Pests of Prince William County – Gainesville, Haymarket, Manassas, Bristow

Here at ExtermPRO, we know the local pests in the area better than anyone. We’re a family owned business that started and grew right here in the Gainesville area. We are intimately familiar with all the different pests in the region – as well as the home styles, problems, ages, and challenges that many of the neighborhoods here face.

If you have any questions about pests or a problem with pests, we encourage you to reach out to our pest control team. It is the best way to get personalized information and, of course, pest control treatments to help you manage your property’s pest population. Please give us a call or fill out our online form if you’d like personalized service.

In order to keep you informed of the different pests in the area, we have compiled this list of pests of concern, common household pests, and those unique to the region.

Outdoor Pests of Great Concern

When we talk about “pests in Prince William County” we are usually talking about indoor pests – bugs and rodents that may come indoors and reduce your home’s comfort. Many bugs and insects live outside, most are harmless outdoors, and not all outdoor pests can – or should – be eliminated.

But before we talk about indoor pests, let’s first talk about five specific outdoor pests that homeowners should be concerned about, and should eliminate on site. These include:

• Spotted Lanternfly – The Spotted Lanternfly was introduced to the US from Asian in 2014, and is identifiable by its spotted wings and bright red hind wings. It is a pest because it feeds on the sap of various plants, including grapes, apples, and trees, weakening them and making them more vulnerable to disease. The honeydew excreted by these insects also promotes mold growth, causing further damage to plants and trees.
• Asian Longhorn Beetle – The Asian Longhorn Beetle is black with white spots and long antennae. It is considered a pest because it bores into hardwood trees to lay eggs, disrupting the tree’s vascular system, leading to the tree’s death. This beetle has caused the loss of thousands of trees, impacting ecosystems and causing economic losses in the timber industry.
• Fall Cankerworm – The Fall Cankerworm is from North America but spreading in potentially damaging ways. Its larvae, or inchworms, are green or brown and feed on the leaves of deciduous trees like oak, maple, and elm. They are pests because their feeding can lead to significant defoliation, weakening trees and making them more susceptible to disease and other pests. Repeated defoliation can result in tree mortality, affecting forest health and urban landscapes.
• Emerald Ash Borer – The Emerald Ash Borer is a metallic green beetle that targets ash trees. It is a pest because the larvae bore into the bark and feed on the inner bark, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, leading to the tree’s death. This beetle has caused the widespread loss of ash trees, resulting in ecological and economic impacts.
• Spongy Moth – The Spongy Moth larvae are hairy caterpillars with blue and red spots that feed on the leaves of over 500 tree and shrub species. They are considered pests due to their voracious appetite for leaves, leading to severe defoliation. This weakens trees and shrubs, making them more vulnerable to disease and other pests, and can result in tree mortality, impacting forest ecosystems and the timber industry.

These pests are considered major ecological problems, all but one of which are invasive species from other continents. If you see one of these pests, it is in the best interests of Prince William County for you to immediately eliminate it.

Household Pests in Prince William County

Many of the household pests in Prince William County are the same pests that you might see in nearby Washington DC and much of the rest of the East Coast. These are going to include:

• Ants
• Spiders
• Cockroaches
• Mosquitoes
• Fleas/Tics
• Termites
• Rats
• Mice
• Centipedes
• Wasps/Bees
• Stinkbugs

These are worldwide pests that affect essentially all households, all throughout the United States. But of course, there is more than one type of ant, more than one type of spider, more than one type of cockroach, etc. So what do we have here in the Northern Virginia area?

Ant Species in Virginia

The good news is that we do not typically have a red fire ant problem here in Virginia. There are sightings, and as the climate changes, these fire ants may move northward, eventually taking over our area. But at the moment, the ants of most concern to homeowners in the region include:

• Odorous House Ants
• Little Black Ants
• Carpenter Ants

Little black ants are the most common invaders, and are just that – relatively harmless black ants. But they do adore invading properties, and spread throughout a home in search of food once they’re inside. Odorous house ants smell, and carpenter ants eat decks and wood – though at a rate that is less severe than termites. All need to be controlled.

Spider Species in Virginia

There are dozens of spiders in our county. Most stay outside or, if they do invade, they are harmless to humans and hide mostly in corners or areas of the home where they think they can capture food. You may see, at any given time:

• Black Widow Spider
• Wolf Spider
• Brown Recluse Spider
• Cellar Spider/Daddy Long Legs
• House Spiders
• Giant House Spiders
• Woodlouse Spider

Of these, only the black widow and brown recluse are of particular concern. The Wolf Spider can bite, but it does not cause significant health issues if it does. We do not have any tarantula pests in this area (thank goodness!).

Cockroach Species in Virginia

Cockroaches, on the other hand, are more of a problem here. We do not quite have it as bad as our neighbors directly to the South, but we do have essentially all the known cockroach species that cause problems for homeowners:

• American Cockroach
• German Cockroach
• Oriental Cockroach
• European Cockroach
• Wood Cockroach

The only cockroach we do not have here that is a problem in other areas of the country is the Turkestan cockroach, though functionally it is almost exactly the same as the Oriental Roach. Of these, the one of greatest concern is the small German cockroach, followed by the American Cockroach. The other roaches may still come inside, but it is usually by accident. They prefer the outdoors.

Mosquito Species in Virginia

Mosquitoes, like cockroaches, are also a significant problem here in Gainesville and Manassas, though once again not quite as bad as Georgia, Florida, and other states. There are over 50 mosquitoes in Virginia, but most importantly, we have most of the species of mosquito that can carry disease, including:

• Asian Tiger Mosquito
• Culex Pipiens
• Anopheles Quadrimaculatus
• Aedes Aegypti

Many mosquitoes can be vectors of disease. The Asian Tiger Mosquito is typically the one we find, but the others are known carriers of West Nile Virus, Zika, even Malaria. Most bites will be harmless, but given the potential for disease, it is best to eliminate them.

Termite Species in Virginia

Another bit of good news on the pest front is the termite species here – although the news being “good” is relative. We do have drywood termites, which are extremely damaging to homes because they live in wood and can go for years without being caught, but they are not too common. We also do not have formosen termites where we are. There have been sightings in Virginia, but it is not nearly as problematic an issue as it is in places like Florida.

No, thankfully we do not have those here. But we do have Eastern Subterranean termites. These are still a fast eating termite species that are common all throughout the United States. They’re easier to treat than drywood termites, but they feed faster, so they can still quickly become a problem for homeowners that have not completed termite inspections.

Rats, Mice, Centipedes, Wasps, Stinkbugs, Fleas, Ticks, and More

Most of the rest of the species of pests that we have here in Prince William County are a problem but also unremarkable.

As far as rats and mice are concerned, we have the same rats that most other cities on the East Coast have, roof rats and Norway rats. We have many species of mice, including deer mice and white footed mice, but again these differences are not necessarily important for homeowners.

House centipedes are the only centipede “of concern” to homeowners in Virginia. Ironically, these pests are some of the best pests we have in Virginia. Like spiders, they eat other pests, but unlike spiders, they eat pests like bedbugs. Still, they look like enormous, long spiders, and most people do not want them in their homes.

Our wasps and bees are similar to other states, with paper wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets being the most aggressive. We do not have killer bees in Virginia. Stink bugs are a major problem here but no specific species stand out.

Lastly, fleas and ticks are all issues, but most people are not going to know the difference between flea species.

The only concern of all these pests that is relevant to those in the Gainesville area is the black legged tick. These are the ticks that most commonly cause Lyme Disease and they are absolutely a problem in Gainesville, Haymarket, Bristow, and similar areas. Eliminating ticks is very important for protecting our families from Lyme. Many other ticks can cause disease as well, such as dog ticks, but they are also located across the US.

Northern Virginia does not have scorpions, thankfully.

What’s Next – Knowing Pests and Staying Protected

These are the pests that are most in common in Prince William County, and of course we are only scratching the surface. There are thousands of pests that may be found inside homes that we simply do not traditionally discuss because they are not noticeably different form other areas of the United States, or because they do not have a big effect on the homeowner’s experience.

There are 55 species of spider, for example, in Virginia alone, and while only 5 are “invaders,” in theory any spider can accidentally make its way inside – even garden spiders. But one thing is clear – homes in Prince William County need pest control, and when they do, they call ExtermPRO.

Why ExtermPRO?

ExtermPRO has been a family owned, local pest control company here in the area for years. You’ve probably seen us serving your neighbor’s homes. We’re not a chain or a franchise, but instead a family owned company that is here to make sure our customers have pest-free homes and a company they can trust for all of their pest control needs.

We service:

• Gainesville
• Bristow
• Centreville
• Haymarket
• Warrenton
• Manassas
• Fairfax
• Ashburn
• Chantilly
• Leesburg
• Bealeton
• Nokesville

We also provide pest control for both commercial and residential properties, so if your business needs help controlling pests, we can support you as well.

There are many species of pest here in Prince William County, and thus there are many reasons to need a pest control company. If you need help, or you’d like to learn more about our rates and services, contact ExtermPRO, today.