10 best pest control companies in Long Beach, New York

Common pests such as beatles, rats and bed bugs can regularly get into living spaces in Long Beach. DIY prevention techniques may improve your pest issue, but you may need to bring in a pest control company for an existing infestation. Licensed pest experts in Long Beach know how to correctly identify pests, apply suitable treatments and resolve your pest problem.

Pest infestations pose risks to your home and loved ones. Insects and small animals can contaminate your food, cause irreversible damage to the structure of your home and spread disease.

Hiring pest control professionals can substantially lower the damage from an infestation. A pest professional will spot infestations and treat them in a variety of ways, from sealing cracks and holes to using traps or chemicals. Once the right solution is applied, pests can be kept in check for the long haul.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Long Beach

Look for pest control companies in Long Beach 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 Long Beach?

Different pests infest different regions. The following pests are common in Long Beach, and these are some signs of an infestation:

• Snakes: Snakes are more active during warmer seasons, nesting among overgrown grass, rock piles, wood and debris. Shed snake skins and snake eggs point to infestations. To test if you have a snake infestation, sprinkle flour on the ground where you suspect they're nesting. If you see snake trails in the flour, you know it's time to contact a pest control company.
• Beetles: Numerous beetle species might enter your home and cause damage to your home and belongings. Carpet beetles can ruin bedding, furniture and carpets, and biscuit beetles infest dried goods, such as grains, rice, seeds, beans, spices and pasta. Though they aren't usually dangerous, some beetles can cause allergic reactions.
• Moths: Clothes moths and pantry moths commonly enter households as pests. Clothes moths chew wool and cotton, leaving trenches, silky furrows, tunnels and small tubes, which are larvae casings. Pantry moths make holes in plastic food packaging, leaving webbing in pantry corners and on or in dried goods. Moths are naturally attracted to light, ripe fruits and fermented sugar.
• Fleas: If your pet is always scratching itself, and has black specks on its skin, you might have a flea infestation. Although fleas do not inhabit human skin or hair, they jump up to bite, especially around the ankles. Fleas can spread various diseases, including bubonic plague.
• Mice: If you have mice in your house, you may see one scampering by or find droppings about the size of a grain of rice. Mice tend to gnaw on furniture and emit a distinctive musky smell. They make their nests from shredded fibers and other found materials. Mice like to nest in tight spaces, so you may hear them rustling in your walls or ceilings.

How can you prevent pests in your Long Beach home?

A full-blown infestation probably needs professional intervention. However, there are things you can do before pests become a problem to to keep them from nesting in your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Bugs and small animals can cause serious issues for your home and health when left unchecked. The best way to stop these infestations before they start is to work with a pest control service. They may recommend plugging holes, laying traps or spraying pesticides in key areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are commonly looking for food, making food difficult to access will keep them from infesting your home. Food should be a minimum of six inches off the floor and a small distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep food storage areas, counters and sinks 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, leaves, standing water and trash create ideal habitats for insects and small animals. Maintaining a debris-free yard and regularly cutting 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 cover your location.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off entry points will discourage insects and small animals from making their way indoors. Rats, for instance, can fit through openings as little as a half-inch wide. Be sure to address holes in your roof or siding and seal damaged window frames. Some pest control companies focus specifically on pest exclusion services and can help you with this task.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

To find a pest control service with the proper qualifications for your individual needs, ask the following questions during the hiring process.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of pest control chemicals. Moreover, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to hold certifications consistent with the agency's standards and the laws of the affected states, territories and tribes.

Pest control professionals servicing New York are required to have a Commercial Pesticide Applicator or Technician License in order to legally practice. These licenses are issued by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest expert's recommended treatment frequency will hinge on factors such as the pest type, property location, treatment type and infestation severity. Generally, pest control providers do not recommend only a single treatment, since insects are often at different phases of their life cycle, and may have laid eggs in difficult-to-reach places.

Pest pros typically suggest recurring treatments, some of which may only occur during the warmer months, while others are year-round. They may also suggest bimonthly or quarterly preventative treatments to stop an infestation before it starts.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

The time needed to resolve your pest issue will vary based on the type and extent 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 see more pests following the first treatment, as it can force pests out of their hiding places. The good news is this should subside within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You can stay in your home during certain portions of the pest control process, such as when holes and cracks are being sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take several hours to dry, and you'll need to stay out of your home during this period.

Some pest control services can be particularly lengthy. During termite fumigation, the pest control professional must set up a tent around your home for three days to apply the pesticide. Throughout this timeframe, you'll have to stay elsewhere.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A service professional will know how much of a particular product to use, how long it takes to dry and when children and pets can safely return to the area that's been treated. Before applying any treatment, they should educate you on what you must remove from the affected space, such as food, animals and plants.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest control companies provide eco-friendly methods for addressing infestations. This means they use methods with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Examples include sealing areas where pests can enter, trapping rodents or using pesticides made from organic materials.

What do I do if pests come back?

Many pest control services have guarantees and warranties in place to protect you if pests return before a predetermined date. These companies may offer a one-time treatment or ongoing treatment to tackle a stubborn pest problem. Be sure to discuss the available options with your 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.