Pests to know in Rapid City
Termites in Rapid City
FHA's Termite Treatment Exception Areas list names Pennington County among the South Dakota counties where termite treatment is not required for new-construction financing.[8]
Invasive species reported here
- Pennington County lists the Japanese beetle as a locally declared pest, alongside the spongy moth, which is declared at the state level.[5]
- In its emerald ash borer planning release, the City of Rapid City said ash trees make up one in every five trees in the city, including an estimated 10,000 on street boulevards.[6]
Pests local experts flag
South Dakota's forestry agency says the most recent mountain pine beetle epidemic in the Black Hills ran from 1996 to 2016 and affected roughly 450,000 acres.[4]
Climate
Central Rapid City (ZIP 57701) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5b, where the average coldest winter night is -15 to -10°F.[10]
Public agencies that handle pests
- The South Dakota Department of Health says the state consistently reports some of the highest West Nile virus activity in the nation, which makes mosquito prevention a priority.[1]
- State health officials report that plague has been found in rodents in southwestern South Dakota since 2004 and has caused die-offs in local prairie dog colonies.[2]
- Deer mice and white-footed mice are the two rodent species known to carry the Sin Nombre strain of hantavirus in South Dakota.[3]
Local rules and responsibilities
Pennington County notes that under South Dakota law it is a class-2 misdemeanor for land to be infested with state or locally declared noxious weeds or pests.[5]
Hiring a licensed company
In South Dakota, commercial pesticide applicator certification and licensure last two years and must be renewed by the last day of February in the year they expire.[7]
Free local help
SDSU Extension's identification guide to home and building pests in South Dakota includes termites, noting that subterranean termites cause most termite damage across the U.S.[9]
Through the year
- Spring to Fall
- In South Dakota, mosquitoes usually become active in May and peak from July through September; most human West Nile cases are reported in August and September.[1]
- Summer
- Adult mountain pine beetles leave infested trees and fly to new host pines in late June or July, then tunnel under the bark to lay eggs.[4]
Sources
- South Dakota Department of Health, “Mosquitoes in South Dakota.” doh.sd.gov/topics/diseases/infectious-diseases/vector-borne-diseases/mosquito-borne-diseases/mosquitoes-in-south-dakota/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- South Dakota Department of Health, “Plague.” doh.sd.gov/diseases/plague/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- South Dakota Department of Health, “Hantavirus.” doh.sd.gov/diseases/hantavirus/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Mountain Pine Beetle Identification and Biology.” danr.sd.gov/Conservation/Forestry/ForestHealth/MountainPineBeetle/default.aspx (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Pennington County Weed & Pest, “Declared Weed & Pests.” www.pennco.org/services/natural_resources/declared_weed_pests.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
- City of Rapid City, “City Officials Asked To Adopt Management Plan For Emerald Ash Borer (May 3, 2018).” www.rcgov.org/rapid-city-news-room/city-officials-asked-to-adopt-management-plan-for-emerald-ash-borer-4706.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Pesticide Applicators and Dealers.” danr.sd.gov/Agriculture/Inspection/Pesticide/ApplicatorsDealers/default.aspx (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (FHA), “Termite Treatment Exception Areas.” www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SFH/documents/SFH_POLI_TERMITE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- SDSU Extension, “Identification Guide: Home and Building Arthropod Pests in South Dakota (P-00246).” extension.sdstate.edu/sites/default/files/2022-07/P-00246.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 57701 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/57701.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)