4 Reasons Why You Need Lawn Pest Control in Minnesota

Insects and rodents are a common sight in yards, gardens, and landscaped areas. While some insects are crucial to our ecosystem, others can become a pest when they invade yards and homes. That’s where prioritizing lawn pest control comes in. Whether calling a pest control specialist to spray your lawn, garden and other common areas or doing it yourself using pesticides, preventing a pest infestation is critical to keeping a well-maintained landscape. 

Whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, you’ll want to understand the importance of taking preventive measures to control pests and how it can benefit you and your business with our four top reasons why you need lawn pest control in Minnesota. 

1- Decrease the Risk of Diseases 

A number of insects can be considered a nuisance. But some of the most unwanted pests are the insects that can carry diseases.  Some of these insects include mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, which can transmit diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease. If your lawn, pond or garden are not appropriately maintained, these pests can breed and multiply. This can increase the risk of infection for your employees, tenants or customers. Having a treatment plan is an important step to maintaining proper insect pest control.  By calling an exterminator you can help control the populations of these pests and decrease the risk of disease transmission, keeping both you, your business patrons, and or your loved ones healthy and safe, especially during the summer months. 

2 – Maintain a Healthy Landscape

Landscaping can be expensive. You not only spend a lot of money on installing your plants and lawn, but you spend a lot of time mainting them. To keep your lawn, gardens, trees and shrubs healthy you’ll want to keep the bugs away. While there are benefits to insects such as encouraging pollination or waste decomposition, parasitic insects like aphids, mites, and whiteflies can damage plants and trees by feeding on the leaves and stems, causing them to wither and die. This can be especially problematic for businesses that rely on healthy plants and trees to create a welcoming outdoor space for customers. Proper insect pest control can help keep these damaging insects at bay and prevent costly deterioration of the foliage and curb appeal of your property. 

3 – Enhance a Positive Image for Your Business

Your business’s exterior plays a vital role in managing your brand image. If a customer or guest visits your property and finds an unkempt outdoor area overrun with pests or if they’re being bitten by bugs while patronizing your business, it can create an unfavorable experience and affect your reputation. By keeping your store front tidy and pest-free, you not only create a good first impression, but you demonstrate your commitment to quality and safety to both staff and customers.

4 – Protect Your Property from Structural Damage

Pests like termites, carpenter ants, and rodents pose a real threat to buildings and homes. These unwanted guests can do significant damage to the structure of your property, causing harm to its foundation, walls, and roof. While investing in insect pest control measures comes at a cost, employing them to detect and mitigate any structural damage can help prevent more costly repairs further down the line. When you stop the invasive bugs before they become a nuisance, you save yourself dollars in the long run. 

What Minnesota Pests Should You Hire a Pest Control Company For?

Minnesota is home to many pests that can compromise your business, home and lawn. Now that you have a basic understanding of how pest control can help, let’s discuss some additional local pests to keep an eye out for in order to help ensure your property stays looking great.

Japanese Beetle

The Japanese beetle loves feasting on foliage and flowers. They have an insatiable appetite and can quickly cause significant damage to your lawn and garden. They can also attract other pests, such as rodents, to your yard. To control and remove these pests, consider using insecticides or traps.

Gypsy Moth

Gypsy moths love chewing on leaves, leaving large, unsightly holes in them. Significant outbreaks of these pests can defoliate entire trees, making them vulnerable to other diseases and insect infestations. To reduce the chance of gypsy moth infestation, you can use Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) sprays or pheromone traps.

Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer is a long green beetle and one of the most destructive pests in Minnesota. They lay their eggs in the bark of ash trees, causing grave damage to the tree’s structure and ultimately causing it to die. In order to handle these pests, it is best to call in a professional pest control company. The process is complicated and requires specialized equipment to rid your property of this invasive (and destructive) species.

Mosquitoes

We’ve all had experience with mosquitoes, and given the state’s abundance of lakes and rivers, they are one of the most common pest insects in Minnesota. Not only do they leave itchy bites that are unsightly and take several days to heal, but they can also carry various diseases such as West Nile virus and Zika virus. If you want to avoid a mosquito problem on your property, you can take steps such as removing standing water, repairing screens, using traps/zappers, or call in a professional to spray your yard.

Ticks

Ticks are prevalent in Minnesota and they can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, which is dangerous to both humans and pets. They thrive in tall grass and wooded areas, so it’s best to keep your yard trimmed and mowed short. To remove these pests, efficiently maintaining your lawn with regular mowing and weed control, call a pest control service to see what options are available, encourage patrons and employees to dress accordingly if neccessary in order to repel ticks. 

Gophers and Moles

While not a bug, both gophers and moles are a common problem for those who reside in Minnesota. These critters are responsible for damaging landscaping and gardens and have strong digging abilities. This means they can excavate large areas of ground quickly, damaging turf and plantings. All while the holes they leave behind can cause injury to both humans and pets alike if one were to accidentally step in them. To solve the problem, apply repellent products, install mesh screens, and barrier systems around plants. If all else fails call an exterminator who can assist in the removal of rodents such as gophers and moles. 

The Bottom Line – Investing in Lawn Pest Control in Minnesota is Worth It

Insects and rodents may have a place in nature, but they don’t belong in your lawn or your business. If you are a business owner or property manager, consider hiring a professional service to kill pests and protect your yard properly.  After all, having various pest control measures in place can not only protect the safety and health of your customers and/or loved ones, but it can help you in maintaining a healthy landscape.