At a glance
- Platinum Pest Management is a family-owned pest control company with its office in Mesa, Arizona.
- Roof rats in Mesa are most common in the older central neighborhoods, which have alleys, block walls and decades-old citrus and palm trees.
- Northeast Mesa neighborhoods such as Las Sendas and Red Mountain Ranch border the desert near the Usery Mountains, so bark scorpions and pack rats are frequent problems there.
- Mesa customers of Platinum Pest Management get a free inspection and written quote, then choose monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or one-time service.
Pest control in Mesa from a Mesa-based company
Platinum Pest Management is a family-owned company, and Mesa is home base. Our office is at 3944 E Ellis St., Mesa, AZ 85205, and we have treated homes and businesses across the East Valley for more than eight years.
Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, running from the Tempe border to Apache Junction, and pest pressure changes a good deal across it. A flood-irrigated lot near downtown needs different work than a desert lot below the Usery Mountains, so every Mesa account is planned around the property and the inspection.
How pests differ across Mesa neighborhoods
Older neighborhoods in central Mesa
Many older streets around downtown have alleys, block walls and mature orange and grapefruit trees. Roof rats do well in that setting. They nest in citrus canopies and untrimmed palm skirts, run along wall tops and utility lines, and slip into attics through loose roof tiles, vents and gaps along the eaves. Hollowed-out oranges still on the tree are often the first sign. Our rodent control for roof rats combines trapping with pointing out those entry points so they can be sealed. American cockroaches also come up through floor drains and sewer cleanouts in older homes, so cockroach treatment is a regular part of the work here.
West Mesa and flood-irrigated lots
Dobson Ranch has mature trees and plenty of turf, and several older Mesa neighborhoods still take flood irrigation. When irrigation water soaks a yard, crickets and ants move up out of the soil and scorpions climb onto walls and patios. Water that sits in a low corner of the yard for several days can breed mosquitoes, which is why mosquito control here starts with finding those spots.
Northeast Mesa near the Usery Mountains
Red Mountain Ranch, Las Sendas and Mountain Bridge sit close to open desert and the Usery Mountains. Homes there see more Arizona bark scorpions, which move in from rocky ground and shelter in block walls and landscape rock. Pack rats are the other frequent complaint. They build stick-and-cactus nests at the base of prickly pear and cholla and will chew wiring in parked cars. On these lots, scorpion control usually takes several visits before activity settles down.
New communities in east Mesa
Eastmark was built on the former General Motors proving ground, and other new east Mesa neighborhoods went up on formerly open land. Grading pushes scorpions and crickets out of the ground, and they settle into the nearest shelter, often a new block wall or garage. Our cricket control page explains why fewer crickets also means less food for scorpions.
Desert subterranean termites are active across Mesa, in older homes and new construction alike. Technicians look for mud tubes along the foundation during inspections, and we quote termite treatment when we find activity.
What happens at a Mesa service visit
- Inspection. The first visit covers the whole property, inside and out, to find where pests live and how they get in.
- Exterior treatment. Licensed technicians apply EPA-registered products according to the label along the weep screed and foundation, around doors, windows and the garage, and at the base of block walls.
- Eaves and patio covers. Webs are brushed down and wasp nests removed.
- Valve and meter boxes. Irrigation valve boxes, water meter boxes and pool equipment get checked, since roaches and scorpions shelter in them.
- Notes for the homeowner. The technician explains what was found and what would help, such as trimming palm skirts or replacing a worn door sweep.
Interior treatment is available on request. After that, homeowners choose monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly service, or keep it to a one-time treatment. When covered pests turn up between scheduled visits, a technician comes back to re-treat them at no extra charge. The pest control plans page compares the schedules.
Mesa neighborhoods we serve
We serve homes and businesses in every part of Mesa, including:
- Downtown Mesa and the older neighborhoods around it
- Dobson Ranch and the rest of west Mesa
- Red Mountain Ranch, Las Sendas and Mountain Bridge
- Homes around Falcon Field
- Superstition Springs
- Eastmark and the newer communities in southeast Mesa
Mesa shares borders with several other cities we serve. Homes just over those lines are covered on our pest control in Tempe, pest control in Gilbert and Apache Junction pest control pages. Our office hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. To book a free inspection, call (480) 518-1942.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Platinum Pest Management's office in Mesa?
Our office is at 3944 E Ellis St., Mesa, AZ 85205. It is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, and closed Sunday. Nearly all of our work happens at the customer's property, so the quickest way to get started is to call (480) 518-1942 and set up a free inspection.
Why do central Mesa homes get roof rats?
Roof rats need food and shelter off the ground, and many older central Mesa lots provide both through mature citrus, tall palms and block walls along the alleys. Rats nest in the trees and palm skirts, eat the fruit and follow walls and utility lines to the roof. Picking up fallen fruit and trimming palm skirts helps, and our rodent control handles the trapping and points out the gaps to seal.
Does flood irrigation bring pests into Mesa homes?
Flood irrigation often causes a burst of activity. The water fills the soil and pushes crickets, ants and scorpions up and toward the house. Irrigation water that lingers more than a few days can also breed mosquitoes. Filling low areas, clearing soil and mulch away from the weep screed and staying current on exterior service all cut down on the pests that follow irrigation water indoors.
Are scorpions worse in northeast Mesa near the Usery Mountains?
Usually they are, because Las Sendas, Mountain Bridge and Red Mountain Ranch sit next to the rocky desert where Arizona bark scorpions live naturally. Homes there often start on monthly or bi-monthly service, and homeowners help by sealing gaps and replacing worn door sweeps and the rubber seal along the bottom of the garage door. It generally takes several visits before scorpion sightings drop off.
Do new homes in Eastmark need pest control?
New homes in Eastmark and other east Mesa developments often see scorpions and crickets while the neighborhood is still being built out, because construction disturbs the ground those pests were living in. Exterior treatment along the foundation, block walls and garage, plus tight door sweeps and seals, cuts most of that activity off at the outside walls. We recommend a schedule after a free inspection.