10 best pest control companies in Shelton, Connecticut

In Shelton, bees, flies and mice are a regular cause of issues. 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 the Shelton area have the expertise to inspect your home, apply the right treatments and resolve your pest problems.

Letting a pest issue go untreated can introduce a variety of risks to you, your family members and your pets. Insects and small animals can contaminate your food, cause long-term damage to the structure of your home and spread disease.

Hiring a professional pest control company can decrease these risks. These specialists identify infestation hot spots and create personalized treatment plans that may include plugging gaps, using traps or applying pesticides. When the proper fixes are put in place, you can get rid of infestations for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Shelton

Look for pest control companies in Shelton 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 Shelton?

While pests are everywhere, the hot spots for different species vary. The following pests are common in the Shelton area, and these are some signs of an infestation:

• Bees: Signs of a bee infestation include hearing the sound of buzzing or humming inside your walls, finding dark smears on your walls and seeing more bees than usual. An odd odor may also come from your walls. This happens when mold and fungi grow inside due to honey seeping into the walls or bees dying. Bees can also harm your family and pets, as their stings can cause allergic reactions.
• Flies: It's common to see a few flies inside your home during the summer, but an excessive number likely signals an infestation. Flies leave droppings resembling clusters of black dots by sinks, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Rats: Signs of rats include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing scurrying in your walls or ceiling. Rats can chew through food packaging, doors and walls to create access points for themselves.
• Moths: Clothes moths and pantry moths are often seen as household pests. Clothes moths chew wool and cotton, leaving trenches, tunnels, silky furrows and small tubes, which are larvae casings. Pantry moths breach plastic food packaging, leaving a web-like residue in pantry corners and on or in dried goods. Moths are naturally attracted to ripe fruits, fermented sugar and light.
• Snakes: Snakes are more active during the warmer months and make homes in areas withovergrown grass, rock piles, wood and debris. Signs of a snake infestation include the appearance of snake skins and snake eggs. You can test for a snake infestation by laying down some flour where you think a snake lives. If you see trail marks in the flour, call a pest control professional right away.
• Ticks: While ticks usually stay close to the ground outside, they can attach to your pets, shoes and clothes and enter your home. Female ticks will then lay eggs in carpet fibers, on curtains or in upholstery once inside your home. They may also nest in the lining or pockets of clothing, in corners and along baseboards.
• Spiders: Seeing more spiderwebs and spiders than usual is the strongest indicator of spider infestations. Additional clues include visible egg sacs and a significant number of other insects for the spiders to feed on. While spiders found in homes are generally harmless, brown recluses and black widows deliver venemous bites that require medical attention.

How can you prevent pests in your Shelton home?

A full-blown infestation probably needs professional intervention. However, there are precautions you can take before pests become a problem to prevent them from getting a foothold in your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, pests can significantly harm your home and well-being. Discuss preventive options with a pest control company to stop infestations before they start. Experts may suggest that you set traps, seal cracks or apply pesticides in specific areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

Because pests usually seek out food sources, limiting their food access will stop them from invading your home. Place food at least half a foot above floor level and slightly away from walls. Be sure to keep sinks, food storage areas and counters clean and disinfected when not in use. Dispose of food scraps and other garbage often, and keep the areas around trash cans and dumpsters clean.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in standing water, tall grass, trash and leaves. Keeping your yard clear of debris and your lawn and foliage well-maintained is one of the simplest ways to stop an infestation before it starts. If professional lawn maintenance is needed, find out if national lawn care services such as TruGreen are available in your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off small entry points will help keep insects and small animals from infiltrating your home. Rats can maneuver through holes as little as half-inch in diameter. Inspect your roof and siding for holes, and be sure to seal off damaged window frames. Some pest control companies specialize in keeping pests out of your home.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

When selecting a pest control provider, ask the following questions to verify they have the skills to handle your unique situation.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees the use of pest control chemicals under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Additionally, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to have certification compliant with the agency and state, territorial and tribal laws.

Pest control technicians in Connecticut must pass an exam to get a Supervisory, Operational or Private Applicator License issued by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environment.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest control specialist will make a treatment schedule based on the type of treatment, location of your property, severity of the infestation and type of pest. Pest control professionals typically discourage a single-treatment approach, as insects are often at various stages of their life cycles and may have laid eggs in hidden spots.

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 it will take for your pest problem to go away depends on the nature and severity of the infestation as well as the pest's life cycle. After your home's initial treatment, you might see a decline in activity, but pests may reemerge after hatching, requiring further treatments. Conversely, you could see a surge in activity following the first treatment, as it can force pests from their hiding spots. Fortunately, this should subside within a matter of days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You should be able to remain in your home for certain portions of the pest control treatment, such as sealing entry points. Should your service provider use a pesticide, you'll most likely need to leave your home while you wait for the pesticide to dry. This can typically take a few hours.

Certain treatments can be especially time-consuming like termite fumigation. The pest control provider erects a tent around your home, which is left in place for three days to apply the pesticide. During this period, you'll need to find another place to stay.

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 re-enter 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 animals, plants and food.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

A number of pest control providers offer environmentally friendly methods for addressing infestations. This means they use methods with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Some examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing entry points for pests, setting catch-and-release traps for rodents, and using pesticides derived 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 one-time solution, while others offer ongoing treatments to address recurring pest issues. Discuss the options available 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.