Pests to know in Salt Lake City
Termites in Salt Lake City
USU Extension's guide to common structural pests of Utah lists the western subterranean termite, which nests in moist wood touching soil and builds mud tubes across masonry.[8]
Invasive species reported here
- The brown marmorated stink bug was first found in Utah in 2012, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County now holds most of the state's population, and adults gather on homes in fall.[5]
- Utah has enforced a Japanese beetle quarantine (Utah Administrative Code R68-15) since 1993, regulating imported soil, sod and nursery stock. The state agriculture department sets thousands of monitoring traps every year.[10]
Pests local experts flag
Salt Lake City has around 15 mosquito species. Culex tarsalis, Aedes dorsalis and Culex pipiens are among those most often caught in district traps.[2]
Climate
Central Salt Lake City (ZIP 84111) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night is 5 to 10°F.[12]
Public agencies that handle pests
- The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District was formed in 1923, after Salt Lake City voters petitioned for it, and began operating in 1924.[1]
- The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District tests mosquitoes for West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and western equine encephalitis.[2]
- SLCMAD uses integrated mosquito management that puts larval control first, and it stocks ornamental ponds with western mosquitofish that eat larvae without chemicals.[3]
Local rules and responsibilities
The Salt Lake County Health Department requires homes to meet minimum livability standards, including being reasonably weathertight and rodent-proof. Its housing inspectors can require owners to make repairs.[4]
Hiring a licensed company
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food licenses commercial pesticide businesses that provide pest control services, and separately licenses individual applicators who treat for hire.[11]
Free local help
USU Extension's Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab identifies insects, spiders and mites, and it answers photo-based diagnosis requests for free.[9]
Through the year
- Summer
- The elm seed bug, a European invader first reported in Utah from Salt Lake County, is a peak nuisance from mid-June through August, when it pours into homes along the Wasatch Front.[6]
- Summer to Fall
- Hobo spiders, now found throughout northern Utah, turn up in Utah homes most often from August through October, when males wander in search of mates.[7]
Sources
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, “History | Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District.” www.slcmadutah.gov/about-us/history (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, “Mosquito Biology & Diseases | Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District.” www.slcmadutah.gov/protect-yourself/mosquito-biology-diseases (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, “How We Control Mosquitoes | Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District.” www.slcmadutah.gov/mosquito-control/how-we-control-mosquitos (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Salt Lake County Health Department, “Housing | Salt Lake County.” www.saltlakecounty.gov/health/housing/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah State University Extension, “Brown Marmorated Stink Bug | USU.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/brown-marmorated-stink-bug.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah State University Extension, “Elm Seed Bug | USU.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/elm-seed-bug.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah State University Extension, “Hobo Spider | USU.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/hobo-spiders.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah State University Extension, “Common Structural and Health-Related Pests of Utah.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_nuisance/common_structural_and_health-related_pests_of_utah.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah State University Extension, “Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab | USU.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/uppdl/index.php (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, “Japanese Beetle Eradication | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.” ag.utah.gov/plant-industry/insect-and-pest/japanese-beetle-eradication/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, “Pesticide Licenses and Permits | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.” ag.utah.gov/pesticides/pesticide-licenses/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 84111 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/84111.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)