10 Best Pest Control Companies in Barstow, CA (2024) - USA Today (2024)

In Barstow, you might come across pests such as moths, co*ckroaches and ants. Implementing preventative measures yourself can help you stop pest issues, but calling a pest control company is advisable if you notice an existing infestation. Skilled pest control professionals in the Barstow area have the expertise to inspect your home and treat your pest problem.

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

Hiring pest control experts can significantly minimize the damage from an infestation. These specialists identify infestation hot spots and create personalized treatment plans that could include sealing gaps, using traps or spraying chemicals. Once the right solution is applied, pests can be kept at bay for the long haul.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Barstow

Look for pest control companies in Barstow 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 Barstow?

While pests are all over, not all of them invade the same places. Here are some indications of common pests in the Barstow area.

• Moths: Clothes moths and pantry moths are often seen as household pests. Clothes moths eat wool and cotton, leaving tunnels, trenches, silky furrows and small tubes, which are larvae casings. Pantry moths puncture plastic food packaging, leaving a web-like residue in pantry corners and on or in dried goods. Moths are naturally attracted to light, ripe fruits and fermented sugar.
• co*ckroaches: co*ckroaches are active at night and tend to scatter when you turn on a light. Still, you may catch a co*ckroach or two on the run if you have an infestation. Their nests tend to be around basem*nts, kitchens and bathrooms. co*ckroaches often leave brown smudges on walls and floors, and droppings that look like small black specks around your home. co*ckroaches can spread disease through contamination and worsen respiratory problems.
• Beetles: Multiple beetle species can infest homes and damage your home and belongings. Carpet beetles can destroy carpets, upholstered furniture and bedding, while biscuit beetles get into beans, seeds, spices, pasta and rice. Beetles are usually harmless as they don't bite or spread disease, but they can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
• Flies: Everyone sees the occasional fly buzzing around their home during the summer months, but if you see more than usual, there’s a good chance you have an infestation. Flies leave feces that look like clusters of black dots and often appear near sink drains, high shelves and around trash. Another sign of an infestation is the presence of maggots, which are fly larvae, in waste.
• Mosquitos: If you live in a wet climate or have large bodies of water nearby, you're at a higher risk for a mosquito infestation. Mosquitoes are drawn to standing water and become more active at night. As the sun sets, you'll hear a high-pitched buzzing noise that notifies you of their presence. Bites may go unnoticed initially, but later on you'll find red, irritated spots. Mosquitoes can carry a variety of diseases including malaria, dengue fever and West Nile.
• Bees: Indications of a bee infestation include seeing more bees than usual, hearing the sound of buzzing or humming inside your walls and finding dark smears on your walls. 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 provoke allergic reactions.

How can you prevent pests in your Barstow home?

Getting rid of pests isn’t easy, but a good defense is always the best offense. While an infestation probably requires professional help, there are steps you can take on your own to mitigate the risk of pests.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, insects and vermin can significantly impact your home and well-being. Discuss preventive options with a pest control professional 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

Pests mainly seek food, so making food hard to reach will keep them on their way. Keep food a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a bit away from the walls. Always ensure food storage areas, sinks and counters 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

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 simplest ways to prevent an infestation from taking hold. Should you need expert lawn care assistance, check whether national lawn care companies such as TruGreen operate in your location.

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 cracks in your roof or siding, and remember to seal broken window frames. Some pest control providers offer specialized pest prevention services to keep critters out.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

Ask the following questions to make sure you get a pest control provider that can meet your specific needs.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors 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.

A Qualified Applicator License or Applicator Certificate issued by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation is required for pest control technicians to practice in California.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest control specialist will create 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 different stages of their life cycles and may have laid eggs in hard-to-find areas.

Pest pros typically suggest recurring treatments, some of which may only occur during the warmer months, while others are done throughout the year. 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 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 further treatments. Alternatively, you may see more pest activity 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 remain in your home for some parts of the pest control treatment, such as sealing holes and cracks. 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.

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 release 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 environmentally friendly methods for managing an infestation. This involves using methods that don't impact the environment as much as traditional chemical approaches. Some examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing up gaps for pests, setting catch-and-release traps for rodents, and using pesticides derived from organic ingredients.

What do I do if pests come back?

Many pest control services have guarantees and warranties in place if pests return before a certain date. Companies may offer a single treatment or continuous services to resolve a stubborn pest problem. Ask your service provider what options 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.