These are the most common pests in Apple Valley Minnesota

(Click on the names to keep from scrolling)

Ants

Mice

Wasps

Spiders

Boxelder/Stink Bugs

Emerald Ash Borer

To protect your home from all these insects and more our Insect Prevention Plan or IPP is the best option

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If you have any questions or concerns or would like to schedule an appointment call or send us an email

Call Us Today! 952-404-BOGO (2646)

Carpenter ants serve an important role in Apple Valley’s ecosystems. When they are found crawling on trees they aren’t hurting the tree. The tree they decide to live inside is a tree that is already dying or rotting from water damage. They pick these trees because the wood on the outer layer is soft and easy for them to chew through. They chew small tunnels inside the dead parts of a tree to store food and larvae. By chewing these tunnels they are breaking down the sick parts of the tree and at the same time, the sawdust that falls into the ground acts as a great fertilizer for the tree and the plants below. When they get inside homes and buildings they are an indicator that the home has water damage. It could commonly be just an old rotted deck that attracts them to build a nest near the home.

Pavement ants are one of the most common ants to spot in Anoka Minnesota. They are very small measuring around 0.3 cm in length. Their colors vary between reddish-brown or all-brown. They also play an important role in our ecosystems. Because they build their nest underground they loosen up the soil and aerate it. Their colonies are so large measuring up to 10,000 worker ants that they often do a better job with aerating than earthworms do. While digging tunnels underground they leave a circle of dirt and sand above the ground. The ants that are seen inside a home are often foraging ants looking for food. Foraging ants will travel up to 100 yards away from the nest to venture out for food and water.

Our ant service is for people who find ants inside their homes. Ant nests that are outside happen naturally and should be left alone. When ants are active inside a home in the winter we focus on treating in the interior. The product we use is a foam that fills cracks and crevices inside rooms where the ants are the most active. This product doesn’t kill the ants right away so it’s common to see them still roaming around after our service. After 2-4 weeks, the ant colony inside the home should be eradicated. During warmer months the ant treatment is focused around the exterior foundation of the home. The treatment acts as a barrier to keep out the foraging ants that live outside. It takes around 30 days to stop seeing any ants inside.

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Mice behave differently in Apple Valley Minnesota due to the 4 seasons. Mice start working in overdrive in the fall. They are busy adding to their pile of food to hoard up for the winter. They are also looking for places to make nests for the winter. Mice do not hibernate so they pick places that are warm to live in. If their nest stays warm they will have more success with breeding raising their young. Most mice will live in groups of multiple females their offspring and one or 2 males. Their territory usually stretches around 30 yards away from their nest. Mice leave scent trails that mark their territory to help the mice in their group find their way back to their nest. Over time these scent trails can become rub marks. These are often visible next to entry points mice use to get inside the home.

Mice in Apple Valley prefer living in environments that provide them with the most food and protection from predators. Mice have a built-in instinct to climb and build nests off of the ground to avoid predators like; snakes, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, etc. Wooded environments provide them with an abundance of trees to live inside. The trees also produce seeds and nuts that mice feed on and hoard up for winter. Other environments they thrive in include near bodies of water. These areas also provide them with insects to eat and other vegetation like long grass to hide inside.

Our mouse service takes into account the science behind how mice behave in nature. They are creatures of habit and often stay in the same area for most of their lives. This includes using the same entry points into a home. Which is why our service is so effective. We know what to look for when it comes to noticing signs of mouse activity and entry points. Our first step in mouse-proofing a home includes a thorough inspection of the exterior of the property. Our techs take photos of entry points, any signs of mice, and limitations. Limitations are things that can block us from sealing the entire foundation or roof. After the inspection, the customer gets to decide whether or not they want their house sealed. During the seal-up, we use techniques and materials that most pest control companies do not. Our service is quoted so we do not have to rush and make sure every crack and entry point is sealed correctly.

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Paper wasps are identifiable by their orange antennas, larger size, and uniquely made nests. They measure to be between 0.5-1.0 inches. They are one of the largest wasps that live in Minnesota. Even though they are a larger size their nests are not. An undisturbed nest can have between 30-70 wasps by the end of the summer. Their nests have hexagonal cells that they use for the pupa and larvae. The cells are exposed and visible from the outside. Each nest is circular or oval-shaped which has played a part in their nickname the “umbrella wasp”.

Yellow jackets are the most aggressive wasps in Apple Valley Minnesota. They grow between 0.4-0.6 inches long. Their aggressive nature is often influenced by the changes in temperatures outside. At the end of the summer, their nests can grow to have 10,000 workers or more! All these workers need food to eat. For yellow jackets, their diet consists of foods that contain sugar and carbohydrates. This includes; nectar from flowers and fruits. When temperatures go down these foods become harder to find. This causes them to often spend more time around humans and human food. As more and more wasps in the colony start to starve their aggressive nature is enhanced.

Our wasp treatment in Apple Valley is very effective for wasps that live in large social colonies. Out of the wasps that live in these colonies only a small percentage leave the nest to forage. When over-the-counter wasp killer products are used the only wasps that will be affected are the foragers. They do this by being designed to kill the wasps instantly as soon as they come in contact with the treatment. Our product works differently. Instead of killing the wasps instantly, they can carry it back inside the nest to spread it throughout the rest of the colony. Most nests will be completely eradicated 2 weeks after spraying.

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Spiders are one of the most feared creatures on our planet. Luckily in Apple Valley Minnesota, we don’t have to worry about venomous spiders putting someone in the hospital. The role spiders play in our ecosystem is a good reason not to fear them. They feed on insects that are commonly known for spreading diseases and infesting homes. Their main foods include; mosquitos, ticks, moths, ants, and flies. Without spiders, these insects would be overpopulated.

Insects or animals pick a habitat to live in they make their decision based on the abundance of food available. Spiders eat insects so they thrive in habitats that also have a large population of insects. Insects such as; mosquitos, flies, ticks, and others all like to live close to bodies of water or wooded areas. When spiders are seen inside a home there are often other insects inside the home. When a home has a moisture problem it also attracts insects like ants, centipedes, silverfish, and others. Keeping leaf litter away from the foundation and outside basement gully windows is important too. This will also deter spiders as many insects live inside leaf litter.

Our spider service is more effective when the treatment is done on the exterior of the home. We start each service by knocking down as many cobwebs as we can. Our brush wands may not be able to reach them all. By knocking down the cobwebs we are eliminating the chance of spider egg sacs from hatching out. One egg sac can hatch out hundreds of baby spiders. Homes that are close to a body of water or a wooded area need to be treated multiple times. There is often such a large spider population in these areas that after we spray the spiders will repopulate the home. When we spray on the exterior the product will only stay effective for 2 months.

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Boxelder bugs can be seen roaming around inside homes in Apple Valley Minnesota in the middle of winter. As they are overwintering inside they stay in a dormant state due to the cold temperatures. When they are seen roaming around it is because the sun warmed up the roof, siding, and windows enough for some of the insects to defrost. During the spring they can be seen trying to find their way outside to start to feed and breed. Boxelder bugs do not breed or lay eggs in the winter. They feed on grass fruits and seeds. When they are ready to breed they fly to female boxelder trees. They lay their eggs on the branches, leaves, and bark. When the eggs hatch the young nymphs feed on the helicopter seeds the tree produces. The nymphs are all red and cannot fly. In the fall the bugs will start searching for homes and buildings to overwinter inside.

Stink bugs behave similarly to boxelder bugs. They overwinter inside buildings and homes in Apple Valley Minnesota. When they get inside they are found inside attics or near chimneys. When the sun warms up the roof and siding they can be found crawling towards windows to warm up. They are also active inside homes in the spring as they are trying to find their way outside to feed and breed. Their diet consists of eating; sweet corn, tomatoes, grapes, and apples among other fruits. They lay their eggs on various plants often in large crop fields. Stink bugs were first seen in Minnesota in 2010 and have quickly spread to become one of the most common fall pests.

Our service for boxelder bugs and stink bugs in Apple Valley is only done in the fall. The service becomes more effective if the product is put on the home before the bugs start landing on the exterior. The service is also made effective by spraying the exterior of the home. When we spray we try to cover the entire exterior of the home. From the foundation up to the soffits and top of the chimneys. These bugs can both fly and can fit through the smallest cracks and vents that are not visible from the ground. The spray stays effective for 2 months and the bugs will die 30-45 minutes after landing on the home.

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Emerald Ash Borer is infecting ash trees in Apple Valley Minnesota. They are an invasive species that came to America from Northeastern Asia. As adults, they lay 60-90 eggs on the bark of ash trees. When they hatch the larvae come out and live off of eating the cambium layer of the tree. The cambium layer is the growing part of the tree. Every tree has rings and the newest ring or outermost ring is where the cambium layer is located. When the layer gets damaged it stunts the growth of the tree and makes it difficult for the tree to spread nutrients and water to all the branches and leaves.

We have tested out various ash treatments and finally found one that is the most effective. This treatment goes by the name of pneumatic micro-injections. This treatment takes a little bit more time than the others. It involves drilling multiple injection points around the tree. We inject the product into each point individually.

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To protect your home from all these insects and more our Insect Prevention Plan or IPP is the best option

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(Click on the cities to learn about what pests to watch out for in your area)

If you have any questions or concerns or would like to schedule an appointment call or send us an email

Call Us Today! 952-404-BOGO (2646)