- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield, Inc. has provided bed bug inspection and treatment across Frederick County since 2011, operating under Maryland Department of Agriculture license MDA #30263 with certified pesticide applicator MD Certified #19058. Owner Troy Yowell brings approximately 35 years of pest management experience to every service call, and entomologist Jeffrey Allwine is on staff for species-level confirmation when field identification isn’t conclusive. With 338+ five-star reviews across Google and HomeAdvisor, Pest Shield, Inc. is the local, owner-operated choice for New Market homeowners dealing with a bed bug problem — no call centers, no subcontractors, no default protocols.
How it works
Four steps. No surprises. Same answer whether it's your first call or your tenth.
You reach Troy or someone on his team directly. No call center, no dispatcher, no routing.
Same-day or next-day for most calls. Emergency stinging-insect situations and real-estate WDI deadlines get priority.
We identify the species, locate entry points, and find the source — not just the symptom.
Written recommendation, straightforward pricing, no obligation. If you don't need treatment, we'll tell you.
Most people don’t see a live bed bug first — they see the evidence. If you’re waking up with unexplained bites or noticing something off about your bedding, here’s what to look for before you call anyone.
One thing worth saying directly: bed bugs are not a hygiene problem. Cimex lectularius hitchhikes — on luggage, used furniture, clothing, and through shared walls in multi-unit buildings. They show up in clean homes, new homes, and hotels at every price point. New Market’s position along the I-70 corridor makes it a natural commuter community, and that commuter lifestyle — hotel stays, rideshares, public transit, frequent travel — creates real exposure pathways. The active real estate market here adds another: used furniture and secondhand goods moving through homes during purchases and relocations. If you’re seeing the signs above, the right next step is a professional assessment — not self-treatment, and not panic.
Bed bugs are also persistent. A single missed harborage site — a crack in a bed frame joint, a gap behind an outlet cover, the lining of a box spring — can allow a population to rebound after incomplete treatment. That’s why the treatment cycle matters as much as the treatment itself.
60+ years of combined experience. Tell us what you’re seeing — we’ll come look, no obligation.
It was a horrible discovery when we realized we had brought bed bugs to our home from a hotel we had stayed in. I called Troy in an absolute panic and he was so kind, patient and helpful. He spent over an hour on the phone with me, educating me all about bed bugs and how to get rid of them. I called back twice more before he came to service our home because I was so upset and he truly helped ease my fears. When he came he was prompt, thorough, and professional. I also greatly appreciated how he scheduled a follow up to make sure the problem was taken care of. We were SO grateful with the new technology and spray Troy uses that was safe for our children and dog, left no smell, and completely eradicated the problem. Troy is honest, extremely kind, unbelievably knowledgeable, priced very fair, and more than capable of handling bug problems. We couldn’t recommend him more!
Alexandra Edwards · January 2023 Read on Google →
We hired Pest Shield despite the fact that their price was more than double some of the other companies I interviewed. The reason we did is because unlike the other companies, Pest Shield uses heat as a treatment. After doing my online research, I decided it was worth the extra money to do so. The first round of heat didn’t completely work – the next day, Troy from Pest Shield and I found live bed bugs in some of the blankets. Troy was true to his word, and reheated the upstairs for free and did additional treatments. It appears this second heat treatment was completely effective.
Marc Shiman · April 2014 Read on HomeAdvisor →
I had bed begs. Troy and his team got rid of them (so far). It has only been a few days but I was very impressed with the professionalism, honesty and expertise he provided to me. His pricing compared to his competitors was great as well! I was so impressed I referred him to my parents for termite treatment before he even did the treatment in my home. I would definitely recommend Troy and Pest Shield to others, and would hire Troy again in a second!
Alison Harris · November 2013 Read on HomeAdvisor →
General pest & rodent control
The first thing Pest Shield does is inspect. Troy or a technician will assess the infestation before recommending any treatment — confirming the pest, identifying harborage sites, and evaluating the scope. If there’s any uncertainty about what you’re dealing with, entomologist Jeffrey Allwine is on staff for species-level identification. No treatment gets recommended until there’s a clear picture of what’s actually present.
Pest Shield uses two documented treatment approaches for bed bugs, and the right one depends on the specific infestation:
The treatment cycle is bounded by biology. Bed bug eggs are resistant to most treatments — they hatch 6–10 days after being laid, which means a single visit rarely achieves complete eradication. Pest Shield’s protocol typically involves 2–3 visits spaced approximately two weeks apart, timed to address newly hatched nymphs before they can reproduce. A follow-up inspection confirms eradication before the case is closed.
| Visit | What Happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Initial inspection & treatment | Harborage assessment, treatment method selected, first application | Day 1 |
| Follow-up treatment | Addresses newly hatched nymphs from eggs that survived first treatment | ~2 weeks later |
| Confirmation visit | Inspection to verify no remaining activity; additional treatment if needed at no charge | ~2 weeks after second visit |
When the work is done, Troy explains what was found, what was treated, and what to watch for. A follow-up is scheduled — not offered as an option — to confirm the infestation is fully resolved. Both heat treatment and the bio-pesticide spray are EPA-approved methods; the spray option is specifically documented as safe for homes with children and pets, and neither method requires you to discard your mattress or furniture in most cases. If you’re not sure whether what you’re seeing is actually bed bugs, call before assuming — an honest assessment costs nothing, and Pest Shield has told more than one customer they didn’t need treatment at all.
Owner
Founded Pest Shield in 2011 after years as a pest management contractor on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Around 35 years in pest management. Personally handles or leads the majority of service calls.
Pest Management Specialist
Field technician handling residential and commercial service calls across Frederick, Carroll, and Montgomery counties.
Pest Management Specialist
Field technician handling residential and commercial service calls across the service area.
Our Entomologist
Consulting entomologist on species identification, conducive conditions, and treatment strategy for difficult cases.
New Market sits in eastern Frederick County along the I-70 corridor, roughly midway between Frederick and the Montgomery County line. The town itself is one of Maryland’s oldest — its Main Street dates to the late 1700s — but the surrounding residential development is largely newer, built to serve the Frederick–DC commuter market. Pest Shield operates out of Mt. Airy, less than five miles away, making New Market a direct local dispatch with no routing through a regional call center or subcontractor network.
The commuter geography matters for bed bug exposure. Residents who travel regularly for work — hotel stays, rideshares, flights — face consistent reintroduction risk. New Market’s active real estate turnover, driven by its I-70 access and proximity to both Frederick and Gaithersburg employment centers, means used furniture and secondhand goods move through homes frequently. The town’s older housing stock, including properties with original plaster walls and tighter structural cavities, can make harborage identification more involved — which is exactly why an on-site inspection by someone who knows the pest matters more than a phone estimate. For broader household pest pressure beyond bed bugs, pest control in New Market covers the full range of seasonal and year-round threats local residents face.
Most bed bug infestations require 2–3 visits spaced approximately two weeks apart. The spacing is driven by egg biology — bed bug eggs are resistant to treatment and hatch 6–10 days after being laid, so follow-up visits are timed to address newly hatched nymphs before they can reproduce. Pest Shield schedules a confirmation visit after the treatment cycle to verify the infestation is fully resolved. If any activity remains, re-treatment is provided at no charge.
Yes — Pest Shield’s bio-pesticide spray treatment is documented as safe for children and pets, leaves no odor, and has fully eradicated infestations in homes with young children and dogs. Heat treatment is also a non-chemical option. Troy assesses each situation individually and will explain which method is appropriate for your home and household before any treatment begins. Both methods are EPA-approved.
It depends on the treatment method. Heat treatment typically requires occupants — including pets — to vacate the treated area for the duration of the application and a short period afterward. The bio-pesticide spray method has a shorter re-entry window and has been used in occupied homes with children and pets. Troy will walk you through exactly what’s needed for your specific treatment before the appointment, so there are no surprises on the day.
In most cases, no. Both heat treatment and bio-pesticide spray are designed to treat mattresses, box springs, and furniture in place — discarding them is rarely necessary and doesn’t prevent reinfestation if harborage sites elsewhere in the room aren’t addressed. Troy will assess your specific situation during the inspection and let you know if anything needs to be removed, but that recommendation is the exception rather than the rule.
Yes, and that’s exactly how Pest Shield operates. Troy inspects before recommending any treatment, and if field identification isn’t conclusive, entomologist Jeffrey Allwine is on staff for species-level confirmation. Pest Shield has told customers they didn’t need treatment after inspection — that’s documented across multiple reviews. A free inspection is the starting point for every new client relationship, and no treatment gets recommended until there’s a clear picture of what’s actually present. Call (301) 829-0060 to schedule yours.
