Pella, Iowa Pest Guide
Pella is a Marion County city about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines, founded by immigrants from the Netherlands. It is home to Central College. Pella is not the county seat, so the Marion County Extension office is in Knoxville.
This page pulls together the pest issues Pella homeowners tend to run into, local places to get help, and how to check that a pest company holds a current Iowa license.
What Pella homeowners see through the year
These seasonal patterns come from ISU Extension, which covers the whole state:
- Ants (spring). Wet springs bring busy soil-nesting ants and mounds in lawns. ISU's advice is usually to rake or hose the mounds flat. Our Iowa ant guide covers ants indoors too.
- Yellowjackets (late summer). Colonies grow from a single spring queen to as many as about 5,000 wasps by Iowa State Fair time, ISU says. If you find yellowjackets indoors after a frost, ISU says they almost always come from a nest inside a wall. Read wasp nest removal before you go near one.
- Fall invaders (September-October). ISU says boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles and stink bugs can't reproduce indoors and are mostly a nuisance. Exterior treatments only help if they're applied before the insects move in.
- Mice (fall). Native deer mice and white-footed mice look for winter shelter in homes, ISU says. Our guide on mice in your Iowa home covers sealing, trapping and safe cleanup.
Emerald ash borer in Marion County
The state's list of officially confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) sites, last updated at the end of 2022, includes these Marion County locations: Maryville (2014); Marion County Park (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 Pella
- County Extension office: ISU Extension and Outreach Marion County lists its office at 210 North Iowa Street, Knoxville, IA 50138 (phone (641) 842-2014). 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 Pella 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 Pella
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 MARION - 63 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 Marion County on 10/22/2026, the lookup returned 78 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 Pella 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 Pella
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).
Dowie Pest Control
License unknownPella
Towns named on its site: Pella
Pella company offering insect, rodent, bat and wildlife control.
- General pest control
- Mice & rodents
- Wildlife
Service area (their words): Pella, IA.
License not confirmed by us (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 ('Dowie') on 2026-10-22. Found record 05265-000: DOWIE PEST CONTROL LLC, Pella (Marion County), but its expiration date shown was 2025-12-31, so we could not confirm a current license.
Listing source: https://dowiepestcontrol.com/ (checked 2026-10-22).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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 Pella in?
Pella is in Marion 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 Pella?
Yes. The state's confirmed-site list includes Maryville (2014), Marion County Park (2017) in Marion County, and IDALS confirmed EAB in all 99 counties in October 2024.
How do I know a pest company in Pella 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.
Which Extension office serves Pella?
Pella is in Marion County. ISU Extension and Outreach Marion County lists its office at 210 North Iowa Street in Knoxville. Its phone number is (641) 842-2014.
Nearby towns we cover
More towns in Southern Iowa
Sources
- Pella, Iowa - Wikipedia (checked 2026-10-22)
- ISU Extension and Outreach Marion 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.