10 best pest control companies in Lake Charles, Louisiana

In Lake Charles, you may encounter pests such as mosquitos, cockroaches and snakes. DIY prevention techniques may improve your pest issue, but you may need to hire a pest control company for an existing infestation. Experienced pest experts in the Lake Charles area have the skills to inspect your home and treat your pest problem.

Pests that invade your property put your home and family in danger. Insects and small animals can pass on disease, damage the structure of your home and contaminate food.

A professional pest control company can reduce these risks. A technician will locate nesting areas, and create a treatment plan, using methods such as blocking holes, capturing pests or spraying pesticides. The right pest treatment can take care of your pest problem for the long haul.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Lake Charles

Look for pest control companies in Lake Charles with at least 3.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and a good rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB). Use the filters below to help you find the right company for your needs.

What are common pests in Lake Charles?

While pests are everywhere, not all of them infest the same locations. If you suspect you have an infestation, here are some signs of common pests in the Lake Charles area:

• Cockroaches: Cockroaches tend to be most active during nighttime and will flee when a light turns on. However, you may see them running across surfaces if you have a serious infestation. They often nest in kitchens, bathrooms and basements. Signs of cockroaches include egg casings, droppings that look like brown or black specks and brown stains on walls and floors. Cockroaches can also spread disease and worsen respiratory issues.
• Mosquitos: Standing water attracts mosquitoes, so living in damp climates or near bodies of water puts your property at a higher risk of infestation. Mosquitoes are active at night and signal their presence through a high-pitched buzzing noise. Bites might not be instantly noticeable, but later the spots will become red and itchy. Mosquitoes can also spread diseases such as West Nile, dengue fever and malaria.
• Snakes: Snakes become more active when the weather is warm, nesting in debris, wood, rock piles and overgrown grass. Seeing snake skins and snake eggs indicate an infestation. If you think you might have a snake, sprinkle flour in the suspected areas. If you see trails in the flour, contact a pest control professional for help removing the snake.
• Rats: If you find droppings about half an inch long or hear scurrying in your walls or ceiling, you may have a rat infestation. Rats also create entry points for themselves by chewing through walls, doors and food packaging.
• Bees: If you see more bees than usual inside or around your home, have dark stains on your walls or hear buzzing inside the walls, you may have a bee infestation. You might also notice an odd smell coming from your walls. This happens as bees die or honey seeps into the walls, causing the growth of mold. Bees can easily harm your family or your pets, as bee stings often provoke allergic reactions.
• Wasps: A surge of wasp activity, including frequent indoor appearances, may signal that there's a nest nearby. Wasp nests can be above ground, but they can also be underground, which you may not realize until you step on one. More hostile than bees, wasps readily swarm, so don't attempt to remove a wasp nest on your own. Contact a pest control professional to take care of a wasp nest as they have the tools to do so safely.
• Fleas: You may have a flea problem if your pet is constantly scratching itself, and you notice black dots on its skin. While they don’t live on human skin or hair, fleas do leap up to bite, particularly around your ankles. Fleas are also responsible for a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague.

How can you prevent pests in your Lake Charles home?

Fighting a pest infestation can be challenging, so preventative measures are the most effective strategy to prevent future problems. Though infestations often require expert intervention, you can take the following steps to keep pests away before they make their way into your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Bugs and small animals are disruptive and can cause extensive damage to your home and health if left unchecked. Consult with a pest control professional about taking proactive measures to keep pests from invading your home. They may recommend sealing gaps, setting traps or spraying the area with pesticides.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are typically looking for food, making food difficult to access will discourage them from sticking around. Food should be a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a modest distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep sinks, food storage areas and counters clean and disinfected when not in use, and dispose of food scraps and other trash consistently. Maintain the areas around your trash cans and dumpsters.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Tall grass, standing water, leaves and trash create ideal habitats for insects and small animals. Maintaining a debris-free yard and regularly mowing your grass and trimming foliage are among the easiest ways to prevent an infestation from taking hold. Should you need expert lawn care assistance, look into whether national lawn care companies such as TruGreen service your location.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off entrances will deter insects and small animals from coming inside. Rats, for example, can squeeze into holes as little as a half-inch in diameter. Don't neglect gaps in your roof or siding, and remember to seal up broken window frames. Some pest control services specialize in pest exclusion.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

To ensure you hire a pest control provider that's prepared to meet your specific needs, ask these questions.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pest control chemical use through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. In addition, restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors must be certified in accordance with EPA requirements and the laws of relevant states, territories and tribes.

Louisiana requires pest control applicators to be licensed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry. They must possess either a Ground Owner-Operator License or an Aerial Owner-Operator License with or without phenoxy endorsement.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

The treatment schedule a pest specialist recommends will depend on the treatment type, property location, infestation severity and pest type. Pest control services generally do not advocate for getting a single treatment to rid a home of pests, as insects are often at different points in their life cycle, and can lay eggs in areas that are hard to access.

Pest professionals generally advise continuous treatments, with some taking place only in the warmer months and others occurring year-round. Preventative measures may also be recommended to stop infestations before they begin.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

The time needed to treat your pest issue will vary based on the nature and severity of the infestation, along with the pest's life cycle. After the pest control specialist applies the initial treatment, you may see less pest activity. However, pests might reappear once they hatch, warranting extra treatments. Alternatively, you may notice more pest activity following the first treatment, as it can drive pests out of their hiding places. The good news is this should taper off within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You can stay in your home for some stages of the pest control treatment, such as when the professional is sealing up entry points. But if a pesticide is used, it may need hours to dry completely, and you'll have to vacate your home while it dries.

Some services take a particularly long time. During termite fumigation, the pest control company needs to erect a tent around your home for three days to apply the pesticide. You must stay elsewhere during that time.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A professional will understand the proper amount of a product to apply, the duration necessary for it to dry, and when it is safe for children and pets to come back to the treated area. Your pest control provider should let you know what items you must take out of the space such as food, plants and animals before beginning the treatment.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest control providers offer green solutions for addressing an infestation. This involves using products and techniques that don't impact the environment as much as traditional chemical approaches. Eco-friendly pest control methods may include sealing off areas where pests can gain access, using catch-and-release traps or applying pesticides made from natural sources.

What do I do if pests come back?

Most pest control providers offer guarantees and warranties should pests reappear before a specified date. Some companies may provide a single treatment, while others offer continuous service to address recurring pest issues. Discuss the available options with your service provider.

Our methodology for selecting pest control companies

The Homefront Local team employs a proprietary scoring algorithm that evaluates companies based on key factors you value, such as average customer review ratings and trustworthiness indicators. Our method for determining trust involves a comparative analysis of the number of reviews a company receives compared to its local competitors. This leads to companies that have earned more trust from your local community being awarded a higher score. We review national pest control companies against our full pest control methodology. We score pest control companies based on service options, safety and certifications, service guarantees and customer service.