Pest control in Garland

Dallas County Health and Human Services uses surveillance, larvicide, adulticide and public awareness to control mosquitoes, and it says West Nile virus generally reaches people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Statewide, DSHS reported 42 West Nile cases and 7 deaths in 2022 and said mosquitoes stay active in much of Texas into November and December.

Before you pay for spraying, do the free part. DSHS advises emptying standing water in toys, tires, buckets, clogged gutters and plant pots. If you still want a service, HomeGuide puts mosquito control at $80 to $150 per visit or $350 to $1,000 a season nationally.

Fire ants in Garland lawns

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension prefers the Two-Step Method: broadcast bait, then treat problem mounds. Spring and fall work best, because in hot, dry summer months fire ants are less active and mounds are harder to see.

HomeGuide's national figures give a baseline for Garland quotes:

• One-time exterminator visit: $100 to $600
• Quarterly service: $80 to $150 per visit
• Monthly treatment: $40 to $75 per visit
• Termite treatment: $225 to $2,500 for chemical or bait methods, with an inspection at $0 to $250

A quarterly plan is four visits a year, and 4 x $80 to 4 x $150 comes to $320 to $600, so compare that with a one-time treatment if your problem is seasonal. The Texas pest control guide covers contracts in detail.

Texas requires anyone doing structural pest control for hire to be licensed by TDA under the Structural Pest Control Act. TDA publishes lists of active licensees and a search for companies by zip code or address, so you can enter a Garland zip and confirm the business appears. Licenses come in categories such as general pest, termite, and lawn and ornamental; ask which category covers your job.

A licensed business must carry at least $500,000 of bodily injury and property damage coverage, with a $1,000,000 aggregate. For an indoor treatment at an owner-occupied home, the applicator must make TDA's consumer information sheet available to you. Garland apartment residents in complexes of five or more units must get at least 48 hours' notice before a planned indoor treatment.

If you're selling a Garland house, the termite report for the sale must be on TDA's form, from someone licensed in the termite category. It covers only visible, accessible areas, so hidden activity in walls or closed attics can be missed. Tree spraying also needs a TDA lawn and ornamental license, so check it before booking through tree service in Garland. More local rules are on the Garland city page, and neighbors can compare pest control in Mesquite.