10 best pest control companies in St. Petersburg, Florida

In St. Petersburg, you can face pests such as termites, bees and ants. While you can consider DIY removal and prevention methods, an active infestation often requires the help of a pest control expert. These licensed pest specialists in St. Petersburg can diagnose the problem and resolve it effectively.

A pest infestation can lead to structural damage and pose health risks to you and your family, including your pets. Insects and small animals can cause irreversible structural damage to your home, contaminate your food supplies and spread disease.

Hiring pest control professionals can substantially lower the damage from an infestation. A technician will identify nesting areas, and create an extermination plan, using methods such as blocking holes, capturing pests or spraying chemicals. With the right solution in place, your pest problem can be resolved for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in St. Petersburg

Look for pest control companies in St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg?

While pests are all over, the hot spots for different species vary. Here are some indications of common pests in the St. Petersburg area.

• Snakes: Snakes are more active during warmer seasons, nesting in wood, rock piles, overgrown grass 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.
• 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 feces resembling clusters of black dots by drains, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Bees: Indications of a bee infestation include seeing more bees than usual, finding dark smears on your walls and hearing the sound of buzzing or humming inside your walls. An odd odor may also come from your walls. This happens when mold and fungi grow inside due to bees dying or honey seeping into the walls. Bees can also harm your family and pets, given their stings can provoke allergic reactions.
• Termites: Termites eat and nest in wood. You may have a termite infestation if you have areas in your walls that sound hollow when you tap on them, or if you see droppings, mud tubes, termite swarms or cracked or bubbling paint.
• Bed bugs: Bed bugs are reddish-brown, flat, wingless insects about the size of apple seeds. Found in apartment complexes and hotels, they can hitch a ride on belongings, such as backpacks, used furniture, purses and clothing. They hide in your bed and in small cracks and crevices during the day then come out at night. When you have an infestation, you may spot the insects or find blood smears on your bed or other furniture.
• Ants: Your home could be infested with various ant types. Carpenter ants nest in wood, while fire ants like oily food scraps. Both bite, unlike pavement ants, which also commonly get into homes. Ant trails inside your home signal larger infestations are nearby.
• Mice: If you have mice in your house, you may see one running out of the corner of your eye or find droppings about the size of a grain of rice. Mice tend to chew on furniture and emit a musky odor. They make their nests from found materials and shredded fiber. 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 St. Petersburg home?

While an infestation will usually require professional extermination, the best way to prevent pest infestations is to implement preventative measures.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, bugs and small animals can significantly impact your home and well-being. Discuss preventive options with a pest control service to stop infestations before they start. Experts may suggest that you set traps, seal access points or apply pesticides in specific areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

Pests mainly seek food, so making food hard to reach will keep them on their way. Keep food a minimum of six inches off the floor and a bit away from the walls. Always ensure sinks, counters and food storage areas stay clean and sanitized between uses. Get rid of food scraps and other trash regularly, and keep your trash cans and dumpster areas neat.

Keep up with yard maintenance

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

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off entry points into your home will help prevent insects and small animals from entering. Rats, for example, can wriggle into holes just half an inch in diameter. Repair gaps in your roof or siding, and remember to seal broken window frames. Some pest control providers offer specialized pest exclusion services to keep critters out.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

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

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates 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 following the agency and state, territorial and tribal laws.

Florida requires pest control technicians to be licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Private, Public or Commercial Applicator Licenses are all available through this office.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

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

Pest specialists often suggest recurring treatments, some of which may be only done in the warmer months, while others last across all seasons. As a proactive measure, they might also recommend preventive treatments every two or three months to stop infestations from developing.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

The time needed to get rid of your pest problem 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 further treatments. Alternatively, you may notice more activity following the first treatment, as it can force 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 remain in your home for some parts of the pest control treatment, such as sealing entry points. If your service professional uses a pesticide, it may take a few hours before it's dry, during which time you'll need to be out of the house.

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 stay in a hotel or other accommodations.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A skilled service technician has the knowledge to determine the appropriate amount of product to apply, the drying time required and when it is all right for children and pets to re-enter the treated space. Before administering any treatment, they should instruct you on which items such as plants, animals and food must be removed from the area.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest treatment companies offer green solutions for managing infestations. This means they use products 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 companies provide guarantees and warranties in the event that pests reappear before a specific date. To resolve a returning pest issue, specialists may offer a one-time treatment or ongoing treatments. Consult with your service provider to learn about the packages they offer.

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.