Find a residential pest control professional near Santa Monica, CA

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.

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. 

The best way to get rid of ants is to hire an ant exterminator near you. The exterminator can also help you find the source of the problem that’s drawing ants into your home. 

After they’re done treating your home, you can invest in ant baits to keep infestations at bay. It’s also important to take preventative steps to avoid ants.

For example, always clean up crumbs and wipe down surfaces to eliminate potential food sources. Regularly take out the trash, fix leaky pipes, store your food in sealed containers and seal cracks near your kitchen cabinets. 

Here are more tips on how to get rid of ants (for good).

Monthly pest control service is only necessary for certain situations. For example, severe ant or cockroach infestations may require monthly pest control in order to destroy the infestations at the source. 

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 cost of bed bug extermination depends primarily on how widespread the pest infestation is and how many rooms need to be treated. Other factors that can affect bed bug extermination costs are the amount of clutter in the location, additional furniture that needs to be treated, and construction of the home. Pest management professionals often have rates for room treatments, which can vary based on these factors. As an example, a pest management company treating a 10-by-15-foot room with light infestation might charge clients about $250, while the same size room with a heavy infestation and large amounts of clutter might cost the clients $300-$400. Clutter and heavier bed bug populations mean more product and longer labor time for the workers. Rates will vary from company to company, and from region to region, but the national average bed bug extermination cost is $320-$400. Bed bug heat treatments are an alternative way to exterminate these pests. Heat treatments are typically charged per square foot and tend to cost more than chemical or non-chemical spray solutions. Although effective, they are not usually recommended for occupied spaces, as the extreme temperatures can damage televisions, window dressings and other home furnishings.

Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, but depending on where they are in their life cycle they can be hard to see. Adult bed bugs are the easiest to spot. According to the EPA, they are roughly the size of an apple seed and the height of a credit card. Adults are flat and oval-shaped, have six legs, and are rusty red in color. Bed bug larvae, also referred to as nymphs, are white-yellow or translucent in color and are much harder to spot due to their small size. The nymphs go through five stages of life, shedding an exoskeleton at each stage. Throughout these stages the nymphs grow in size from approximately 1.5 millimeters to approximately 4.5 millimeters. Bed bug eggs can be the most challenging to see as they are roughly 1 millimeter — about the size of a pinhead — and are white or clear. Bed bugs tend to be more active at night, as this is when they feed.

When you see signs of termites in your home, call a trusted pest control professional as soon as possible to handle the situation. Termites feed on wood, meaning they eat through the wood that makes up the frame, floors and other components of your house. Most people don’t know they have termites until they discover the damage done, because termites remain hidden underground or inside the wood they are eating. Keep on the lookout for these signs of termites:

• Water bubbles in your interior or exterior paint: If you poke at what look like paint bubbles and find termite droppings inside, it’s a sign of termite infestation.
• Frass: This is a fancy term for termite poop. Keep your eyes peeled for what look like six-sided salt and pepper droppings.
• Mud tubes: Subterranean termites move between their earth home and your house by building mud tunnels. Mud tubes under or along the side of your house or foundation are a sure sign of a termite infestation.  
• Wings or swarming near your home: As a new colony is looking for a home, they fly (swarm), then shed their wings and burrow into nearby wood.
• Softening of wood or hollowed-out wood: Termites don’t like paint, lacquer varnish or other wood finishes, so they’ll eat inside the wood and leave the exterior finish like a shell.