Ants belong to the insect family Formicidae in the order Hymenoptera, the same order comprising bees and wasps. Ants are also without a doubt, the number one pest problem in the country.

Some 12,000 species of ants are crawling over the globe — more than 100 species in Minnesota alone! Their colonies are enormous, numbering up to 300,000-500,000. That is a whole lot of ants. And sometimes it may seem like they’re all partying on your kitchen counter!

Ants Are Everywhere!

They crawl over the rocks, they pile up sand on the sidewalk… ants are everywhere! We just don’t want them in our kitchens!

Carpenter ants are among the largest and most common ants in Minnesota. It is common to find carpenter ants in homes during spring as they forage for food. It is important to try to determine whether the ants are coming from an outdoor or an indoor nest, although this can be difficult.

Outdoors, the nests of ants can be identified by their characteristic mounds. Nests may also be constructed next to or under house foundations, sidewalks, patios, or in decaying tree trunks.

Indoors, ants may nest in walls and behind baseboards. Often, ant trails enter through a crack but the nest may be some distance away. Some ants may also nest in decayed or rotting wood in your home.

Preventing Carpenter Ant Problems

Ant Damage

Since ants can gain access to a home through small cracks and crevasses, the key to controlling these pests is cleanliness. So, keeping a tidy ship can help. Any food or flavored liquid can attract and sustain ants. Store food in tight containers. Remove plants that can attract ants and other insects that produce honeydew. Reduce moisture sources, including condensation and leaks.

Remember, ants are usually associated with moisture, especially where wood is involved. Carpenter ants are attracted to areas where wood is moist or constantly exposed to rain or leaks, such as near doors, windows, roofs, etc.

Remove leaves and other debris that clog gutters. Clogged gutters may lead to wood rot problems on fascia and soffits.

Never stack wood near or against your home. It can lead to problems with termites, carpenter ants and other pests.

What to Do About Ants

First, one must identify the species of ant involved in order to apply the prescribed treatment. These can include bait stations or basic insecticides. However, many times these treatments are misused and prove inadequate.

The most effective way to combat ants is with an inspection by a Minnesota Pest Control Expert. They can also repair any damage they may have caused in a way that will prevent them from coming back!

It has been a long winter and ants are on the move, as spring marks the peak months of swarming season. Reports are especially high during their swarming season, April through June. During these months, new colonies are established while fresh food sources are sought out. Carpenter ants are nocturnal migrating pests, with peak hours of activity just before and after sunset.  

Minnesota Homeowners Seek Pest Control Services For Carpenter Ants

Many Minnesota homeowners are unaware of their property being invaded, as months may pass without any noticeable signs of infestation.

Ants encompass a broad spectrum of ant species. These species vary greatly in both physical appearance and behavior. This diversity makes it extremely difficult for the average homeowner to prevent or eradicate these pests, as different species are attracted to various food sources and environments.

Carpenter Ant

Despite carpenter ants being one of the most common pests in Minnesota, the widespread misconception remains that they are wood-eating organisms. This is not true, as they only seek out damaged wood in which to nest and establish a colony. However, it is true that this nesting and ensuing tunneling causes extensive structural damage to homes. To make matters worse, carpenter ants are often mistaken for termites, resulting in ineffective extermination treatments.

Ants swarming, homeowners must take preventative measures against infestation. Sealing small cracks and crevasses around floorboards and windows and addressing moisture prone areas are all vital to home protection. One should keep food properly stored and regularly clean and maintain food areas. Although preventive measures help against ants, only a Minnesota pest control expert can ensure one’s home is truly protected.

Control of Carpenter Ants

The control of carpenter ants is essential to prevent major structural damage in a home where these insects have taken up residence. Though carpenter ants do not eat wood, they drill tunnels and chambers into wall studs and other wood to build their nests and can eventually cause as much damage as termites.

Wood damaged by mature carpenter ants

Carpenter ants are attracted to damp and rotting wood like the moist area at the bottom of a stack of firewood or compost pile. The insects may sometimes be drawn into a home because of a water leak that has caused rotting wood inside, but they can migrate into dry areas once the colony is well established.

Since carpenter ants are drawn to damp wood, it can be a tremendous deterrent to remove all sources of excess water in and around the home. Leaking pipes, faucets, gutters, and downspouts should be repaired, and any damaged or rotting wood should be replaced with new. Outdoor wood piles should be raised off of the ground to prevent the moistness that carpenter ants love.

If you have a carpenter ant infestation, what you need is an exterminator who will locate the nest location(s) and eliminate all the ants.  They are well trained in locating their nesting location and terminating the entire colony.

What to do about household ants

The U of M has some helpful information about what to do about household ants

Jeffrey Hahn, Extension Entomologist, University of Minnesota Extension
Phillip Pellitteri, Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin Extension

Printer-friendly PDF version (208 K PDF)

Once again, its spring and a good time for carpenter ants. In fact, wherever you go, ants are the number one pest problem in the country and are also one of the most difficult pests to treat. Ants have long been the bane of Minnesota homeowners as they invade kitchens in warm months in search of food.

Carpenter Ants

During the spring and summer it is common to see an ant or a line of ants making their way across the kitchen floor.

As the weather continues to get warmer, you can expect an increase in the number of these tiny terrors. When temperatures rise, pests perk up. Insects are temperature-dependent. When weather gets cold, their metabolism slows and when the weather warms, their metabolism increases in activity so we see more activity in the warm months.

They are small and can get in very easily. They never travel alone, so before you know it you have an infestation! The biggest mistake you can make is to start killing ants as you see them, which will not stop the problem. Bug sprays can help, but wont’ stop them from returning or reproducing. Keep this in mind… For every ant you see there are 100′s more behind the walls.

Activity by these common, widespread and abundant ants is very noticeable in the springtime, as the wingless workers work (enlarge nests, forage for food, care for the larvae) and the winged swarmers swarm (fly off to start new colonies).

Ants, like their relatives, bees and some wasps, are social insects. They are called social because they form communities and all work together towards the maintenance of the nest.

Control of carpenter ants remains a frustrating and difficult job that would be much easier to do if the nests were conspicuous and easy to locate. Unfortunately, they don’t march around carrying signs. It is important to try to determine whether the ants are coming from an outdoor or an indoor nest. Finding the ants is a bit tricky, so fighting these little buggers can be a long-term battle.

Nests may be outdoors in stumps, logs, hollow trees, dead limbs or firewood and they may be a hundred feet or more from the house where the ants are invading in search of food. Nests may also be inside the house in sites as diverse as wall studs, window sills, wood flooring, rafters, roof sheathing and the interior spaces of hollow-core doors.

So, before things progress any more in the ant world, now is the time to contact the Minnesota pest control expert who will locate the nest location(s) and eliminate all the ant colonies before they completely take over!

It is time to start thinking about those pests who always seem to show their faces as spring arrives and stay all summer.  They are creepy and crawly and they are would love nothing more than to get INTO your home!  We’re talking about wasps and bees!

Bees, like ants, termites, and some wasps, are social insects. They are called social because they form communities and all work together towards the maintenance of the nest.

When temperatures rise, pests perk up. Insects are temperature-dependent. When weather gets cold, their metabolism slows and when the weather warms, their metabolism increases in activity so we see more activity in the warm months.

As the weather continues to get warmer, you can expect an increase in the number of pests you see as they seek food, water, and shelter. If you are not prepared when these tiny terrors come a’knockin, don’t be surprised if a few uninvited guests try to crash your first spring barbecue!

I thought this was worth a share.

So this guy decided to use his BBQ this weekend… so he thought he’d clean it up. He had known there were bee’s coming from under the cover so he thought he’d kill them, obviously…

Don’t let these pests ruin your summertime fun!

Now is a great time of year to “nip it in the bud by preventing them from getting in as best you can!”  Seal as many cracks and holes on the outside of your home as possible, especially on the south and west walls where the sun heats the home during the late summer and fall. Also, you should install tight-fitting screens on all foundation and attic vents.

Wasp and Bee Management

Some types of wasp or bee problems are easy to control. For more challenging cases, consider hiring an experienced pest control expert. Nests are best dealt with during late evening when wasps and bees are less active and foraging workers have returned to the nest. Wasps and bees generally will not attack as long as they are not physically threatened. However, use caution as wasps and bees will protect their nest. The last thing you want to encounter is a bee with a BAD ATTITUDE! He just might decide to stick it to ya!

A Minnesota Pest Control Expert is an excellent option for getting rid of the pests. They can also repair any damage they may have caused in a way that will prevent them from coming back!

By the way… I Would SO Buy A New BBQ!

Just FYI: Yellow Jacket Mafia:

A dying Yellow jacket releases an alarm chemical that alerts all the other Yellow jackets near the nest to its tragic fate. In less than 15 seconds, Yellow jackets within a 15-foot radius will rally to attack the predator.

Spring is in the air!  That means the time for hibernation is over and, if you’re like most people, you probably find yourself spending more and more time outside. However, you and your family aren’t the only ones emerging with the warm weather. With spring comes a spike in pests and invasive insects that would love nothing more than to get INTO your home!

As we welcome the warmer weather, it is time to start thinking about those pests who always seem to show their faces as Spring arrives. When the warm weather arrives, ultimately so do the bugs that thrive in it. If you are not prepared, don’t be surprised if a few uninvited guests try to crash your first Spring barbecue!

Spring Pests To Be On The Lookout For

Minnesota is home to many bugs and insects, as well as mice and other wildlife. Unfortunately there tends to be an explosion of pest activity that accompanies one of the most anticipated times of the year. With that in mind, we’ve highlighted some of the more common summer pest problems.

Ants

One of the most common pests that invade homes is ants. In fact, wherever you go, ants are the number one pest problem in the country and are also one of the most difficult pests to treat.  During the summer time it is a common to see an ant or a line of ants making their way across the kitchen floor or even the patio as they forage for food.  Trash and other remnants from summertime get-togethers can attract these pests to your backyard.

They are small and can get in very easily. They never travel alone, so before you know it you have an infestation! The biggest mistake you can make is to start killing ants as you see them, which will not stop the problem. Bug sprays can help, but wont’ stop them from returning or reproducing. Keep this in mind… For every ant you see there are 100 more behind the walls.

Once again, it is a good spring for carpenter ants. Activity by these common, widespread and abundant ants is very noticeable in the springtime, as the wingless workers work (enlarge nests, forage for food, care for the larvae) and the winged swarmers swarm (fly off to start new colonies).

Control of carpenter ants remains a frustrating and difficult job that would be much easier to do if the nests were conspicuous and easy to locate. Nests may be outdoors in stumps, logs, hollow trees, dead limbs or firewood and they may be a hundred feet or more from the house where the ants are invading in search of food. Nests may also be inside the house in sites as diverse as wall studs, window sills, wood flooring, rafters, roof sheathing and the interior spaces of hollow-core doors.

Earwigs

Earwigs are most recognizable by the pincers that adorn their heads. It’s not uncommon to find these bugs inside your home as they tend to crawl in through entry points such as underneath doors, open windows, and cracks in your home’s foundation. Generally they are attracted to moisture, so keeping your home dry is a great preventative measure. But beware, these pests can repopulate quickly so you will need to handle them aggressively. Earwigs are both plant and insect eaters. In fact, they will eat just about anything. When you start to see Earwigs in or around your house the chances are pretty good you have an infestation.

Millipedes

Generally, millipedes are characterized by their long slender bodies and abundance of legs. They normally live outside and in the soil. But when there are heavy rains or a drought, hundreds of them emerge from the soil. Once they are mobile, they crawl into homes through cracks in the foundation and make their way up the walls or your basement and ground-floor rooms, and into your home.

Stinging Insects

While they play a beneficial role in nature as pollinators, when bees and wasps and other stinging insects invade our backyards it is often as a nuisance and potentially dangerous pest.  In most cases if you leave them alone, they’ll just buzz along their merry little way.

Loud vibrating noises like those from simply mowing your lawn can provoke some species to become aggressive, easily agitated, and generally a bee with a BAD ATTITUDE!

The angry bees release an alarm pheromone—an odor that warns other bees of the danger. The alarm pheromone makes other bees aggressive—more fighting means more pheromone is released which means more bees join the fray. The situation can escalate quickly.  Once the alarm pheromone has aroused the bees, you and your guests are fair game as well.  Rainy weather, especially when it comes with heat and high humidity, makes bees cranky also.

Since staying indoors all summer is not an option, instead be prepared.  Know where to look for stinging insects and implement preventative measures for when you go outdoors.  While they’re still in a state of suspended animation, take a look around for hives or nests where the little critters are hibernating. Seek out the underside of your porch, eaves, overhangs, low-hanging branches on trees and decks.

Silverfish

Silverfish are small flat, dark insects that have bodies which taper at the end, giving them a fish-like appearance. These insects live in humid areas which is why they seem to be more apparent in the summer. Once a colony of silverfish make their way into your home, they eat away at an abundance of materials including book bindings, paper, photos, sugar, hair, carpet, and clothing.

Stink Bugs

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug was discovered in the eastern U.S. ten years ago, and has now reached the Midwest. Like many recent invaders, BMSB is a native to Asia, and likely hitchhiked to North America in shipping containers. BMSB has numerous host plants, and thus may become a pest in many of Minnesota’s diverse crops. In addition, it is a fall home invader and becomes a nuisance pest both indoors and out for home and business owners as it emerges in the spring.

Stink bugs will find any entrance they can to gain access to your home. Preventing them from making it inside your home is the best chance a homeowner will have to limit their home invasion.

Box Elder Bugs

Box elder bugs are also making their spring appearances. Late summer and early spring are common times to see these pests in and around your house or office. What attracts Box Elder Bugs is their search for warmth to survive the winter months. During spring and early summer, these bugs are content living on female box elder trees and mating, which is why you do not often see infestations of them in these months.

Asian Beetles

Asian Beetles have become a nuisance in Minnesota for many reasons.  Their large numbers have increased dramatically in the past decade, especially in the fall, can lead them into our homes. They come in huge swarms, and no matter how many you get rid of, more keep coming!

You can expect an increase in the number of pests you see this summer, as these larger populations seek food, water, and shelter. But these pests don’t have to ruin your summertime fun!

Now is a great time of year to “nip it in the bud by preventing them from getting in as best you can!” Be prepared for when these tiny terrors come a’knocking.  Seal as many cracks and holes on the outside of your home as possible, especially on the south and west walls where the sun heats the home during the late summer and fall.  Also, you should install tight-fitting screens on all foundation and attic vents.

A Minnesota Pest Control Expert is an also an excellent option for getting rid of the pests. They can also repair any damage they may have caused in a way that will prevent them from coming back!

April is National Pest Month and we want to warn people about carpenter ants. Carpenter ants become active this time of year and can cause a lot of property damage by weakening and destroying wooden structures. Anywhere in and around your house or business, including your lawn, walls, stumps, and under your foundation, are perfect nesting spots for carpenter ants. Yikes!  No wonder they seem to continuously invade your home or business no matter what you try.

Springtime Is Ant Time!

Springtime is ant time as ants march into homes in search of food. Scientists have identified more than 11,000 species of ants worldwide. Minnesota has more than 100 ant species and about two dozen classified as pests, many homeowners will likely encounter these unwelcome visitors.

It is common to find carpenter ants in homes during spring.  A common misconception occurs when people see carpenter ants in their house around this time of year for just a few weeks and then they seem to disappear. However, as it gets warmer the carpenter ants’ feeding patterns change and they start to forage outside. People don’t think it’s a problem anymore but actually the ants are still nesting in their house.

Signs that you may have carpenter ants:

• Sawdust piles. Carpenter ants are meticulous and will remove sawdust away from their nest and dump it into piles. You may find these small sawdust piles near where they live.
• Wet wood. If you have had water damage or water leaks at your property, take note: carpenter ants like moisture and prefer to excavate wood damaged by fungus which is often the result of moisture problems.
• Annual springtime visitors. If you see ants in your house on a consistent basis every spring, it’s highly likely you have a nest.

Carpenter ants nest in different areas in and around the house

Carpenters ants in particular will especially seek out decaying or moist wood and create galleries for nesting purposes. Dead or decaying trees may host carpenter ants

It is important to try to determine whether the ants are coming from an outdoor or an indoor nest, although this can be difficult. Their presence is not sufficient evidence to conclude that there is a nest in your home. You may be able to make a more accurate determination based on when you first see carpenter ants. If you find carpenter ants in your home during late winter or early spring, that suggests the ants are coming from a nest in the building. However, if you see activity later in the year, it is less clear if the nest is in the building.

There are several areas where carpenter ants are usually found including: windows, window sills and frames, doors and door frames, adjacent to plumbing fixtures, attics, crawl spaces, porch supports, steps, under patios and decks, and around gutters and downspouts. If carpenter ants are suspected, a Minnesota Pest Control Expert should be contacted for a thorough inspection to determine the extent of the infestation and then a treatment strategy and follow up plan should be discussed.

Spring Is Officially Here And So Are The Ants!

Spring is in the air and that means one thing! When the warm weather arrives, ants are on the move, as Spring marks the peak months of swarming season. Reports are especially high during their swarming season, April through June. During these months, new colonies are established while fresh food sources are sought out.

Ants Are Everywhere!

Carpenter Ant

Ants are one of the most successful groups of insects to inhabit the Earth during the past 100 million years. They are also of particular interest because they are a social insect and form highly organized colonies or nests, sometimes consisting of millions of individuals. Colonies of invasive ant species will sometimes work together and form supercolonies, spanning a very wide area of land. Ant colonies are sometimes described as superorganisms because they appear to operate as a single entity.

Watch ants for any length of time, and you’ll witness some remarkable feats of strength. Tiny ants, marching in lines, will haul food, grains of sand, and even small pebbles back to their colonies. It’s true that ants can lift objects 50 times their own body weight. That’s equivalent to a human carrying a car!

In many ways, ants can outwit, outlast, and outplay humans. Their complex, cooperative societies enable them to survive and thrive in conditions that would challenge the individual.

Ants belong to the insect family Formicidae in the order Hymenoptera, the same order comprising bees and wasps. Ants are also the number one pest problem in the country. They crawl over the rocks by the dock. They pile up sand on the sidewalk. They scurry across the kitchen floor. City or country, outdoors or in, ants are everywhere!  Their colonies are enormous, numbering up to 300,000-500,000…lets face it, that is a whole lot of ants.

The weather can’t seem to make up its mind lately. Some days it is near 60 degrees and sunny, other days low 30s and snowing. Either way, Spring is finally here and that means that Minnesota homeowners are beginning to see foraging ants in the kitchen or other areas of the home, especially on warmer winter days. So, before things progress any more in the ant world, now is the time to contact the Minnesota pest control expert who will locate the nest location(s) and eliminate all the ant colonies before they completely take over!

With spring and summer on the way, now might be a good time to take a tour of your outdoor living space. Bees, wasps, and yellow jackets are about to come out of hiding. You may hate these unintentionally nasty critters, but in most cases if you leave them alone, they’ll just buzz along their merry little way.

MN Bee & Wasp Control and Nest Removal

Wasp Colony

For allergic people, one sting can be dangerous or even deadly. More than a half-million people are rushed to the emergency ward every year because a hornet, wasp, bee, or yellow jacket has decided to stick it to you.

While they’re still in a state of suspended animation, take a look around for hives or nests where the little critters are hibernating. Seek out the underside of your porch, eaves, overhangs, low-hanging branches on trees and decks.

You might also come across these prickly buggers in shrubs and sheds, or around the garage.  A word of caution: Don’t mess with it yourself, especially if you are allergic.  A large nest may mean an attack and stings on you or other people in the area.

Call in a pro!  Hiring a Minnesota pest control expert can mean safe and efficient handling of the wasps and bees.

Move over bed bugs.  They’re here!  Stink Bugs that is!  The pest is on the move. The smelly bugs are hitch-hiking and gliding their way across the country. The brown marmorated stink bug has been found in 39 states, including Minnesota. The brown marmorated stink bug has been found in Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Winona, Hennepin, Chisago and Carver counties since first being detected in Minnesota in November 2010. All were house invaders.

The brown marmorated stink bug, or simply the stink bug, is an insect in the family Pentatomidae, and it is native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. (Wikipedia)  Stink bugs are named for the pungent smell they emit when frightened, disturbed or squashed. They have glands that produce a defensive compound, which has a strong odor that repels predators. It makes them particularly obnoxious.

Stink bugs have been reported in 39 of the 50 states. No one is sure exactly when it got here, but the brown marmorated stink bug may be coming to an orchard, field, or attic near you!

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), a winged invader from Asia that is eating crops and infesting U.S. homes, is spreading and is expected to continue to do so.  The biggest problem in the United States so far has been in homes.

The fall and the spring are when stink bugs are most active. In the fall, they are seeking shelter from the cold weather so they will find any cracks, crevices or holes to get inside, similar to how Asian lady beetles and Box elder bugs invade Minnesota houses.  And while you may not see them all winter, once the spring season arrives, if you were hosting stink bugs, you will probably find them soaking in rays of sun from a window sill.

They don’t harm humans, but if they’re squashed or pulled into a vacuum cleaner, they emit their unpleasant odor.

The brown marmorated stink bug has been found in 39 states, including Minnesota.

Homeowners are looking for a simple way to get rid of them—and there is none.  When present in low numbers, stink bugs can be disposed of in soapy water. Larger infestations may require a Minneapolis MN pest control expert to do the job.

Some good information can be found here:

University of Minnesota Extension Yard & Garden News Article – Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: The Next Invasive Pest in Minnesota?

University of Maryland Extension – Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Pest Alert (PDF: 284 KB / 4 pages)

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: The Next Invasive Insect Pest in Minnesota?

Where Is The Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)?

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has been detected in 39 states, posing severe agricultural problems in six states and nuisance problems in thirteen others.

Explore Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Sightings

Brown marmorated stink bug as of March 2013

Where there is one bug, there are often more! Prevention is the best way to keep these pests from infesting your or house or business.  As always, keep a tidy ship once the buggers have gone to bug heaven. Don’t leave food lying around. Wipe-off all counters and develop some good cleaning habits.

Now that you’ve made it through another Minnesota winter, it’s time to think spring – and bugs. As the days get warmer, it is likely that you will notice an increase in pest activity inside your home. After a long winter’s nap, it’s likely the bugs wintered in your attic and walls and now just want outside. 

Spring Is Officially Here And So Are The Bugs!

Spring Is Officially Here And So Are The Pests!

The number one pest we see every year is ants, but Asian Beetles, Spiders and Box elder bugs are all making their spring appearances. Another insect that should be on our radar screen is stink bugs – properly known as the brown marmorated stink bug or halyomorpha halys. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has been found in 39 states, including Minnesota.

The bugs will enter a house in the fall through cracks and crevices to find a place to hibernate. They start to hibernate in the winter on the side of the house that is warmest. As soon as the sun comes out in the spring, it warms the walls and stimulates them. They will then go toward the warmest part of the house, which is inside.

Life stages of the brown marmorated stink bug (adult [1]; eggs [2]; nymphs [3-7]). Photo credit: Kent Loeffler, Photo Lab, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Cornell University

After the bugs emerge in the spring, the adults will mate, and they will start laying eggs, which happens between May and August. The bugs will then linger as unwelcome visitors.

Experts all agree that the best way to prevent pests from entering your home is to seal up any cracks as best as you can. Most people delay this until the fall, but do it as soon as the weather warms. Seal cracks around the windows, doors, in your siding, around chimneys, any possible way to get in. If you have any questions, you can always contact a Minneapolis MN pest control expert to do the job.