Pest control in Delaware

What to know about pest control in Delaware

Delaware's marshes, wet woods and coastline give ticks and mosquitoes plenty of places to live. Several tick species here carry disease, and the state runs its own mosquito control program. If you hire a company for work around your home, Delaware requires it to hold a pesticide business license.

Common pests in Delaware

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) tracks ticks and mosquitoes, and University of Delaware Cooperative Extension advises homeowners on stink bugs.

• Ticks. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection in Delaware, spread by the blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick. The lone star tick is linked to ehrlichiosis and alpha-gal syndrome, and the American dog tick can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Check yourself for ticks after time outdoors and remove any you find promptly. See our page on fleas and ticks.
• Mosquitoes. DNREC's Mosquito Control Section works statewide to reduce mosquitoes and the risk of mosquito-borne illness. In warmer months it treats mosquitoes coming from ditches, stormwater ponds and coastal salt marshes. Around your own home, emptying anything that holds standing water cuts down on backyard breeding. See our page on mosquitoes.
• Brown marmorated stink bugs. A University of Delaware Cooperative Extension entomologist says these stink bugs gather on houses, decks and garages from late August, when cooler nights send them looking for shelter. Insecticides give little help in keeping them out of the house. Sealing openings works best, so caulk around windows, repair screens, put screens over attic vents and replace rotten wood.

Who licenses pest control companies in Delaware

The Pesticides Section of the Delaware Department of Agriculture licenses pest control companies. Any business that applies pesticides to someone else's property for pay needs a pesticide business license. To qualify, the business needs at least one certified commercial applicator with practical experience, and employees who handle pesticides must be registered and trained. Read more on the department's pesticide business license page.

How to check a company before you hire

1. Ask for the company's Delaware pesticide business license and the name of its certified applicator. Call the Department of Agriculture's Pesticides Section to confirm them.
2. Ask what pest they found, what they plan to use and why. For ticks and mosquitoes, ask what they'll do besides spraying.
3. Get the treatment plan, the visit schedule and any guarantee in writing.
4. Read reviews from other Delaware customers. If you've used a company, you can write a review, and you can read how reviews work.