- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield, Inc. has been serving Frederick County homeowners since 2011, operating under Maryland Department of Agriculture license MDA #30263 with a team that brings over 75 years of combined pest management experience to every job. Owner Troy Yowell handles the majority of bee removal calls personally, and on-staff entomologist Jeffrey Allwine provides species-level identification when the situation calls for it. Pest Shield has earned 338+ five-star reviews across Google and HomeAdvisor — including consistent recognition for fast response, honest assessments, and work that holds.
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 bee calls start with something specific: a cluster of bees hanging from a fence post, a line of them disappearing into a gap under the eaves, or a pattern of round holes appearing in the fascia boards above the porch. Emmitsburg’s older housing stock — wood siding, exposed fascia, aging outbuildings — and its agricultural surroundings create consistent habitat for the bee species most likely to end up on your property. Knowing which bee you’re dealing with helps you describe the situation accurately and understand what treatment involves.
Bees are generally less aggressive than yellow jackets or hornets, but the calculus changes quickly near foot traffic, play areas, or anyone in the household with a sting allergy. A carpenter bee nest left untreated expands year over year — females return to the same wood and extend existing galleries, causing cumulative structural damage. A honey bee colony established inside a wall void is significantly harder and more expensive to address once comb is built. Calling early is almost always the simpler outcome.
60+ years of combined experience. Tell us what you’re seeing — we’ll come look, no obligation.
Bees had built a nest in an outside wall and were starting to show up in my basement. Troy came to the house within 3 hours and was able to stop the inside intrusion, and eliminate the nest. He was very knowledgeable and we were so happy with him, we will be retaining him for annual pest services.
Greg Droege · August 2014 Read on HomeAdvisor →
We hired them to combat carpenter bees in our garage and the fascia boards of our roof. Service was excellent, prompt, and competent. Troy excelled in educating us. The bees are gone. We are very pleased and would use them again.
Susan Kulp · May 2015 Read on HomeAdvisor →
We had a bees in our living room wall. I looked on home advisor and called Pest Shield Inc. I received a call within 2 hours and Troy was at my house that morning. He was very professional and knowledgeable. He assured me that he will take care of the bee’s. He started with the inside then went outside, that way to make sure they received a double dose. We waiting longer than 2 days to remove them. When my husband went to remove them, there were more. We called Troy and came out that day! No more bee’s and a satisfied family!!!
Karen Thielke · September 2014 Read on HomeAdvisor →
General pest & rodent control
When you call Pest Shield about a bee situation, Troy or a technician will assess what you’re dealing with — species, nest location, access — and schedule service for the same day or next day in most cases. Pest Shield’s stinging insect work is built around fast response: active bee situations near foot traffic or allergy-sensitive households don’t wait well, and the team’s schedule reflects that. Troy has located and treated nests in some genuinely difficult spots — soffits, wall voids, ground-level burrows, exhaust vents, chimney areas — and the approach is the same regardless of access: find the nest, treat it thoroughly, and stay to address any returning bees not present at the time of treatment.
The treatment model for bee removal is single-visit. Pest Shield treats the nest and the surrounding area, addresses returning foragers, and backs the work with a seasonal warranty — if bee activity returns from the same location within the season, Pest Shield comes back at no charge. Troy has documented this commitment explicitly: “if this doesn’t get it I will be back no charge.” The eco-friendly treatment process Pest Shield uses for stinging insect work is confirmed across customer reviews, and Troy takes precautions for homes with children, pets, and family members with sting allergies — he’ll advise on any post-treatment precautions specific to your situation before he leaves.
One note on scope: Pest Shield treats bees and removes nests. The company is not a beekeeping or colony relocation service — live honey bee swarm relocation to an apiary is a separate specialty. If your situation involves a swarm or an established honey bee colony, Troy will assess it and tell you honestly what the right course of action is, including whether relocation is a realistic option for your specific situation. That kind of straight answer is what Pest Shield is known for.
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.
Emmitsburg sits in the northern corner of Frederick County near the Pennsylvania border, roughly 20 miles north of Frederick along US-15. The town is surrounded by farmland and open meadow, with Catoctin Mountain Park to the east adding wooded lot character to many residential properties. Pest Shield serves Emmitsburg as part of its pest control in Emmitsburg coverage area, alongside Brunswick, Thurmont, Middletown, Walkersville, and Frederick itself.
Emmitsburg’s older housing stock — wood-sided homes, exposed fascia, aging barns and outbuildings — creates consistent habitat for eastern carpenter bees targeting weathered, unpainted wood. Agricultural surroundings and meadow edges support active ground-nesting bumble bee populations through late summer. The combination of older construction and rural surroundings makes bee pressure a recurring seasonal reality for many properties here, particularly from late spring through early fall.
Location and behavior are the fastest tells. Carpenter bees (*Xylocopa virginica*) leave perfectly round holes in wood — fascia boards, deck railings, porch ceilings — and you’ll often see large, shiny-bottomed bees hovering near the entry points. Bumble bees (*Bombus* spp.) nest in the ground or in low cavities; you’ll see them flying low and entering a hole at ground level near a lawn edge, deck, or compost pile. Honey bees (*Apis mellifera*) swarm in dense, moving clusters or establish colonies inside wall voids and structures — consistent bee traffic entering a gap or vent over several days is the key sign. If you’re not sure, describe what you’re seeing when you call — Troy or the team can usually narrow it down over the phone, and Jeffrey Allwine, Pest Shield’s on-staff entomologist, is available for species-level identification when needed.
Same-day service for active bee situations is standard for Pest Shield — it’s documented across dozens of customer reviews, including Sunday calls answered within the hour at no extra charge. If you call in the morning, same-day scheduling is the norm; next-day is typical for non-emergency situations. Emmitsburg falls within Pest Shield’s Frederick County service area, so response times are consistent with the rest of the coverage area. Call (301) 829-0060 and describe the situation — the team will tell you exactly when they can be there.
For most bee removal situations — carpenter bees, bumble bee ground nests, honey bee swarms — a single treatment is sufficient. Pest Shield’s discrete removal model is built around resolving the problem in one visit: Troy treats the nest, addresses returning foragers, and backs the work with a seasonal warranty. If bee activity returns from the same location within the season, Pest Shield returns at no charge. Carpenter bees are the one exception worth noting: females have a strong tendency to return to the same wood in subsequent seasons, so treating and sealing entry points after treatment is the most reliable long-term approach — Troy will advise on that during the visit.
Pest Shield uses eco-friendly treatment processes for stinging insect work, confirmed across customer reviews, and Troy takes specific precautions for homes with children, pets, and allergy-sensitive family members. He’ll advise on any post-treatment precautions — typically a brief period to allow product to dry before re-entering treated areas — before he leaves. Customers with dogs, young children, and immunocompromised family members have all documented Troy’s attentiveness to safety concerns. If you have specific concerns about pollinators or a garden near the treatment area, mention it when you call — Troy will factor that into his approach.
Pest Shield treats bees and removes nests — the company is not a beekeeping or live colony relocation service. If you have a honey bee swarm or an established colony inside a wall void, Troy will assess the situation honestly and tell you what the realistic options are, including whether relocation to an apiary is feasible for your specific case. In many situations, treatment is the practical answer; in others, a beekeeper referral makes more sense. You’ll get a straight answer either way — Pest Shield is well-documented for recommending against unnecessary treatment when that’s the honest call.
