Pest control in Ann Arbor
Washtenaw County, Metro Detroit
Ann Arbor packs a lot into a small area: student rentals around the University of Michigan campus, century-old houses on the Old West Side and in Burns Park, and wooded ravines along the Huron River. Each brings its own pests, from bed bugs during move-in week to carpenter ants in old porches. We connect you with licensed exterminators who know Washtenaw County.
Animal in the house right now? Here's what to do.
Areas we cover
- Kerrytown
- Old West Side
- Burns Park
- Water Hill
- Lower Town
- Old Fourth Ward
- Ann Arbor Hills
- Northside
- North Campus
- South University
The pests Ann Arbor homeowners call about most
- 01
Bed bugs
Peak Jun to Sep
Every spring and late summer, thousands of students move in and out of rentals near campus, carrying used furniture and luggage between buildings. Bed bugs ride along.
$500 to $2,500typical
- 02
Cockroaches
Peak Jun to Sep
German cockroaches show up in older multi-unit rentals and converted houses where kitchens share plumbing walls.
$150 to $500typical
- 03
Mice
Peak Sep to Nov
Houses on the Old West Side, Water Hill and Burns Park often have fieldstone or block foundations with gaps that mice use every fall.
$150 to $450typical
- 04
Ticks
Peak May to Jul
Nichols Arboretum, Bird Hills Nature Area and the wooded banks of the Huron River are good tick habitat, and blacklegged ticks are increasingly found in southeast Michigan.
$75 to $150typical
- 05
Carpenter ants
Peak Apr to Jun
Big oaks and maples, shaded porches and ravine lots keep a lot of wood damp, which is what carpenter ants need.
$200 to $600typical
Student rentals and move-in season
Neighborhoods closest to central campus, from South University to the blocks around Packard and State, have a high share of rental houses and apartment buildings with constant turnover. When one tenant leaves a mattress on the curb in May and another picks it up in August, bed bugs can move with it. Shared walls, laundry rooms and furniture passed between roommates help them spread inside a building too.
If you are a student, look over any used furniture before it comes inside, and check the seams of your mattress in the first few weeks after moving. If you are a landlord, building-wide inspections between leases cost much less than treating a whole house after an outbreak. Local companies offer heat treatments that clear a unit in a day, which helps when the next tenant is moving in soon.
Old houses, ravines and the Huron River
Away from campus, Ann Arbor's older neighborhoods have houses dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s, many with fieldstone foundations, original wood porches and tall trees close to the roof. Those features let in mice, carpenter ants and squirrels. Water Hill and the Old West Side sit on hilly, wooded lots, and homes there often have damp crawlspaces that need attention along with any treatment.
The Huron River runs past Argo Pond, Gallup Park and the Arb, and the wooded ravines and nature areas along it are where most residents encounter ticks. Blacklegged ticks are now found across southeast Michigan, not just the west side of the state. Check yourself and pets after hikes in Bird Hills or the Arb, and keep play areas in your yard away from brushy edges.
Pest control in Ann Arbor: common questions
How do I check a used couch or mattress for bed bugs?
Look along seams, piping, tufts and under the dust cover on the bottom. You are looking for small dark spots (dried droppings), pale shed skins and the bugs themselves, which are flat and about the size of an apple seed. A flashlight and the edge of a card help. If you are not sure, leave it on the curb.
Are there ticks in Ann Arbor?
Yes. Blacklegged ticks, the species that carries Lyme disease, have spread into southeast Michigan and are found in wooded parks and natural areas around Ann Arbor. They are most active from spring through fall. Wear long pants on trails, use repellent and do a full tick check afterward.
Should I get a pest inspection before renting near campus?
It is a good idea, especially for older converted houses. Ask the landlord when the unit was last inspected for bed bugs and roaches, look under sinks and behind the stove for droppings, and check mattresses if the unit is furnished. Many local pest companies will do a one-time inspection if you want an independent look.
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