- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield has been treating bed bug infestations across Frederick County since 2011, licensed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA #30263) and led by a certified pesticide applicator (MD Cert #19058). Owner Troy Yowell personally handles bed bug assessments, drawing on roughly 35 years of pest management experience — including years as a contractor protecting U.S. military bases overseas from disease-carrying insects. Our team carries over 75 years of combined pest management experience and includes on-staff entomologist Jeffrey Allwine when species confirmation is needed. Pest Shield holds a 5.0 rating across 338+ reviews and was named Best of Frederick Pest Control in 2021.
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.
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are flat, reddish-brown insects about the size of an apple seed that feed on human blood, typically at night. They are not a hygiene issue — they travel on luggage, used furniture, and clothing, and Frederick homes of every size, age, and price point are vulnerable. Accurate identification matters before any treatment decision is made, because what looks like bed bugs is sometimes something else entirely.
The panic and disgust that come with finding bed bugs are real, and we treat them that way. Bed bugs reproduce quickly and eggs are resistant to many treatments, which is why a single store-bought spray rarely resolves an established infestation. Professional assessment confirms whether you actually have bed bugs, locates the harborage points, and determines which treatment approach fits the situation.
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
Every bed bug job starts with a free inspection. Troy assesses the infestation in person — where bed bugs are hiding, how widespread the activity is, the structure of the home, and whether children, pets, or family members with health sensitivities are present. Only after that assessment does he recommend a treatment method, because bed bug eradication is not one-size-fits-all.
Pest Shield uses two documented treatment approaches:
Bed bug elimination is a bounded treatment cycle — not open-ended ongoing service. Most infestations are resolved through 2–3 visits spaced roughly two weeks apart. The interval matters: eggs that survive an initial treatment hatch within that window, and the follow-up visit is timed to catch newly emerged bugs before they can reproduce. A final follow-up confirms full eradication.
If the initial treatment doesn’t completely eliminate the infestation, we re-treat at no additional charge. This isn’t a marketing line — it’s documented in customer reviews. One Frederick-area customer’s heat treatment wasn’t fully effective on the first application; Troy re-heated the home and applied additional treatment at no cost, and the second round resolved it completely. The bio-pesticide option is EPA-approved, leaves no smell, and is documented as safe for homes with children and pets — Troy will walk through the safety profile for your specific household before any product is applied.
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.
Frederick sits at the intersection of I-70 and I-270 with the MARC Brunswick line running through downtown, and its housing stock spans 18th-century brick rowhouses in the historic district, mid-century neighborhoods near Baker Park, apartment complexes along the rail corridor, and newer suburban development pushing toward Urbana and Walkersville.
Bed bugs don’t discriminate by neighborhood or home age — they travel on luggage, used furniture, and shared walls. Frederick’s commuter traffic to D.C. and Baltimore, proximity to Hood College, and active short-term rental market all create ongoing introduction pathways, which is why a local company that can inspect tomorrow matters more than a national chain that routes your call to a regional dispatch center. For broader household pest pressures beyond bed bugs, pest control in Frederick covers the full range of issues affecting local homes year-round.
Yes. Our bio-pesticide spray option is an EPA-approved product documented as safe for homes with children and pets, and it leaves no residual smell. Heat treatment is chemical-free entirely — it works by raising room temperature to a level lethal to bed bugs at all life stages. Troy will walk through the safety profile for your specific household during the free inspection and recommend the method that fits.
Most bed bug infestations are resolved in 2–3 visits spaced about two weeks apart, with a follow-up visit to confirm eradication. The two-week interval is intentional — bed bug eggs that survive an initial treatment hatch within that window, and the follow-up catches newly emerged bugs before they can reproduce. Total time from first treatment to confirmed resolution is typically 4–6 weeks.
Preparation varies based on which treatment method Troy recommends, which is why we don’t send a generic checklist before the inspection. After the free assessment, you’ll get specific instructions for your situation — typically involving laundering bedding and clothing at high heat, reducing clutter near sleeping areas, and giving us access to the rooms being treated. For heat treatment, additional preparation may apply. Troy goes through it with you in person.
We re-treat at no additional charge. This is a documented commitment, not a marketing line — multiple customer reviews describe situations where the initial application didn’t fully resolve the infestation and Troy returned to re-treat at no cost. Bed bugs are difficult, and we stand behind the work until the problem is gone.
Same-day and next-day inspections are typical, including after-hours and Sunday availability when the situation calls for it. When you call (301) 829-0060, you talk directly to Troy or our office staff — not a regional call center — and the inspection is free. From there, treatment is usually scheduled within a few days once Troy has assessed the situation and recommended an approach.
