Waukee · Des Moines · 38 Iowa towns
Iowa pest help, from Waukee and Des Moines to Sioux City and the Quad Cities
Plain-English pest help for Iowa homes, starting in Waukee and the Des Moines metro. Practical, sourced guides from Iowa State University Extension, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the EPA and the CDC — plus honest advice on when to call a licensed pro.
Latest guides
- AntsCarpenter Ants in Iowa Homes: Signs, Nests and FixesBig black ants in your Johnston home? How to spot carpenter ants, find the nest, fix the moisture behind them, and know when to call a licensed Iowa pro.
- Cluster fliesCluster Flies in Iowa Attics and HomesBig, slow black flies on your Ankeny windowsills? Why cluster flies winter in Iowa attics, how to keep them out, and what to do once they're inside.
- Emerald ash borerEmerald Ash Borer in Iowa: All 99 Counties and What Ash Owners Can DoEAB is now confirmed in all 99 Iowa counties. How to spot it in your ash tree, when treatment can still help and when to call a licensed pro.
- Stink bugsBrown Marmorated Stink Bugs in Iowa HomesShield-shaped bugs in your Urbandale home this fall? How to spot brown marmorated stink bugs, seal them out and clear them out without the smell.
- Asian lady beetlesAsian Lady Beetles in Iowa HomesOrange beetles swarming your Clive siding? How to tell Asian lady beetles apart, keep them out this fall, and clear them out safely once inside.
- AntsAnt Exterminator Near Waukee: What to Expect and How to Choose a ProHiring an ant exterminator in Waukee? How Iowa pesticide licensing works, how to verify a pro, questions to ask, and what a good visit looks like.
- AntsHow to Get Rid of Ants in IowaAnts in your Iowa kitchen? Identify the 8 common house ants, find the nest, use baits the right way, and know when to call a licensed Iowa pro.
- Bed bugsBed Bug Signs and What to Do in the Des Moines MetroThink you have bed bugs in Des Moines, Waukee or West Des Moines? Learn the real signs, rule out bat bugs, what renters should do, and when to call a pro.
- Boxelder bugsBoxelder Bugs in Iowa HomesBoxelder bugs on your West Des Moines siding? Why they come in each fall, how to keep them out, and what actually works once they're inside.
Common Iowa pests: quick ID
Not sure what you’re looking at? Start here. For a firm ID, the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic accepts mailed-in samples.
Ants
Odorous house ants are about 1/8 inch; carpenter ants are 1/2 to 3/4 inch and nest in moist or decayed wood.9
Read our guide →Bed bugs
Look for live bugs in mattress seams, small dark spots on sheets, and shed skins.10
Read our guide →Wasps & yellowjackets
Yellowjackets are about 1/2 inch, shiny yellow and black, and nest in the ground or inside walls.2
Read our guide →Mice
Droppings along walls and under sinks, chewed packaging and shredded nests are the usual signs.6
Read our guide →Boxelder bugs
Black-and-red bugs that gather on sunny south walls in fall. ISU calls them harmless but a nuisance.7
Read our guide →Asian lady beetles
About 1/3 inch, dome-shaped, orange to red, with variable black spots and a black “W” mark on the thorax.8
Read our guide →Stink bugs
Brown marmorated stink bugs are shield-shaped, about 5/8 inch and mottled brownish-gray. Adults overwinter in houses.11
Read our guide →Termites
ISU advises inspections, written estimates and references from at least three IDALS-licensed companies.12
Guide coming soon. ISU page →Ticks
Iowa ticks include the American dog tick, the blacklegged (deer) tick and the lone star tick.3
Guide coming soon. ISU page →Mosquitoes
ISU's lab has run Iowa's mosquito surveillance program for about 50 years. Current data is on its Iowa Mosquito Surveillance site.4
Guide coming soon. ISU page →Spiders
ISU says brown recluse spiders are rare in Iowa and absent from the north, though they might turn up in the south.13
Guide coming soon. ISU page →
Pests by season in Iowa
What Iowa State University Extension says to expect through the year. Numbers link to the sources below.
Spring
- Ant mounds. Soil-nesting ants are especially busy in wet spring weather. Raking or hosing mounds flat is usually enough.1 Guide →
- Yellowjacket queens. Each colony starts with a single queen in spring, so nests are small and easy to miss.2 Guide →
- Ticks. ISU says Iowa ticks are most abundant in spring and summer. Its lab identifies mailed-in ticks for free.3
Summer
- Yellowjacket nests peak. Colonies grow all summer and peak around Iowa State Fair time, with up to about 5,000 wasps.2 Guide →
- Ticks. Still in their most abundant season. ISU says to see a doctor if a fever or rash develops within days after removing a tick.3
- Mosquito watch. ISU's lab tracks mosquito numbers and West Nile virus with Iowa HHS and the State Hygienic Lab.4
Fall
- Accidental invaders. Boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles and stink bugs look for winter shelter. Lady beetle flights usually run mid-September through October. Seal gaps first.5 Guide →
- Mice move in. Native deer mice and white-footed mice move into homes in fall looking for winter shelter.6 Guide →
- Barrier timing. ISU says outdoor barrier treatments for boxelder bugs only help if applied before they move in: September to mid-October.7 Guide →
Winter
- Bugs on the windowsill. Boxelder bugs that got into walls in fall can warm up and crawl into rooms during winter. They did not breed indoors.7 Guide →
- Lady beetles indoors. ISU says repeated vacuuming is the most practical control for lady beetles emerging from walls in winter.8
- House mice. Unlike native mice, the house mouse can live in your home year-round.6 Guide →
Find your town
We started in Waukee and the Des Moines metro and now cover 38 Iowa towns. Each page has the county Extension office, local emerald ash borer history and how to check a license.
How to choose a pest control company
Ask about insurance, guarantees and track record
EPA's checklist: ask for proof of insurance, what the guarantee covers and what you must do to keep it, and check references rather than relying on the salesperson.16
Why trust this guide
Sourced, not guessed
Facts come from Iowa State University Extension, IDALS, Iowa HHS, the EPA and the CDC. Every page lists its sources with the date we checked them.
Listings checked on each company’s own site
A company is listed only if its own working website names an Iowa location and the towns it serves. We skip lead-generation and template sites.
License status shown, not assumed
We search every company in the IDALS lookup and show the result: Licensed License unknown No license record. A company saying it’s licensed isn’t enough.
No paid placement
Nobody pays to be listed or ranked. No made-up reviews, prices or ratings. Companies can ask for a correction or removal any time.
77 companies checked69 with an IDALS license record found38 Iowa towns11 pest guides
Counts come straight from our listings data. See our listing criteria.
Pest control companies that serve Waukee
Aptive Pest Control (Ankeny branch)
LicensedAnkeny
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Newton, Indianola, Pella
IDALS company license record found (10085-001), checked 2026-10-21.
Bobcat Wildlife & Pest Management
LicensedAdel
Towns named on its site: Adel, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Waukee, West Des Moines
IDALS company license record found (08168-000), checked 2026-10-21.
Critter Control of Des Moines
LicensedDes Moines
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, Grimes, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines
IDALS company license record found (04956-001), checked 2026-10-21.
Des Moines Pest Control
LicensedUrbandale
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines
IDALS company license record found (01467-000), checked 2026-10-21.
Hawkeye Exterminators
LicensedWest Des Moines
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Newton, Indianola, Pella
IDALS company license record found (01752-000), checked 2026-10-21.
Janssen Pest Solutions
LicensedUrbandale
Towns named on its site: Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Indianola
IDALS company license record found (02390-000), checked 2026-10-21.
Midwest Pest Control (Ankeny)
LicensedAnkeny
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Indianola, Newton
IDALS company license record found (11523-001), checked 2026-10-21.
Miller Pest Solutions (Clive office)
License unknownClive
Towns named on its site: Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, Council Bluffs, Indianola
License not confirmed by us (checked 2026-10-21).
Orkin (Urbandale branch)
LicensedUrbandale
Towns named on its site: Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Ottumwa, Marshalltown, Newton, Indianola, Pella, Oskaloosa
IDALS company license record found (02000-000), checked 2026-10-22.
Pest Control Techs LLC
LicensedAlbia
Towns named on its site: Des Moines, Ottumwa, Ankeny, West Des Moines, Pella, Oskaloosa, Indianola, Urbandale, Clive, Johnston, Waukee, Altoona, Grimes, Adel, Newton
IDALS company license record found (11271-001), checked 2026-10-22.
Polk County Wildlife & Pest Control
No license recordDes Moines area
Towns named on its site: Des Moines, Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Clive, Waukee, West Des Moines, Altoona
No matching IDALS license record found by name (checked 2026-10-21).
Spidexx Pest Control (Des Moines)
LicensedDes Moines
Towns named on its site: Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Waukee, Johnston
IDALS company license record found (08841-001), checked 2026-10-21.
Springer Professional Home Services
LicensedDes Moines
Towns named on its site: Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, Newton, Oskaloosa, Marshalltown, Indianola, Grimes, Waukee, Altoona, Fort Dodge, Ottumwa
IDALS company license record found (02848-000), checked 2026-10-22.
Yardline Pest Control
LicensedCentral Iowa
Towns named on its site: Ankeny, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines
IDALS company license record found (11205-001), checked 2026-10-21.
See all 77 listed companies by town →
Listings are informational, not endorsements or rankings, and no company paid to be listed. Details come from each company’s own website. Always verify an Iowa pesticide license with IDALS before hiring. Companies can request a correction or removal.
Is your business missing or wrong? Contact us with your website and the towns you serve.
Sources for this page
- How to Manage Ant Mounds in Lawns, Gardens, and Pastures - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Yellowjacket Wasp - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Tick Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (checked 2026-10-21)
- Mosquito Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (checked 2026-10-21)
- It is Accidental Invader Season Again - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Mice: Damage Management - ISU Extension and Outreach (Natural Resources) (checked 2026-10-21)
- Boxelder Bug - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Ladybug - Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Ants in Iowa, Common (identification guide) - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Frequently Asked Questions about Bed Bugs (2024) - Iowa Health and Human Services (checked 2026-10-21)
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Termite Control In Iowa - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Brown Recluse Spider in Iowa - ISU Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Iowa Admin. Code r. 21-45.22, License and certification standards for pesticide applicators (checked 2026-10-21)
- Pesticide applicator and company license lookup - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-22)
- Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety (“Choosing a Pest Control Company”) - U.S. EPA (checked 2026-10-21)
- Introduction to Pesticide Labels - U.S. EPA (checked 2026-10-21)