Iowa Pest Guide

Ames, Iowa Pest Guide

Updated · By Kasey, Waukee, Iowa

Ames is in Story County, about 30 miles north of Des Moines, and is the home of Iowa State University. Many of the sources on this site come from ISU's Ames campus, including the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic and the Medical Entomology Laboratory's tick and mosquito surveillance programs.

This page pulls together the pest issues Ames homeowners tend to run into, local places to get help, and how to check that a pest company holds a current Iowa license.

Seasonal pests around Ames

ISU Extension's seasonal guidance applies statewide, including Ames:

  1. April-June: ant hills. Soil-nesting ants are most active in wet spring weather. Flattening mounds is usually enough. Ants in Iowa.
  2. July-September: yellowjackets. Colonies peak around State Fair time with up to roughly 5,000 workers per nest, according to ISU. Wasp nest removal.
  3. September-October: boxelder bugs, lady beetles and stink bugs. These accidental invaders gather on sunny walls and slip into gaps. ISU recommends sealing openings.
  4. October onward: mice. Native mice move indoors for winter. Mice in your Iowa home this fall.

Bed bugs aren't seasonal. If you suspect them, start with our bed bug guide.

Emerald ash borer in Story County

The state's list of officially confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) sites, last updated at the end of 2022, includes these Story County locations: Story City (2014); Ames (2018). In October 2024, IDALS announced that EAB had been confirmed in all 99 Iowa counties. IDALS says an infested tree is typically killed within two to four years. Signs include canopy thinning, leafy sprouts from the trunk, S-shaped galleries under the bark, bark splitting, woodpecker damage and 1/8-inch D-shaped exit holes. If you own ash trees, get advice from a qualified tree care professional.

Local help in Ames

Guides for Ames homeowners

How to check a pest company's license in Ames

Iowa requires anyone in the business of applying pesticides to another person's property to be licensed and certified by the state. To check a company:

  1. Open the IDALS license lookup and choose Search By Company/License.
  2. Type part of the company's name, or pick the county STORY - 85 to see every company registered there.
  3. Check that the expiration date is in the future. Expiration dates in the lookup fall on December 31.

When we searched Story County on 10/21/2026, the lookup returned 216 company records. That count includes every license type (lawn care, agriculture, golf courses and pest control) and some expired records, so narrow it down by name. A company is listed under the county of its own address, so a company that serves Ames may be listed under a neighboring county. Our guide on choosing a licensed pest pro has a checklist of questions to ask.

Local pest pros in Ames

  • Aptive Pest Control (Ankeny branch)

    Ankeny · 1-515-417-1185

    6864 NE 14th St, Ste 3, Ankeny, IA 50023

    National pest control company with an Ankeny branch; its Waukee page lists ants, crickets, earwigs, flies, mosquitoes, rodents, spiders and stinging pests.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Ants, Spiders, Mosquitoes, Mice & rodents, Wasps & stinging insects

    Service area (their words): Its Waukee page lists Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights and other towns.

    IDALS company license record found (10085-001, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 10085-001: Aptive Environmental, Ankeny (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31. Record is under the name 'Aptive Environmental' at the same city as the branch.

    Listing source: https://aptivepestcontrol.com/locations/iowa-ia/waukee-pest-control/ (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Bobcat Wildlife & Pest Management

    Adel · (515) 822-4348

    816 Cottage St, Adel, IA 50003

    Adel-based company (since 2008, per its site) offering wildlife and rodent control plus insect services for ants, bees, wasps, hornets, cockroaches, mosquitoes, spiders and ticks.

    Services listed on their site: Wildlife, Mice & rodents, Ants, Wasps & stinging insects, Cockroaches, Mosquitoes, Spiders, Ticks, General pest control

    Service area (their words): Service-area page lists Adel, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Dallas Center, De Soto, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Panora, Van Meter, Waukee and West Des Moines.

    IDALS company license record found (08168-000, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 08168-000: BOBCAT WILDLIFE & PEST MNGMT, Adel (Dallas County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://www.bobcatpest.com/, https://www.bobcatpest.com/service-area/ (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Creed Pest Control

    Ames · (515) 257-6601

    1333 Buckeye Ave Suite 1033, Ames, IA 50010 (also 110 N Ankeny Blvd, Suite 200, Ankeny, IA 50023)

    Ames and Ankeny company offering recurring and one-time pest control plus bed bug, bat, rodent, mole and mosquito services.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Bed bugs, Wildlife, Mice & rodents, Mosquitoes, Termites, Commercial

    Service area (their words): Ames and central Iowa; offices in Ames and Ankeny.

    IDALS company license record found (10436-001, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), searched by company name and by county on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 10436-001: Creed Pest Control, Ames (Story County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://www.creedpest.com/, https://www.creedpest.com/contact_us.html (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Critter Control of Des Moines

    Des Moines · (515) 287-0419

    Independently owned franchise of a national wildlife company; lists wildlife removal and exclusion, rodent, mosquito and pest control services.

    Services listed on their site: Wildlife, Mice & rodents, Mosquitoes, General pest control

    Service area (their words): Office page lists Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, Grimes, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and other towns.

    IDALS company license record found (04956-001, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 04956-001: CRITTER CONTROL OF DES MOINES, Des Moines (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://www.crittercontrol.com/office-finder/iowa/des-moines/ (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Midwest Pest Control (Ankeny)

    Ankeny · 402-524-5200

    1479 NE 69th Place #82, Ankeny, IA 50021

    Regional company with an Ankeny office; lists ants, flies, cockroaches, bees and wasps, centipedes, spiders, mosquitoes, rodents and earwigs.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Ants, Cockroaches, Wasps & stinging insects, Spiders, Mosquitoes, Mice & rodents

    Service area (their words): Iowa areas listed include Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Bondurant, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.

    IDALS company license record found (11523-001, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 11523-001: Midwest Pest Control, Ankeny (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://midwestpest.com/pest-control-ankeny (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Miller Pest Solutions (Clive office)

    Clive · (402) 769-0997

    1904 NW 92nd Ct., Clive, IA 50325

    Midwest pest control company (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) with a Clive office; lists residential and commercial pest, termite, mosquito, rodent and mole/vole services.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Ants, Wasps & stinging insects, Bed bugs, Mice & rodents, Termites, Mosquitoes, Cockroaches, Spiders, Boxelder/stink bugs & beetles, Commercial

    Service area (their words): Its Waukee page lists Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Prairie City, Urbandale, Waukee and Winterset.

    License not confirmed by us (checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS lookup searched by company name on 2026-10-21. No record under 'Miller Pest Solutions'. A record 04889-000 'MILLER PEST AND TERMITE, LLC' (Clive, exp. 2026-12-31) exists, but the name differs from the company's site name ('Miller Pest Solutions LLC'), so we did not treat it as confirmed.

    Listing source: https://www.millerthekiller.com/pest-control-waukee-ia/, https://www.millerthekiller.com/pest-control-council-bluffs-ia/ (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Orkin (Urbandale branch)

    Urbandale · 515-380-7871

    2929 99th St, Urbandale, IA 50322

    National company's Urbandale branch; lists bed bugs, carpenter ants, stinging insects, wildlife, ticks, termites, mosquitoes and other pests.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Bed bugs, Ants, Wasps & stinging insects, Wildlife, Ticks, Termites, Mosquitoes, Commercial

    Service area (their words): Branch page lists Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and other towns.

    IDALS company license record found (02000-000, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 02000-000: ORKIN, Urbandale (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://www.orkin.com/locations/iowa-ia/urbandale-pest-control/branch-527 (checked 2026-10-21).

  • Preferred Pest Management

    Ames · (515) 292-8989

    Ames-based company (a different business from Preferred Pest Control) serving Ankeny and parts of the metro; lists ants, mice, rats, voles, wasps, spiders, boxelder and stink bugs, cockroaches, termites, bed bugs and ticks.

    Services listed on their site: General pest control, Ants, Mice & rodents, Wasps & stinging insects, Spiders, Boxelder/stink bugs & beetles, Cockroaches, Termites, Bed bugs, Ticks

    Service area (their words): Its Ankeny page lists Ankeny, Bondurant, Madrid, Polk City and Saylorville; its Des Moines metro page lists Altoona, Grimes, Johnston, Pleasant Hill and Windsor Heights; its menu also lists West Des Moines.

    IDALS company license record found (02714-001, checked 2026-10-21)

    How we checked

    IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-21. Found active company license 02714-001: PREFERRED PEST MANAGEMENT, Ames (Story County), expiration 2026-12-31.

    Listing source: https://www.preferredpestmgmt.com/location/ankeny, https://www.preferredpestmgmt.com/location/desmoinesmetro (checked 2026-10-21).

See all 52 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.

Frequently asked questions

What county is Ames in?

Ames is in Story County, Iowa. The county matters for two things: which ISU Extension office is closest, and which county to choose in the IDALS license lookup.

Has emerald ash borer reached Ames?

Yes. The state's confirmed-site list includes Story City (2014), Ames (2018) in Story County, and IDALS confirmed EAB in all 99 counties in October 2024.

How do I know a pest company in Ames is licensed?

Search the company's name in the IDALS lookup and check that the expiration date hasn't passed. A company saying it's licensed is not the same as a current state record.

Where can I send a tick for identification near Ames?

ISU's Medical Entomology Laboratory offers a free tick identification service by mail at 2310 Pammel Dr. in Ames. It identifies the tick but does not test it for disease. See its tick surveillance page for the submission form.

Nearby towns we cover

Sources

  1. Ames, Iowa - Wikipedia (checked 2026-10-21)
  2. ISU Extension and Outreach Story County (checked 2026-10-21)
  3. EAB Confirmed Locations in Iowa (list last updated 12/30/2022) - IowaTreePests.com / IDALS (checked 2026-10-21)
  4. Emerald Ash Borer Now Confirmed in all 99 Counties - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-21)
  5. How to Manage Ant Mounds in Lawns, Gardens, and Pastures - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
  6. Yellowjacket Wasp - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
  7. It is Accidental Invader Season Again - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
  8. Mice: Damage Management - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
  9. Submitting an insect for identification - ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (checked 2026-10-21)
  10. Tick Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (Dr. Ryan C. Smith) (checked 2026-10-21)
  11. Mosquito Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (Dr. Ryan C. Smith) (checked 2026-10-21)
  12. Pesticide applicator and company license lookup - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-21)

We link to the original sources so you can read them yourself. Product names are not endorsements.