Pests to know in Minneapolis
Termites in Minneapolis
University of Minnesota Extension says termites are uncommon to rare in Minnesota and mostly seen in the southern third of the state; when present, swarmers appear in spring.[8]
Invasive species reported here
Emerald ash borer was first found in Minnesota in 2009. The state has the most ash trees in the U.S., nearly a billion forest and urban trees combined.[6]
Pests local experts flag
- Minnesota has 51 mosquito species, and MMCD says it only controls the species that bite humans or spread disease.[1]
- Besides mosquitoes, MMCD runs a black fly and biting gnat program; small-stream monitoring began in 1984 and full-scale large-river treatments have run since 1996.[1]
- Lone star ticks are rare in Minnesota but more common in summers after a warm winter, while deer ticks are common across the metro, especially the north and east metro.[2]
Climate
Central Minneapolis (ZIP 55401) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5a, where the average coldest winter night is -20 to -15°F.[10]
Public agencies that handle pests
- The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District serves Minneapolis and the rest of the seven-county Twin Cities metro (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott and Carver), covering more than 3 million residents.[1]
- Old tires are a top breeding source for dangerous mosquito species, and MMCD will pick up waste tires without rims at no cost to metro residents.[3]
- West Nile virus was first found in Minnesota in 2002, and the Minnesota Department of Health says it will remain a public health concern for the foreseeable future.[4]
- According to the Minnesota Department of Health, most tickborne diseases in Minnesota come from the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick.[5]
Local rules and responsibilities
- MMCD was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1958 under Minnesota Statute 473.704, originally for Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties.[1]
- Ash material and hardwood firewood may not be brought into Minnesota from other states without proper certification, part of quarantines meant to slow emerald ash borer.[6]
Hiring a licensed company
To find a licensed mosquito sprayer, MMCD points residents to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture license lookup under the license type 'Commercial Pesticide Applicator - Mosquitoes, Black Flies, and Ticks.'[3]
Free local help
University of Minnesota Extension's insect ID tool says termite workers are tied to mud tubes, almost never seen in the open, and grow rarer to non-existent farther north in Minnesota.[9]
Through the year
- Spring to Fall
- In Minnesota, blacklegged (deer) tick nymphs start emerging in April and peak in May and June; by October they are mostly dormant.[2]
- Summer
- Adult Japanese beetles become active in Minnesota in late June or early July. Many residents first noticed them in 2011, when they were very abundant in the Twin Cities metro.[7]
Sources
- Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, “About MMCD.” www.mmcd.org/about/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, “Tick Surveillance.” www.mmcd.org/tick-surveillance/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, “Resident's Guide.” www.mmcd.org/residents-guide/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Minnesota Department of Health, “West Nile Virus (WNV).” www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/westnile/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Minnesota Department of Health, “Tickborne Diseases.” www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/tickborne/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture, “Emerald Ash Borer.” www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/emerald-ash-borer (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture, “Japanese Beetle.” www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/japanese-beetle (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Minnesota Extension, “Subterranean termites.” apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/indoor/flies/medium/subterranean-termites.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Minnesota Extension, “Termite workers.” apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/indoor/beetles/small/termiteworker.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 55401 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/55401.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)