Pests
Dakota County Public Health does not provide inspection or pest control services, but we do have the following resources.
Pests and bugs can cause public health problems if not controlled. This includes spreading diseases and triggering asthma and allergy symptoms.
Pest resources
- Rodents, such as mice and rats, can be found in any area of a home or building but prefer to stay near food and water. This makes kitchens, bathrooms and basements the most likely places to find them.
- Signs rodents are in your home include droppings, chew marks, nesting material and bad smells coming from hidden areas.
- Rodents can carry many diseases that can spread to people through touching them, being in contact with their droppings, urine or saliva, bites, and breathing in air or eating food that is contaminated with waste.
- To prevent infestations, seal holes inside and outside, clean up food and water sources and remove items that can provide rodents with shelter.
- Learn more on the CDC's rodent web page.
- Bed bugs bite people and animals to feed on blood. They are sometimes hard to identify, but bed bugs are typically found where you sleep or rest. They can also hide in any room.
- Correctly identifying bed bugs is the first step in determining a treatment plan. Bed bugs are hard to get rid of on your own. We recommend working with property management, landlords or pest control professionals trained on safe use of insecticides.
- When traveling, take steps to avoid bed bugs, like checking hotel mattresses and storing your suitcases on racks instead of the floor.
- The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health have more information on bed bugs.
- Cockroaches are common pests within homes and buildings. They hide during the day and become active at night. If you see a cockroach, it is likely that there are many more in your area.
- Cockroaches and their poop can carry diseases that could cause food poisoning, diarrhea, or irritate allergies and asthma.
- Cleanliness is very important to reduce cockroaches. It is best to hire a pest management service to treat them with pesticides.
- For more information, visit the University of Minnesota's Extension website.
- Dust mites are microscopic creatures that feed on dead skin cells shed by humans and animals.
- They thrive in warm, humid environments and are commonly found in bedrooms, living rooms and places where dust collects.
- Dust mite waste can trigger an allergy reaction or asthma in sensitive people.
- It's not possible to see dust mites with the naked eye and it's often not useful to test the home for dust mite allergens.
- Learn more about dust mites on the National Center for Healthy Housing web page.
- Scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites that can live under your skin. Scabies is spread from person to person through direct skin-to-skin contact and can affect anyone. A health care provider should confirm diagnosis. They will perform a skin scraping to look for evidence of mites. Doctors will prescribe topical medicines to treat scabies.
- The use of insecticides is not recommended for environmental control of scabies. Instead, wash bedding, clothing and towels in hot water and use your hair dryer's hottest setting.
- The Minnesota Department of Health has more information on scabies.
For more information, contact: