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Pest control blog: page 18

Identification guides, what treatments cost, and what the public records say about pests and the companies that deal with them.

Articles

City pavement beside a kerb with a storm drain grate and wet fallen leaves after rainOriginal data

How Fast Does a City Respond to a Rat Complaint?

Chicago takes a median 3.7 days. New York appears to close same-day, but that records a referral rather than a visit, and 38.8 per cent are...

September 23, 2026Wide flat farmland horizon under warm hazy light in late autumn with bare trees along a field edgeOriginal data

The Pest Season Is Getting Longer: State Warming Since 1990

All 48 contiguous states are warmer than in the 1990s. Winter warmed most in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, the states with the shortest pest season.

September 23, 2026Pest control technician loading equipment into an unmarked service van on a suburban street at first lightOriginal data

Where Pest Control Pays Above the Local Average Wage

Pest control pays 75.5 per cent of the average private-sector wage. Only Utah and Mississippi match their local market, and the highest-paying states compete worst.

September 23, 2026Timber-framed house under construction on a concrete slab with pine trees behindTermites

The Termite Zone Map, and What the Code Actually Requires

Four zones, one real rule, and a local decision. Plus Formosan and drywood termites, which the map ignores, and a $5 billion figure nobody can trace.

September 21, 2026Coastal wetland with standing water, reeds and a boardwalk at dawnMosquitoes and ticks

Does Your Area Have a Mosquito Control District?

Around 2,000 public bodies do mosquito work, but dedicated districts outperform health departments by more than 25 to 1. What that means for your yard.

September 21, 2026Plain white pickup truck with an equipment canopy parked outside a suburban home in early lightOriginal data

What Pest Control Franchisors Disclose, and What It Leaves Out

Averages flatter every brand: Mosquito Squad's median territory grosses a third less than its average. What Item 19 and Item 20 actually show.

September 21, 2026Pest control technician wearing a respirator kneeling at a crawl space hatch beside a house foundationOriginal data

How Dangerous Is Pest Control Work? The Federal Data

Vehicle crashes injure pest control workers at 9.6 times the average rate and caused four of the seven deaths in 2024. The truck, not the chemicals.

September 21, 2026Small older apartment kitchen with worn cabinets, a radiator and a window onto a fire escapeCockroaches

Roaches and Mice in New York Apartments: The Violation Data

New York housing inspectors issued 35,278 roach and 27,273 mouse violations in 2025, nearly all immediately hazardous, with the Bronx far ahead.

September 21, 2026Empty commercial restaurant kitchen with stainless steel surfaces at the end of serviceOriginal data

Nearly Half of Inspected NYC Restaurants Had a Pest Violation

Of 26,983 New York food establishments inspected since 2024, 12,608 were cited for pests. The top violation is conditions, not any animal.

September 21, 2026New timber-framed houses under construction in a growing suburban developmentOriginal data

Where Pest Control Grew Since 2019, State by State

Employment up 19.2 per cent and pay up 24 per cent in five years, rising every single year. Utah nearly doubled; Maryland and Hawaii consolidated.

September 21, 2026Plain white service van parked on a green suburban street on a summer morningOriginal data

The Industry’s July: Pest Control Employment by Month

Pest control employment runs from 141,809 in January to 159,456 in July, and the swing ranges from 3 per cent in Hawaii to 36 per cent...

September 21, 2026Black rubbish bags piled against an iron railing on a wet city pavement at duskOriginal data

Rat Complaints in New York and Chicago: What 311 Shows

Chicago logged 44,181 rat complaints in 2025 and New York 31,312. Both cities peak in July, trough in December, and are down from earlier peaks.

September 21, 2026