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Signs of pest infestations vary by the type of pest. Here are a few signs to watch out for when it comes to some of the most common pests: 

• Ants: Stray ants walking around or large numbers congregating, wood shavings, ants emerging from hidden crevices, ant nests
• Rats or mice: Droppings, chewed objects and wires, scampering noises, holes in walls and floors
• Cockroaches: Cylindrical droppings, brown smear marks, live cockroaches
• Fleas: Small and dark spots on your pet’s skin, your pet starts scratching excessively, pepper-like “flea dirt” in bedding, carpet or furniture
• Bed bugs: Droppings in the seams of your mattress, rusty/reddish stains on bed sheets, bites on your skin 
• Termites: Mud tubes, wood-scented droppings, small holes in walls, peeling or bubbling paint, wood damage
• Bees or wasps: Excessive number of bees and wasps, dark patches on the walls or ceilings, and papery nests or hives under roof eaves, behind shutters, on balconies or in garden sheds

If you notice any of these signs in your house, contact the best exterminators near you. 

This depends on several factors, including:

• The type of pest
• The severity of the invasion
• Your home’s characteristics
• The quality of the pest control company’s work

In some cases, you might require pest control services three to four times a year. Or, you might need services monthly or every few months. 

Talk to the best exterminators near you to get an idea of what type of service you need — and how many times you’ll need follow-up treatments.

The best way to get rid of termites is to act fast. Termites are a problem that will only get worse — and no matter how much you want them to, they usually don’t magically move out on their own. There are three main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Drywood and dampwood termites sneak through cracks in your exterior paint, nail holes, and gaps near windows and other openings and begin to eat through your wood. Subterranean termites enter your house from the ground up by creating mud tunnels. In all cases, they survive by eating the wood of your house. The type of termites you have can steer the treatment plan.

Methods of termite extermination include fumigation, use of pesticides, and use of natural elements that are poisonous to the bugs. The extent of your termite infestation will help determine the treatment method. If you have drywood or dampwood termites that have infiltrated all aspects of the wood in your home, the pest control pro may recommend enclosing the whole house in a tent and gassing the termites via fumigation. If you have subterranean termites, often the entire footprint of the home must be treated by drilling liquid treatments into the slab or foundation of the home to exterminate the colonies. In any case, once you see signs of termites, it’s time to take action and call a pest pro.  

Cockroaches are not only ugly, they are difficult to get rid of. Quick and resilient, they can be hard to get rid of without professional help once they have inhabited a house. Nationally, the average range for cockroach pest control cost is $80-$130. Extermination professionals typically provide a free estimate to determine the extent of the infestation. They’ll check for the main sources of the bugs, identify bug access and entry points into your home, and determine the best method for elimination. There are a variety of cockroach extermination tools including gel baits and traps, pesticide foggers, desiccants (which dry out the cockroaches), neurotoxins, and other pesticides. Pest control costs can also cover preventive measures like regular spraying and trap maintenance. Some regions of the country are much more prone to cockroach problems than others, so pest control costs may need to be part of your quarterly budget. Cockroaches love dark, humid, and warm areas and water sources, so place traps near your washer and dryer and under your sinks.

You can get rid of fleas in your home by hiring an exterminator near you. This may involve treating your pet first, and you’ll want to talk to your veterinarian about the best flea control product for your animal.

Depending on the severity of the infestation, you might be able to do some damage control yourself. For example, experts recommend washing all bedding (including your pet’s) and vacuuming your cushion, furniture, rugs, carpets and floors thoroughly. 

Cockroaches may return to your home after they’ve been exterminated from a structure — but this depends on your situation.

For example, if you live in a shared housing unit and your neighbors have a cockroach problem, your unit may be susceptible to the pests as well. Or, if you have unsealed cracks and holes in your walls, cockroaches may enter that way.

To get rid of roaches for good, contact a roach exterminator near you to perform regular preventative treatments

There are several signs that can indicate you have bed bugs. The first is actually seeing the little pests skittering through your house. They tend to feed at night (generally where their hosts — people or sometimes animals — are sleeping), but can come out in the day if they’re hungry enough. Adult bed bugs are rusty red in color, as thin as a credit card and the size of an apple seed. Sometimes they can be mistaken for carpet beetles or small cockroaches, so if you’re confused you can use this helpful guide by the EPA for identification. Although they are harder to see, spotting the eggs themselves is a surefire sign. Another common symptom of having bed bugs is finding the exoskeletons of the nymphs near your bedding and other bed bug-friendly locations. The more exoskeletons you find, the larger the infestation likely is, because as they mate and proliferate more and more juveniles are born and cycle through moltings. Rust-colored spots — which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains are blood-filled fecal dropping that the bugs excrete on bedding and furniture — are another sign that bed bugs are living in your home. In addition, a sweet, musty odor can be an indicator of bed bugs.

Exterminator sprays and pesticides are generally toxic, and toxicity levels can vary by product. Therefore, it’s best to speak with the best pest control specialists near you to determine the safest way to get rid of your pest problem and reduce the risk of exposure. If a pesticide is needed, it’s likely safer to let the pro spray your home. 

Keep these tips in mind if exterminator spray will be used in your home: 

• Exterminator spray is not safe to swallow, inhale or touch. 
• Leave the house when the spray is being applied indoors.
• Ventilate your home by opening windows and doors upon return. 
• Keep pets and pet supplies away from the chemicals.

Termites are not only creepy-crawly, they can literally eat your house out from underneath you. Termites feed on damp and dry wood and can chomp through your house at an alarming rate. The national average pest control cost for termite extermination is $240-$400. Treatment costs can be higher for an extensive infestation. Here are some examples of average pest control costs for termites:

• Liquid treatment of subterranean termites: $3-$4 per linear foot.
• For $75 per year, a company may offer a maintenance plan that provides inspection of the property and renewal of the warranty.
• Liquid treatment of subterranean termites: approximately $400 for a 2,000-square-foot home at $3-$5 per linear foot.
• The price is higher for additional work such as foaming and drilling inside of concrete slabs.
• Fumigation treatment of drywood termites: $1,200-$1,500 for a 30,000- to 35,000-cubic-foot home
• Fumigation is measured in cubic feet because it fills the airspace of the home and infiltrates the wood that the termites may be colonizing. The cost of fumigation is affected by the number of levels in the home as well as the square footage.

It depends on the type of pest control service you require. Your exterminator can often tell you beforehand which products they’ll be using and where they’ll be applying it. 

If the pest control company will be applying toxic chemicals, limit your exposure, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. For example, consider leaving your house during application and ventilate your home thoroughly when you return. And always keep your pets and their supplies away from the applied pesticides. 

Talk to pest control companies near you for advice on what you should do while they’re treating your home for pests.