Pest control in New York

What to know about pest control in New York

New York homeowners deal with ticks in wooded areas, ants and termites in damp or damaged wood, and bed bugs indoors. Every business that applies pesticides for hire must register with the state and employ certified applicators, so you can check a company before it starts work.

Common pests in New York

State health officials and Cornell University's integrated pest management program point to a few pests that New Yorkers run into often.

• Blacklegged ticks. Also called deer ticks, they spread Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease in New York. The state health department says infected deer ticks can be found throughout the state. See fleas and ticks.
• Carpenter ants. Cornell calls them structural pests that nest in rotten or damaged wood. See ants.
• Subterranean termites. They build tubes of soil to travel between the ground and the wood they eat. Winged termites leaving the nest are often the first sign. See our termite page.
• Bed bugs. They feed on blood and leave itchy welts that can become infected from scratching. See bed bugs.

Who licenses pest control companies in New York

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulates pest control companies. Each business location that offers or provides pesticide applications for hire must register with the department, and the business must employ certified applicators or technicians to do the work. The department explains the rules on its pesticide business registration page. You can look up a business registration or an applicator's certification in the state pesticide database.

How to check a company before you hire

1. Ask for the company's business registration number and the certification number of the person who will treat your home. Look both up in the state pesticide database.
2. Ask which pest they found and what they saw that shows it.
3. Ask how they plan to treat it, and what you need to do before and after.
4. Get the treatment plan, the cost and any warranty in writing, including how follow-up visits work.
5. Read reviews from other customers. Compare the companies on this page, and write a review once the work is done. You can also see how reviews work.