Indianola, Iowa Pest Guide
Indianola is the county seat of Warren County, about 19 miles south of downtown Des Moines. It is home to Simpson College and the National Balloon Classic, a nine-day hot air balloon festival held each summer.
This page pulls together the pest issues Indianola homeowners tend to run into, local places to get help, and how to check that a pest company holds a current Iowa license.
Indianola pest calendar
Pest timing in Iowa follows the seasons. Here is what Iowa State University (ISU) Extension describes, in roughly the order Indianola homeowners will notice it:
- Spring: ant mounds. ISU says soil-nesting ants are especially busy in wet spring weather. Raking or hosing mounds flat is usually all that is needed. ISU notes fire ants are not present in Iowa. See how to get rid of ants in Iowa.
- Summer: wasps build up. Each yellowjacket colony starts with one queen in spring and grows all summer. ISU says nests peak around Iowa State Fair time, with up to about 5,000 wasps. See wasp nest removal.
- Fall: accidental invaders. Boxelder bugs, multicolored Asian lady beetles and brown marmorated stink bugs look for winter shelter. ISU calls them generally harmless and says sealing gaps is the best defense.
- Fall and winter: mice. ISU says native deer mice and white-footed mice move indoors in fall. See mice in your Iowa home this fall.
Emerald ash borer in Warren County
The state's list of officially confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) sites, last updated at the end of 2022, includes these Warren County locations: Rural Milo (2017). 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 Indianola
- County Extension office: ISU Extension and Outreach Warren County lists its office at 200 W. 2nd Ave., Indianola, IA 50125 (phone 515-961-6237). Extension offices are a good first stop for research-based yard, garden and pest information.
- Insect identification: the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic in Ames identifies insects mailed in by Iowans. Check its page for current forms and fees.
- Ticks: ISU's Medical Entomology Laboratory offers a free tick identification service by mail. It identifies the tick but does not test it for disease.
- Mosquitoes: the same ISU lab has run Iowa's mosquito surveillance program for about 50 years with state health partners, monitoring West Nile virus and mosquito numbers. Current data is on the Iowa Mosquito Surveillance website linked from its page.
Guides for Indianola homeowners
- Ant Exterminator Near Waukee: What to Expect and How to Choose a Pro
- Bed Bug Signs and What to Do in the Des Moines Metro
- Boxelder Bugs in Iowa Homes
- How to Get Rid of Ants in Iowa
- Mice in Your Iowa Home This Fall
- Wasp Nest Removal Near Waukee, Iowa
How to check a pest company's license in Indianola
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:
- Open the IDALS license lookup and choose Search By Company/License.
- Type part of the company's name, or pick the county WARREN - 91 to see every company registered there.
- Check that the expiration date is in the future. Expiration dates in the lookup fall on December 31.
When we searched Warren County on 10/22/2026, the lookup returned 98 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 Indianola 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 Indianola
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
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.
- 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. It also has Newton, Indianola and Pella pages served from Ankeny.
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/, https://aptivepestcontrol.com/locations/iowa-ia/newton-ia-pest-control/, https://aptivepestcontrol.com/locations/iowa-ia/indianola-pest-control/, https://aptivepestcontrol.com/locations/iowa-ia/pella-pest-control/ (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
3775 EP True Pkwy #105, West Des Moines, IA 50265
Central Iowa company offering pest control, bed bug and termite services (including real-estate termite inspections), bat and rodent work, and commercial service.
- General pest control
- Bed bugs
- Termites
- Mice & rodents
- Wildlife
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Lists Adel, Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Knoxville, Newton, Norwalk, Pella, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and other central Iowa towns.
IDALS company license record found (01752-000), 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 01752-000: HAWKEYE EXTERMINATORS, Knoxville (Marion County), expiration 2026-12-31. Exact name match; the license address is Knoxville, and the company's site also lists a Knoxville-area phone line.
Listing source: https://www.hawkeyeexterminators.com/ (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
10552 Justin Dr., Urbandale, IA 50322
Family-owned company based in Urbandale offering residential and commercial pest control, including termite, rodent, bed bug, mosquito and stinging insect services.
- General pest control
- Termites
- Mice & rodents
- Bed bugs
- Mosquitoes
- Wasps & stinging insects
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Locations listed on its site include Altoona, Ankeny, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.
IDALS company license record found (02390-000), 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 02390-000: JANSSEN PEST SOLUTIONS INC, Urbandale (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://janssenpest.com/services/pest-control/waukee-ia, https://janssenpest.com/services/pest-control/indianola-ia (checked 2026-10-21).
Menninga Pest Control
LicensedPella
Towns named on its site: Pella, Oskaloosa, Indianola
Pella company offering insect, rodent, termite and wildlife (including bat) control for homes and businesses.
- General pest control
- Ants
- Bed bugs
- Wasps & stinging insects
- Mice & rodents
- Termites
- Wildlife
- Spiders
- Cockroaches
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Located in Pella, servicing Pella, Oskaloosa, Indianola and surrounding areas.
IDALS company license record found (01649-000), checked 2026-10-22.
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), county search MARION - 63 on 2026-10-22. Found active company license 01649-000: MENNINGA PEST CONTROL, Pella (Marion County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://menningapestcontrol.com/, https://menningapestcontrol.com/areas-of-service/pella-exterminator/, https://menningapestcontrol.com/areas-of-service/oskaloosa-exterminator/ (checked 2026-10-22).
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
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.
- 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; its location list also names Indianola and Newton.
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, https://midwestpest.com/pest-control-indianola (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
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.
- 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/, https://www.millerthekiller.com/pest-control-indianola-ia/ (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
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.
- 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. Its Ottumwa page (served by branch #527) also lists Indianola, Marshalltown, Newton, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa and Pella.
IDALS company license record found (02000-000), checked 2026-10-22.
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, https://www.orkin.com/locations/iowa-ia/ottumwa-pest-control (checked 2026-10-22).
Perfection Pest Management
LicensedIndianola
Towns named on its site: Indianola
Indianola company offering residential and commercial pest control, rodent control and real estate inspections.
- General pest control
- Mice & rodents
- Termites
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Indianola, Iowa (mailing address is a P.O. box in Indianola).
IDALS company license record found (08021-001), checked 2026-10-22.
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), county search WARREN - 91 on 2026-10-22. Found active company license 08021-001: PERFECTION PEST MANAGEMENT, Indianola (Warren County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://www.bugguydm.com/ (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
21 11th Ave W, Albia, IA 52531
Family-owned company based in Albia offering general pest, termite, bed bug, rodent, mosquito and fall-invader control in central and southeast Iowa.
- General pest control
- Ants
- Bed bugs
- Wasps & stinging insects
- Mice & rodents
- Termites
- Mosquitoes
- Spiders
- Cockroaches
- Boxelder/stink bugs & beetles
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Central and southeast Iowa; its service-area page names Des Moines, Ottumwa, Albia, Ankeny, West Des Moines, Pella, Oskaloosa, Indianola, Knoxville, Urbandale, Clive, Johnston, Waukee, Altoona, Grimes, Adel, Newton and other towns.
IDALS company license record found (11271-001), checked 2026-10-22.
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name ('Pest Control Techs') on 2026-10-22. Found active company license 11271-001: Pest Control Techs LLC, Albia (Monroe County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://pestcontroltechs.com/service-area, https://pestcontroltechs.com/pest-control-oskaloosa-ia (checked 2026-10-22).
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
1320 NE 60th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313
Des Moines company offering residential and commercial pest, termite, bed bug, mosquito and wildlife services across central Iowa.
- General pest control
- Ants
- Bed bugs
- Wasps & stinging insects
- Mice & rodents
- Termites
- Wildlife
- Mosquitoes
- Spiders
- Ticks
- Cockroaches
- Commercial
Service area (their words): Central Iowa since 1989; its homepage names Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, Newton, Oskaloosa, Marshalltown, Indianola, Norwalk, Grimes, Waukee, Pleasant Hill, Altoona, De Soto and Perry. It also has service pages for Fort Dodge and Ottumwa.
IDALS company license record found (02848-000), checked 2026-10-22.
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name ('Springer') on 2026-10-22. Found active company license 02848-000: SPRINGER PROFESSIONAL HOME SERVICES, Des Moines (Polk County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://trustspringer.com/, https://trustspringer.com/jasper-county/newton/, https://trustspringer.com/webster-county/fort-dodge/, https://trustspringer.com/wapello-county/ottumwa/ (checked 2026-10-22).
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.
Frequently asked questions
What county is Indianola in?
Indianola is in Warren 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 Indianola?
Yes. The state's confirmed-site list includes Rural Milo (2017) in Warren County, and IDALS confirmed EAB in all 99 counties in October 2024.
How do I know a pest company in Indianola 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.
Has emerald ash borer been confirmed in Indianola itself?
The state's 2022 list shows one Warren County site, rural Milo (2017), not Indianola. IDALS has since confirmed the beetle in all 99 counties, so ash trees in Indianola should be treated as at risk.
Nearby towns we cover
More towns in Des Moines metro
Sources
- Indianola, Iowa - Wikipedia (checked 2026-10-22)
- ISU Extension and Outreach Warren County (checked 2026-10-22)
- EAB Confirmed Locations in Iowa (list last updated 12/30/2022) - IowaTreePests.com / IDALS (checked 2026-10-22)
- Emerald Ash Borer Now Confirmed in all 99 Counties - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-21)
- How to Manage Ant Mounds in Lawns, Gardens, and Pastures - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Yellowjacket Wasp - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- It is Accidental Invader Season Again - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Mice: Damage Management - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-21)
- Submitting an insect for identification - ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (checked 2026-10-21)
- Tick Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (Dr. Ryan C. Smith) (checked 2026-10-21)
- Mosquito Surveillance - ISU Medical Entomology Laboratory (Dr. Ryan C. Smith) (checked 2026-10-21)
- Pesticide applicator and company license lookup - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-22)
We link to the original sources so you can read them yourself. Product names are not endorsements.