San Gabriel Valley Pest Guide

This guide covers the household pests we actually see across the San Gabriel Valley — from Argentine ants and roof rats to drywood termites and black widows. Each page is written by a licensed local operator, not a national call center: how to identify the pest, where it hides, the signs of a problem, and how it's genuinely controlled.

When San Gabriel Valley pests are most active

Pest pressure here follows the seasons. Spring brings subterranean termite swarms and the first ant trails; summer is peak ant, cockroach and cricket season as heat drives insects toward water indoors; fall pushes rodents and crickets indoors as nights cool and is prime drywood-termite swarm season; and winter rains send ants, roaches and rodents looking for dry shelter.

Knowing the calendar helps you act before a problem peaks. Our SGV pest calendar breaks it down month by month, and the seasonal pests link straight to the services that handle them — ants, rodents and termites.

When to handle it yourself — and when to call

Plenty of pest sightings are minor: a lone cricket in the garage, a few ants after rain, the occasional silverfish. Basic steps — sealing entry points, cutting moisture, storing food in airtight containers and keeping up perimeter maintenance — solve a lot on their own.

It's worth calling a pro when you see termites, rodents in the attic, a black widow near where kids or pets play, or a pest that keeps returning after you've treated it. Our honest DIY-vs-professional guide walks through where that line falls — and why an owner-operated service like ExterMetro will tell you when you don't need us.