Pests to know in Kalamazoo
Subterranean termites · Ticks · Mosquito · Asian Tiger Mosquito · Hemlock Woolly Adelgid · Tree and shrub pests · Spotted Lanternfly
Termites in Kalamazoo
- Kalamazoo County is not on HUD's Michigan termite exception list, so FHA-financed new construction there must satisfy the termite treatment requirement.[1]
- In Michigan, companies treating structures for termites, powderpost beetles or carpenter ants must hold an MDARD pesticide application business license covering wood-destroying pest work.[2]
Invasive species reported here
- Hemlock woolly adelgid, a sap-feeding pest that kills hemlocks, has active populations in parts of several West Michigan counties, including Allegan and Van Buren.[7]
- To avoid spreading oak wilt, a beetle-carried tree disease, Michigan advises never pruning oaks between April 15 and July 15 and not moving firewood.[8]
Pests local experts flag
- Southern Michigan lies in the migration path of the Asian tiger mosquito, a species capable of carrying Zika virus, according to Kalamazoo County health officials.[4]
- State health officials note that southwest Michigan has a history of Eastern equine encephalitis outbreaks, including in the early 1980s and mid-1990s.[6]
Climate
Central Kalamazoo (ZIP 49007) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a, where the average coldest winter night is -10 to -5°F.[11]
Public agencies that handle pests
- Kalamazoo County Environmental Health collects blacklegged ticks by dragging cloth at sites around the county and sends them to the CDC for testing each October.[3]
- County environmental health staff set mosquito traps across Kalamazoo County, including surveillance for the mosquito species known to carry Eastern equine encephalitis.[4]
Hiring a licensed company
Michigan pesticide applicator credentials last three years and expire on December 31 of the third year, and anyone hired to apply pesticides also needs business licensing.[10]
Free local help
MSU Extension asks Michigan growers to report spotted lanternfly finds, a pest that favors grapevines, hops and tree-of-heaven, through the DNR's Eyes in the Field tool or a local MSU Extension office.[9]
Through the year
- Summer to Fall
- Kalamazoo County warns that mosquitoes and ticks stay active into fall, especially until the first hard frost, so repellent and tick checks remain important after summer ends.[3]
- Spring
- Kalamazoo County Environmental Health typically begins its mosquito and tick surveillance in May as spring weather arrives.[5]
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “Termite Treatment Exception Areas.” www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SFH/documents/SFH_POLI_TERMITE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, “Pesticide Application Business.” www.michigan.gov/mdard/licensing/pesticide/pesticide-application-business (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services, “Kalamazoo County Receives 2021 Tick Results.” www.kalcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4565/Kalamazoo-County-Receives-2021-Tick-Results-PDF (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services, “Kalamazoo County Conducting Mosquito Surveillance through September.” www.kalcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4276/Kalamazoo-County-Conducting-Mosquito-Surveillance-through-September-PDF (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services, “Mosquito and Tick Vector Awareness in Kalamazoo County.” www.kalcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4577/Mosquito-and-Tick-Vector-Awareness-in-Kalamazoo-County-PDF (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, “MDCH confirms two human Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases.” www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2010/08/20/mdch-confirms-two-human-eastern-equine-encephalitis-cases (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Invasive Species Program, “Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.” www.michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/insects/hemlock-woolly-adelgid (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Invasive Species Program, “Oak Wilt.” www.michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/disease/oak-wilt (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Invasive Species Program, “Spotted lanternfly confirmed in Berrien County.” www.michigan.gov/invasives/news/2026/09/10/spotted-lanternfly-confirmed-in-berrien-county (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, “Pesticide Applicator Certification.” www.michigan.gov/mdard/licensing/pesticide/pesticide-applicator-certification (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 49007 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/49007.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)