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We’re a different kind of pest control company.
We're not the pest control company that shows up in hazmat suits and makes you evacuate your house. Our team consists of Chicago locals who are genuinely passionate about environmental pest control – the kind of people who will patiently answer your questions about why ants march in lines and whether spiders really eat mosquitoes (spoiler: they do, and we love them for it).
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Get a Quote
Simply leave your details, and we'll get back to you right away.
Our Trusted Partners
We use professional-grade products that pest control companies don't sell to homeowners for good reason – they require expertise to apply correctly, but they actually eliminate entire pest populations instead of just killing whatever happens to walk across treated surfaces.
Meet the Founder, Chelsea
Hi, I'm the founder of Ladybug Defense, and here's something that often surprises people: I named my company after an insect, because I believe the good bugs deserve protection too. Growing up in my mother's pest control business in New York, I watched too many companies treat every creepy crawly like public enemy number one – including the beneficial insects that actually help keep real pests away. And so, we were created to be the difference, as a woman and minority-owned business.
The Legacy Behind Ladybug Defense
Pest control is the family business that made me who I am. My parents, Velma and Errol, came from Jamaica with a plan: build something that could employ their family and provide opportunities others wouldn't give them. In 1991, they founded Verrazano Exterminating Corp. – my mother leaving her career to go all-in, my father bringing years of hard-earned expertise. What started as a family venture with my brother Cory and me grew into a company employing hundreds over three decades. They didn't just build a successful business. They proved that immigrant grit and vision beat every advantage money can buy.
I Started at 15 and Never Left
My pest control journey began at 15 years old. My father taught me the craft – how to identify pest species, understand their behavior, and eliminate them effectively. My mother taught me business – how to lead people, solve problems, and build something sustainable. Everything I know about running a company came from watching them navigate challenges that would have crushed most people. Business degrees look impressive on walls. Real education happens when you grow up watching your parents build an empire from scratch, while teaching you every lesson along the way.
Why I Named It "Ladybug"
Ladybug Defense honors the women who shaped me: my mother Velma, my grandmother, and the female staff my mother intentionally hired and developed, in an industry that didn't always welcome women. My mother didn't talk about empowering women – she just did it, decades before it became a hashtag. She built teams of talented women who proved that gender means nothing when you're solving problems and serving customers excellently. When I started Ladybug Defense, the name was both tribute and promise: continuing what she started, building a company where capability matters more than outdated industry norms, and proving the next generation can honor the past while creating something new.
Our Journey So Far
Picture this: a fresh college graduate in 2014, armed with a degree and big dreams, gets roped into helping mom's pest control business "just temporarily." That temporary job turned into a decade-long obsession with revolutionizing an industry that seemed determined to stay stuck in the past.
I'll never forget the day a customer asked me if it was safe for her toddler to play in the backyard after our treatment. I gave her the standard company line about waiting 24 hours, but something in her worried expression haunted me. That night, I started researching. What I found changed everything.
There were EPA Minimum-Risk pesticides that actually worked – without the scary warning labels. There was something called Integrated Pest Management that actually prevented problems, instead of just reacting to them. And there were ways to do animal removal that didn't involve making wildlife disappear – just making your property less appealing to them in the first place.
From there, Ladybug Defense was born, as the product of a deep dive into insect behavior, urban ecology, and environmental pest control methods. We’re different – relentlessly so.
Why We're Different
We speak fluent "pest" (and human too)
Most pest control companies play whack-a-mole with bugs. We prefer to understand why the mole showed up in the first place. Our Integrated Pest Management approach is like being a detective – we investigate what's attracting pests, eliminate their motivations, and create an environment where they'd rather be anywhere else.
Our chemicals have ingredients you can actually pronounce
Remember being a kid and your mom telling you not to eat anything with ingredients you couldn't pronounce? We apply that same logic to pest control. Our EPA Minimum-Risk pesticides are made from things like rosemary oil, corn gluten, and citric acid, protecting your home against hidden nasties.
We're the pest control company that wildlife doesn't hate
When Chicago raccoons throw late-night parties in your attic, we don't just evict them – we figure out what made your property look like the perfect party venue and change that. Our animal removal approach is less "pest control bouncer" and more "wildlife real estate consultant."
"My restaurant had a persistent fruit fly situation that was driving me crazy. Previous companies kept treating the symptoms. Ladybug Defense found the real culprit – a tiny crack near our prep sink that was creating the perfect breeding ground. Their eco-friendly pest solutions fixed it permanently."
"We had what I was sure was a horror-movie-level bat infestation. Turns out it was three bats who had found a cozy spot in our eaves. The animal removal process was so gentle, I almost felt bad about evicting them. They even helped us bat-proof the area so our little visitors would find somewhere more appropriate."
"I was convinced I needed the 'nuclear option' for my ant problem. Turns out, these tiny insects were just following a scent trail from my pet's food bowl. The Ladybug Defense team sealed a few cracks and moved the bowl – problem solved with zero chemicals. I felt pretty silly, but they were incredibly gracious about it."
"We had a raccoon situation in our Lakeview attic that we just couldn't figure out how to handle. The team at Ladybug Defense came out late at night when we called, removed the animals safely, and helped us understand how to prevent it from happening again. They were patient with all our questions and really knew what they were doing."
"Running a restaurant in River North means we can't take any chances with pest issues. We've been working with Ladybug Defense for three years now, and they've always been reliable when we've needed them. They understand the food service industry and work around our schedule."
"When wasps showed up during our daughter's graduation party, we were pretty panicked. The Ladybug Defense team came out quickly and handled everything without making a big scene. Our guests barely noticed, and we could get back to celebrating."
"These aren't your typical construction companies in Los Angeles. They genuinely care about your experience… responsive communication, reliable timelines, and results that exceeded every expectation."
"These aren't your typical construction companies in Los Angeles. They genuinely care about your experience… responsive communication, reliable timelines, and results that exceeded every expectation."
"These aren't your typical construction companies in Los Angeles. They genuinely care about your experience… responsive communication, reliable timelines, and results that exceeded every expectation."
"These aren't your typical construction companies in Los Angeles. They genuinely care about your experience… responsive communication, reliable timelines, and results that exceeded every expectation."
The Science Behind Our Madness
We stay current with the latest research – because pest control is evolving rapidly. New eco-friendly pest solutions are being developed constantly, and animal removal techniques keep getting more sophisticated and humane. So much so, we attend workshops, to ensure we’re always the first in Chicago to offer the latest strategies.
Why Our Mascot Matters
Ladybugs eat aphids. Lots of them. One ladybug can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime, making them nature's pest control specialists. They're proof that the best solutions often come from understanding natural systems rather than overpowering them.
That's our approach in a nutshell: work with nature's existing systems rather than against them. Use environmental pest control methods that support beneficial insects while eliminating problematic ones. Create solutions that get better over time instead of requiring stronger treatments.
Step One: We investigate.
Every property tells a story about why pests choose it, and we're pretty good at reading between the lines. That trail of ants isn't random – they're following a scent highway to something delicious. Those mice aren't just lost tourists – they found the rodent equivalent of a luxury hotel.
Step Two: We eliminate the evidence.
Not just the pests, but whatever invited them to the party. This might mean sealing up secret entrances, removing attractions, or making your property significantly less appealing to unwanted guests.
Step Three: We prevent future cases.
Our environmental pest control solutions are designed to keep working long after we leave. We're not interested in creating customers for life – we want to solve your problem permanently.
Our Services
Emergency Response Services
Sometimes, pest problems can't wait until regular business hours. And so, our emergency exterminator services are available 24/7, ready to act in the moments that matter most.
Baiting
We design custom bait programs that turn pest psychology against them. Our targeted attractants eliminate entire colonies from the inside out, stopping problems at their source instead of chasing symptoms around your property.
Trapping
We deploy precision trapping systems tailored to each pest's behavior patterns. From microscopic indoor nuisances to backyard wildlife conflicts, we capture problems humanely while preventing their return to your space.
Mosquitos
We transform your outdoor areas from no-go zones back into family gathering spots. Our multi-layered mosquito defense eliminates breeding grounds and creates invisible shields so you can reclaim your summer evenings.
Bed Bugs
We wage war on bedroom invaders using advanced heat technology and precision treatments. These blood-thirsty hitchhikers meet their match with our comprehensive elimination approach that restores peaceful family sleep.
Roaches
We infiltrate and destroy roach networks that operate like underground cities in your walls. Our systematic approach eliminates visible roaches plus their hidden societies, ending their reign in your kitchen.
Ants
We break up ant crime families that have established elaborate operations in your home. By dismantling their communication networks and supply routes, we convince these organized invaders to relocate permanently.
Wasps
We defuse aerial threats that have taken your patio hostage. Our wasp specialists safely neutralize aggressive colonies while implementing territorial defense systems that restore your outdoor spaces.
Rodents
We evict rodent tenants who've been living rent-free in your walls. Our comprehensive approach combines active elimination with fortress-style exclusion work that ends unauthorized occupancy for good.
Environmental
We detective the environmental factors that rolled out welcome mats for pests. By modifying landscapes, moisture, and attractants, we create conditions where pests naturally choose to establish elsewhere.
Birds
Our bird netting, bird trapping and bird removal services handle the pigeons roosting on your beams, sparrows nesting in your eaves, and seagulls claiming your rooftop, using humane removal methods combined with exclusion barriers that actually prevent these persistent pests from returning.
Non-Pesticide Pest Control
We like to tackle problems at their source – sealing the gaps pests exploit, removing the garbage they feast on, caulking cracks they hide in, trimming vegetation they use as highways to your building, and eliminating the messy conditions that basically roll out the welcome mats.
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A Different Take on Pest Control
We don’t believe in treating your home like a chemical testing ground – or dealing with the same problems over and over, because nobody's addressing the root cause. Instead, we offer free consultations. No sales pressure. No scary chemical names. Just honest advice, from people who genuinely enjoy solving these puzzles.
Get a Quote
Simply leave your details, and we'll get back to you right away.
Ladybug Defense serves Chicago with reliable pest control solutions, emergency exterminator services, and professional wild animal removal. We're available 24/7 because we understand that pest problems don't keep regular business hours.