Free for homeowners
Pest control in New York
What are the most common pests in this state, and who handles them?
Pest control in New York is two different jobs. Norway rats and bed bugs dominate New York City, while blacklegged ticks hold Long Island and the Hudson Valley and carpenter ants follow upstate moisture damage. PestChief's matching sends a New York homeowner's request to one local company that covers the ZIP code.
Where can you read about each pest?
Pest pressure here is shaped by climate, geography and housing stock, so it varies across the state. The notable issues for this state are set out on this page. For how each pest is identified, what the signs look like and what treatment usually involves, read the pest guides.
What is the climate like here?
Climate is the biggest single driver of which pests live here and how long their season runs.
Which pest issues stand out here?
- Norway rat pressure in New York City, tied to construction, refuse and subway infrastructure
- Bed bug work across dense multi-unit housing in all five boroughs
- High blacklegged tick density on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley
- Carpenter ants in older upstate housing with moisture damage
Which pests are active in each season?
Activity shifts through the year, so the pest worth treating in March is rarely the one worth treating in August.
Which pests are active in spring?
Which pests are active in summer?
Which pests are active in fall?
Which pests are active in winter?
How does pest pressure vary by region?
Pest pressure is not uniform across a state. Elevation, humidity, soil and the age of the housing stock all change which pests appear and when.
Which regions of the state face which pests?
When do termites swarm in each region?
Is your ZIP code in New York covered?
PestChief is free to the homeowner. Coverage is checked ZIP code by ZIP code, not state by state. Give your ZIP code and the pest you are seeing, and if an independent local pest control company covers that ZIP code and handles that pest, your request goes to that one company, and it contacts you directly.
What licensing should you ask a company for?
Licensing is the one check a homeowner can make before any work starts. Every state requires a pest control company to hold a license, and most require a separate certification for specialty work such as termite treatment. Ask for the license number, confirm it covers the pest you have, and check it with the state agency that issues it.
What does this state require of a licensed company?
What else should you know about this state?
A few state specific details that change how pest control works here, and what they mean for a homeowner.
Which metro areas are covered?
Coverage varies inside a state, not only between states. A company that covers one metro area may not cover a rural ZIP code two counties away, and the pests it is licensed to treat can differ as well. The metro areas listed here are where PestChief most often has a company to introduce you to. If your city is not listed, a ZIP code check is still worth doing.
What do homeowners ask most?
What pests are most common in New York?
New York's top categories are ants, spiders, wasps and hornets, rodents, bed bugs and wildlife removal, and they split sharply between the city and everywhere else:
- Norway rat pressure in New York City, tied to construction, refuse and subway infrastructure
- Bed bug work across dense multi-unit housing in all five boroughs
- High blacklegged tick density on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley
- Carpenter ants in older upstate housing with moisture damage
When is pest season in New York?
Pest season in New York peaks outdoors in summer and indoors in winter, because heated buildings keep rodents, roaches and bed bugs going.
Spring: Ticks emerge; carpenter ants and termite swarms appear downstate. Summer: Peak tick and mosquito pressure; roach activity climbs in heat. Fall: Heavy rodent entry statewide; overwintering insects move in. Winter: Heated buildings keep rodent, roach and bed bug work going all winter.
Who licenses pest control companies in New York?
In New York, pesticide applicators are certified by the State Department of Environmental Conservation, which regulates commercial structural pest control. Ask for the applicator's New York DEC certification before any treatment.
How much does pest control cost in New York?
Published national estimates: a single visit averages about $171 (This Old House national average), a one time treatment program costs $300 to $550 (HomeAdvisor), and recurring service runs $300 to $900 (HomeGuide) per year. New York City bed bug and rat work is quoted by the company that inspects the building; none of these figures are PestChief quotes.
Are bed bugs still a problem in New York City?
Yes. Bed bug work runs across dense multi-unit housing in all five boroughs of New York City, and it continues year round because heated buildings never give the insects an off season. It sits alongside the city's Norway rat pressure, which is tied to construction, refuse and subway infrastructure.
Does PestChief cover New York?
New York coverage takes in the New York City metro and Buffalo. Whether your block qualifies comes down to the ZIP code, since each independent company works its own territory; the locations finder checks it. PestChief routes a matched request to one local pest control company covering that ZIP code and pest, and that company contacts you directly. If no company covers your ZIP code, PestChief tells you so.
Where does this information come from?
Seasonality and pest biology
- US EPA, Integrated Pest Management principles
- UC Statewide IPM Program, Home and Landscape pests
- Penn State Extension
- CDC, Rodents
- US EPA, Rodenticides
Pricing
National estimates from published industry sources. Not PestChief quotes.
Licensing
Licensing is administered by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Ready to get this handled?
It costs the homeowner nothing. Coverage is checked ZIP code by ZIP code. Give your ZIP code and the pest you are seeing, and if an independent local pest control company covers that ZIP code and handles that pest, your request goes to that one company. It contacts you directly, and it sets its own price.
What should you check before you hire?
Every state we cover
Browse the full list of states and metro areas, and check whether your area is covered.
Pests, one by one
Identification, signs of an infestation and what to do first, for each pest we cover.
What pest control costs
National ranges by treatment type, with the basis for each figure stated plainly.
Season by season
Which pests get active when, and the months worth acting in before a problem grows.
Learn the basics
Plain explanations of treatments, prevention and the questions worth asking a company.
How PestChief works
We match a homeowner with one independent local pest control company. Here is what happens.