pesticide business registration page. You can confirm a business registration or applicator certification with the state's eLicense lookup.

How to check a company before you hire

1. Look up the company's pesticide business registration and the supervisor's certification on eLicense.
2. Ask what pest they found, what they plan to use and why. For ticks and mosquitoes, ask what they'll do besides spraying, such as finding and removing standing water.
3. Get the treatment plan, the schedule of visits and any guarantee in writing.
4. Read reviews from other Connecticut customers. If you've hired a company, you can write a review, and you can read how reviews work.