Utah’s Newest Pest—How to Get Rid of Elm Seed Bugs

What elm seed bugs look like in Northern Utah - RentokilThe elm seed bug is one of the latest invasive bugs on American soil. Coming from central and southern Europe, it is suspected that the bugs snuck their way into packages that were shipped internationally. Although they are foreign visitors, they are closely related to the boxelder bugs that we are all familiar with here in Northern Utah, and just like boxelder bugs, elm seed bugs let off an unpleasant odor. If you’ve been dealing with an influx of little brown bugs in your home this summer, they might be elm seed bugs. Rentokil has the scoop on what they are and what they’re doing in your house!

All About Elm Seed Bugs

Elm seed bugs get their name the same way that boxelder bugs do. They come out of hibernation in the spring to feast on elm trees until the temperatures drop again. During the summer, elm seed bugs are out and about in growing numbers. You can identify them by these features:

  • They are just a bit smaller on average than boxelder bugs, usually between 1/4” and 1/2” in length.
  • Their colors are more muted than boxelder bugs’, with a mixture of brown, maroon, and white.
  • Their backs and legs are lined with patterns of shapes and stripes, like the boxelder bug.

During the hottest temperatures of the summer, elm seed bugs swarm to find cooler places to rest, often seeking refuge in man-made structures.

How to Get Rid of Elm Bugs

It might seem like the right call to get rid of or trim down elm trees on your property, but when elm seed bugs swarm in the summer, they will spread out far away from their food source. This means that if someone in your neighborhood has an elm tree, everyone around could be subject to elm beetle problems in the house.

If you want to take steps to prevent an elm seed bug problem, you can do the following:

  1. Seal any openings, cracks, or crevices around your property.
  2. Place screens on doors and windows or repair torn screens that you already have.
  3. Clear out your yard to remove any piles of excess lawn debris.
  4. Keep your trees and bushes neatly trimmed to avoid elm seed bug resting spots.

Professional Elm Seed Bug Control in Northern Utah

Once they’ve already entered your home, elm seed bugs can be tricky to eradicate and unpleasant to have around. To ensure that your property stays free of elm seed bugs all year, reach out to your local pest control company. Our technicians at Rentokil can apply outdoor lawn treatments to your yard and family-safe indoor pest control products to your living spaces seeing elm seed bug activity. For a free quote or more information on our services, contact us today!

How Do Ants Keep Getting Inside the House?

An ant infestation starting in Northern Utah - RentokilAnts are one of the most relentless pests in Northern Utah. Even if you think you’ve exhausted your available measures of ant control, they can still sneak their way into your home through tiny gaps that you’ve never noticed before.

Don’t be ashamed if you can’t seem to get ants out of the house! It happens to almost everyone, even those that keep clean homes. So, if everyone is liable for an ant infestation, what causes ant infestations to start? Keep reading for experienced insight from our ant control specialists at Rentokil.

What Causes Ant Infestations to Start?

When an ant infestation starts to grow in your house, it usually means that the ants have found a food source that they can access. When an ant finds a source of food, it will let out a pheromone signal that tells the rest of its colony that there are resources nearby. The ants will follow each other to and from the source until they are wiped out or the source is depleted. Ants will eat just about anything, but these foods are their favorites:

  • Sugar and sweet foods
  • Fruit
  • Bread
  • Meat

Even if you seal your food properly and store it out of sight, ant infestations can still break out in your home. Mostly during the winter months, ants will try to find warmth and shelter inside your house. They are able to make use of even the smallest cracks to pass a whole trail through. Some of their usual points of entry include:

  • Ventilation systems
  • Gaps in wood paneling and brickwork
  • Holes in foundation
  • Cracked plumbing fixtures, and more

How ants get inside the house in Northern Utah - Rentokil

What Can You Do to Keep Ants Out of the House?

Having a tidy kitchen and bathroom are two of the most important steps in DIY ant prevention. Make sure that all of your opened food is stored in airtight containers and not left out. You should be cleaning your dishes right after eating and wiping up spills as soon as they happen. Vinegar-based or lemon-scented cleaning products work wonders to prevent ants. As for the bathroom, keep excess moisture to a minimum by keeping the room ventilated and wiping up excess water when necessary.

The outside of your house needs attention, too. To keep ants from getting inside, you should:

  1. Install screen doors and windows or patch holes in screens that you already have
  2. Check around your siding and foundation for holes to fill up
  3. Seal cracks in your plumbing fixtures
  4. Keep your trash bins further away from your house

Reliable Ant Control Services in Northern Utah

Are you still dealing with ant problems after following all of these ant prevention steps? It can often be more difficult than you expect to find the source of an ant trail. If you need to get rid of ants in your Northern Utah home today, tell your local pest control experts about your issues. The ant extermination specialists at Rentokil offer a holistic approach to ant control using efficient and eco-conscious methods and products. For a free quote or to learn more about our protocol, contact us today!