Wapello County · 52501
Pest Control in Ottumwa, Iowa
The Des Moines River splits Ottumwa in half, and that geography drives most of what we see here: heavy mosquito pressure along the water, an older rental stock near downtown and Pickwick that turns over tenants constantly, and an industrial corridor around the Bridge View Center and the airport that needs regular commercial coverage. This is one of our closest home markets, and we're in Wapello County most weeks regardless of who called.
- ⭐ 50+ Google five-star reviews
- Veteran-owned
- Family-owned
- Woman-owned
- Licensed & Insured in Iowa
- Open 6AM–9PM, 7 days
Ottumwa by the numbers
Quick facts about Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa.
- Founded
- 1843
- Population
- ~25,000
- County
- Wapello County (seat)
- Elevation
- 650 ft
- Land area
- ~16 sq mi
- On the river
- Des Moines River
- Major employer
- John Deere Ottumwa Works
- Notable
- Hometown of 'Radar' O'Reilly
A short history of Ottumwa
Ottumwa was founded in 1843 on a bend of the Des Moines River and incorporated in 1857. The name comes from a Sauk and Meskwaki word often translated as 'rippling waters' or 'place of rest.' For its first century the city's economy ran on river trade, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and meatpacking — at one point the John Morrell & Co. plant employed thousands and made Ottumwa one of the largest pork-processing cities in the United States.
John Deere Ottumwa Works opened in 1947 and is still one of the city's largest employers, producing hay and forage equipment for global markets. Indian Hills Community College, founded in 1966, brings thousands of students to town each year.
Ottumwa is also the fictional hometown of Corporal Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly from M*A*S*H, and a small Radar statue stands downtown. The city served as the regional anchor of southeast Iowa for more than 150 years and remains the largest city in the area we serve south of Des Moines.
Services we provide in Ottumwa
- Ant Control
- Cockroach Control
- Bed Bug Treatment
- Rodent Control & Exclusion
- Termite Inspection & Treatment
- Spider Control
- Mosquito Control
- Box Elder & Asian Beetle Control
- Commercial Pest Control
- Agricultural & Barn Pest Control
- Quarterly Maintenance Plan
Common Ottumwa pest problems
A call we get most weeks in Ottumwa: a landlord or property manager near downtown or Pickwick with German roaches in an upstairs apartment above a storefront. Old plumbing chases between units make these buildings tough without a coordinated multi-unit treatment, which is exactly what we run.
River corridor mosquitoes. Anywhere within about a mile of the Des Moines River — North Court, riverside parks, backyards near the levee — sees mosquito pressure from late spring through early fall that's noticeably worse than towns set back from water.
Older housing stock. Stone and brick foundations in Pickwick and the near-downtown blocks give mice and the occasional rat easy entry once temperatures drop; fall and winter rodent work makes up a large share of our Ottumwa calls.
Industrial and commercial accounts near the airport, food processing facilities, and the Bridge View Center area need scheduled fly, rodent, and stored-product-pest control — we run several of these on standing routes.
Carpenter ants in older neighborhoods with mature trees and wood porches run heavy from April through June.
Neighborhoods we serve in Ottumwa
- Pickwick
- North Court
- Downtown
- IHCC Area
- Industrial / Airport
- South Ottumwa
Why Ottumwa homeowners choose Pest Control Techs
We're about 25 minutes from downtown Ottumwa, which means we're not dispatching from across the state — we're already working in Wapello County most days. We're veteran-owned, family-owned, and woman-owned, and same-day service here is the rule, not a promise we sometimes can't keep.
We also service Eldon, Agency, Blakesburg, Ottumwa Heights, and the Lake Wapello State Park area in the same trips.
Our full service area
Ottumwa is part of our Central & Southeast Iowa coverage area.
Ottumwa pest control FAQ
Service area near Ottumwa
Google Reviews
What Ottumwa homeowners say
50+ Google five-star reviews
Veteran-owned · Family-owned · Woman-owned
"Booked at 9am, sprayed by 2pm. The ant trail in our kitchen was gone the next day. Polite, professional, and you can tell they actually care."
Megan · Ankeny
"Local folks, veterans, and they shoot straight. Showed up the same day and handled the problem in 20 minutes."
Dale · Albia
"Mice in the basement after the river came up. They didn't just trap them — they sealed every entry point. Haven't seen one since."
Carla · Ottumwa
"Switched from a national company. Faster, more responsive, and no pressure to sign a contract. Easy 5 stars."
Jeremy · Des Moines
"Box elder bugs were all over our siding. One treatment knocked them out. Will absolutely use again next fall."
Sandra · Pella
"Great experience start to finish. On time, explained exactly what they were doing, and stood behind the work."
Brian · Indianola
Ready for pest-free living in Ottumwa?
Free quote, same-day service across town.