General Pest Control in Memphis

If you want one company to deal with whatever crawls in, this is the service to ask for. Ask for a free inspection and a written price first.

Why Memphis houses need it more than most

The weather does most of the work for the bugs. Memphis International Airport averages about 56 inches of rain a year and 92 nights that stay at 70°F or warmer (NOAA, 1996 to 2025). Only about 6 nights a year reach 20°F, so winter barely slows the insects that live in mulch and in the soil by the foundation. When a heavy rain floods their nests or a dry spell sends them looking for water, the closest shelter is your house.

Housing age matters too. About 54% of the homes in the Shelby County ZIP codes we cover were built before 1980 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Older houses tend to have worn door sweeps, gaps at pipes and vents, and wood close to the ground. Our Memphis pest data page has the numbers by ZIP.

Average nights per month that stay at 50°F or warmer, Memphis

What a good visit includes

1. An inspection inside and out: the kitchen and bathrooms; the garage; the crawlspace or slab edge; the eaves and the beds against the foundation.
2. A plain explanation of what they found and where it is coming in.
3. Sealing advice, or sealing work for a price you agree to: door sweeps, screens, gaps around pipes and wires.
4. Targeted treatment. Baits for ants and roaches along their routes; crack and crevice treatment inside; a perimeter treatment outside where it makes sense.
5. A written record of the products used. In Tennessee you have the right to ask for the product label and the safety data sheet (Tennessee Department of Agriculture).

I would be wary of a visit that is all spray and no inspection. Sprays knock down what you can see, and the next rain brings in the next group. The University of Kentucky cockroach fact sheet puts sanitation and sealing openings next to any insecticide, and notes that even clean homes can become infested.

What it costs

National cost guides put a one-time general pest visit at $50 to $500, with a national average of $171 (This Old House, March 2026). Those are published national figures, not our quote. A one-time visit usually costs more than a single visit on a plan, because the first visit carries the inspection and the heaviest treatment. The full table is in our cost guide.

One visit or a plan

For a single problem, like a wasp nest or a few crickets after a storm, one visit is enough. For ants and roaches that keep coming back from outside, a quarterly plan can make sense in this climate. Before you sign, ask how long the contract runs, what a re-service call costs between visits, and how you cancel. We cover the tradeoffs in one-time vs quarterly pest control.

Kids and pets

Tell the company about kids and pets when you book. Ask which products they plan to use, where they will put them, and how long everyone should stay off treated areas. Baits in tamper-resistant stations and crack treatments behind appliances keep products out of reach better than broadcast sprays. The National Pesticide Information Center has plain guidance for families at 1-800-858-7378.

How to check the company

Tennessee requires a pest control charter for each office, and the charter number has to be visible on the company vehicle. You can look up the charter and the technician's certification in the state's public search. Our charter guide walks through it. Memphis Pest Desk only refers companies with a current charter.