Free for homeowners
Pest control in Pennsylvania
What are the most common pests in this state, and who handles them?
Pest control in Pennsylvania is led by ticks: all 67 counties report Lyme disease, 16,671 cases in 2023 per the CDC. Brown marmorated stink bugs overwinter in walls and attics, termites press hardest in the southeast, and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh row housing carries rats and roaches. PestChief matches Pennsylvania homeowners with one independent local pest control company.
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?
- High blacklegged tick pressure and Lyme disease incidence statewide
- Brown marmorated stink bugs overwintering in walls and attics
- Eastern subterranean termites, heavier in the southeast
- Norway rat and German cockroach pressure in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh row housing
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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Ticks lead Pennsylvania's pest problems, with stink bugs, termites and row-house rodents behind them. The documented pressures:
- Blacklegged ticks statewide: all 67 counties report Lyme disease, 16,671 cases in 2023 (CDC)
- Brown marmorated stink bugs overwintering in walls and attics
- Eastern subterranean termites, heavier in the southeast
- Norway rat and German cockroach pressure in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh row housing
When is pest season in Pennsylvania?
Pest season in Pennsylvania runs on two cycles, ticks outdoors from spring to fall and stink bugs moving in and out of wall voids.
Spring: Nymphal ticks emerge; stink bugs exit wall voids; termites swarm. Summer: Peak blacklegged tick and mosquito pressure; yellowjacket colonies build. Fall: Stink bugs and rodents move indoors in large numbers. Winter: Indoor rodent and roach work; stink bugs stir in heated wall voids.
Why are ticks such a problem in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania reports Lyme disease in all 67 of its counties, with 16,671 cases in 2023 according to the CDC. Blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria, and the nymphal ticks that emerge in spring are small enough to miss. A tick bite cannot tell you on its own whether disease was transmitted; if a rash or fever follows a bite, see a medical professional.
Who licenses pest control companies in Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture certifies pesticide applicators and regulates commercial structural pest control through its Pesticide Programs. Ask to see a company's Pennsylvania certification before work starts and check that it covers the pest you have.
How much does pest control cost in Pennsylvania?
Single visits average about $171 nationally (This Old House); published estimates run $300 to $550 (HomeAdvisor) for a one time treatment program and $300 to $900 (HomeGuide) a year on a recurring plan. These are not PestChief quotes. Tick yard treatments and fall stink bug exclusion are common seasonal jobs in Pennsylvania, and the company that inspects your home sets the actual price.
Does PestChief cover Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania coverage includes Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. A covered state does not mean every address in it is covered: coverage runs ZIP code by ZIP code and company by company, so enter your ZIP code in the locations finder to check your own address. PestChief passes your request to one independent local pest control company that covers your ZIP code and handles your 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
- CDC, Ticks
- US EPA, Integrated Pest Management principles
- UC Statewide IPM Program, Home and Landscape pests
- Penn State Extension
- MSU Extension: Fall house-invading insects
- Penn State Extension: Brown marmorated stink bug
Pricing
National estimates from published industry sources. Not PestChief quotes.
Licensing
Licensing is administered by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
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.