If you’re noticing raised tunnels, soft soil, or dying patches of grass, you may be dealing with moles. As temperatures warm up across Des Moines and Central Iowa, mole activity increases quickly.

Although moles rarely come above ground, they can cause serious lawn damage in a short amount of time. Because of this, early treatment is important before the problem gets worse.

Granular Yard Treatment

Next, we apply a granular treatment across the lawn. This helps target insects and other food sources that attract moles.

Reducing the food supply encourages moles to feed on the bait placed in their runs.

Overspray Yard Treatment

Additionally, we apply a yard overspray treatment to further reduce grub and insect populations.

This creates a situation where the most available food source becomes the bait, helping improve results.

Monthly Service for Moderate to Severe Infestations

For moderate to severe infestations, one treatment may not be enough.

Because moles can be persistent, we may recommend monthly service after the initial visit. This allows us to:

• Monitor activity

• Apply additional bait if needed

• Reduce food sources further

• Eliminate remaining moles

This approach helps ensure long-term control and prevents continued lawn damage.

When to Treat for Moles

Mole activity often increases during:

• Early spring

• Late summer

• Fall

However, once activity begins, it’s best to treat as soon as possible. Waiting allows tunnels to expand and damage to increase.

Professional Mole Control in Des Moines and Surrounding Areas

The Bug Man provides mole control services throughout:

• Des Moines

• Ankeny

• West Des Moines

• Urbandale

• Waukee

• Johnston

• Clive

• Windsor Heights

• Altoona

• Norwalk

• Grimes

• Bondurant

• Indianola

• Winterset

• Adel

• Polk City

If you’re seeing signs of mole activity, now is the time to act.

Call Today for a Free Inspection and Quote

If moles are damaging your yard, The Bug Man can help. Our targeted baiting and yard treatments are designed to eliminate moles and reduce future infestations.

Call today to schedule your free inspection and quote and protect your lawn before the damage gets worse.

As temperatures begin to rise across Iowa, pests become more active almost overnight. What feels like the first nice week of spring is often when homeowners start noticing ants, clover mites, boxelder bugs, and other pests around their homes. However, by the time you see pests, the problem has usually already started. That’s why early spring pest control is one of the most effective ways to prevent infestations before they take hold.

How Early Spring Pest Control Prevents Infestations

At The Bug Man, our early spring services focus on prevention first.

Our approach includes:

Interior & Exterior Treatments

We apply treatments around the foundation, siding, windows, and entry points. This helps stop pests before they enter your home.

Targeting Seasonal Pests

Each treatment is timed based on what pests are becoming active. This ensures we are addressing the right pests at the right time.

Reducing Entry Points

Additionally, we identify areas where pests are likely to enter and help reduce those access points.

Ongoing Protection

For the best results, many homeowners choose ongoing service plans. You can learn more about our quarterly pest control plans and how they provide year-round protection.

When Should You Schedule Spring Pest Control?

The best time to schedule service is:

Before or during the first stretch of warm weather

In Iowa, this typically means late winter to early spring.

Scheduling early allows us to treat your home before pests become fully active.

Professional Pest Control in Des Moines and Surrounding Areas

If you’re starting to see signs of pest activity, now is the time to act.

The Bug Man provides professional pest control services in Des Moines and throughout Central Iowa, including:

• Ankeny

• West Des Moines

• Urbandale

• Waukee

• Johnston

• Clive and Windsor Heights

• Altoona

• Norwalk

• Grimes

• Bondurant

• Indianola

• Winterset

• Adel

• Polk City

As these communities continue to grow, pest activity increases along with new construction and seasonal changes.

Because of this, early spring pest control is especially important for homeowners in these areas.

Additionally, the National Pest Management Association emphasizes that early prevention is one of the most effective ways to control seasonal pests.

Final Thoughts

Spring pests are predictable. They show up every year as temperatures rise.

However, infestations don’t have to.

By scheduling early spring pest control, you can prevent problems before they begin and keep your home protected all season long.

If you’ve noticed tiny red bugs crawling on your windowsills, siding, or walls, you may be seeing clover mites. These small pests often appear around homes in early spring and fall, especially on warm sunny days.

Although clover mites are harmless to people and pets, they can appear in large numbers. As a result, they quickly become a frustrating nuisance for homeowners.

At The Bug Man, we regularly help customers identify and treat clover mite problems. Additionally, we use specialized miticides designed specifically to control mites.

How The Bug Man Treats Clover Mites

Clover mites require a different treatment approach than many common insects. Since they are mites, standard insecticides are not always the most effective solution.

Instead, we often apply targeted miticides designed specifically for mite control.

Our treatment approach typically includes:

Exterior Miticide Treatments

First, we apply miticide treatments around the foundation, siding, windows, and entry points where clover mites gather.

This helps reduce active mite populations and prevents additional mites from migrating toward the home.

Perimeter Protection

Next, we treat areas around the base of the home. This creates a barrier that helps stop mites before they enter inside.

Preventative Pest Control

Finally, ongoing pest control services help monitor and prevent seasonal pest activity. This can significantly reduce clover mite populations over time.

What Homeowners Can Do to Help

While professional treatment is the most effective solution, there are also steps homeowners can take to reduce clover mite activity.

For example:

• Keep grass trimmed near the foundation
• Avoid over-fertilizing lawns close to the house
• Seal small cracks around windows and siding
• Maintain a vegetation-free strip near the foundation

These steps make your home less attractive to clover mites.

Seeing Clover Mites Around Your Home?

If you’re noticing tiny red mites on windowsills, siding, or exterior walls, there’s a good chance clover mites are active around your property.

Fortunately, professional pest control can quickly reduce populations and prevent them from returning.

If you’re dealing with seasonal pests, you may also want to read our article about quarterly pest control plans and how they help prevent recurring infestations.

Additionally, the National Pest Management Association provides helpful information about seasonal pest activity and prevention.

Professional Clover Mite Control in Des Moines

The Bug Man provides pest control services for homeowners throughout Des Moines and Central Iowa.

If clover mites are becoming a nuisance around your home, our team can help identify the problem and apply treatments designed to eliminate them.

At The Bug Man, we’re always looking for ways to make pest control simple, predictable, and more affordable for our customers. That’s why we offer an annual prepay option allowing you to pay for your full year of pest control up front and save 10%.

For current customers, this is especially important right now:

Prepay before March 15th to lock in your 2025 pricing.

Why We Encourage Prepay Before 3/15

Each year, operational costs change, including materials, fuel, and labor. Customers who prepay before March 15th:

• Secure their current service rate for the entire year
• Avoid potential future price adjustments
• Get the full 10% savings on top of that

It’s simply the most cost-effective way to maintain your service.

Who Should Consider the Annual Prepay Option?

Annual prepay is ideal for:

• Quarterly service customers
• Homeowners planning to stay in their home long-term
• Anyone who prefers predictable budgeting
• Customers who want to maximize savings

If you’re already on a recurring service plan, prepaying is an easy way to save without changing your coverage.

How to Take Advantage of the 10% Savings

If you’re a current customer and want to lock in your 2025 pricing:

• Contact our office before March 15th
• We’ll confirm your annual total
• Apply the 10% discount
• Set your account for the year

Simple, fast, and handled by our office team.

Final Thoughts

Our annual prepay option is about more than convenience, it’s about giving customers a way to save money while keeping consistent protection in place. If you’re already enrolled in service, this is the best time to take advantage of the discount and lock in your pricing before the March 15th deadline.

As always, if you have questions, we’re happy to walk through your plan and help you decide what makes the most sense for your home.

What This Means for Existing Customers

If you’ve been on a previous plan or relied on individual treatments, this transition is designed to:

• Improve consistency
• Reduce repeat issues
• Simplify service and billing
• Provide clearer expectations

Our team is happy to walk through plan options and help you choose the level of coverage that fits your home and pest concerns.

Is Quarterly Service Right for Every Home?

Quarterly service is ideal for:

• Homes with recurring pest issues
• Properties surrounded by trees, fields, or water
• Homeowners who prefer prevention over reaction
• Anyone tired of pests returning year after year

For more specialized concerns (like rodents, termites, or bed bugs), additional services can be added as needed.

The Benefits of Quarterly Pest Control

Better Prevention, Fewer Surprises

Most pests follow predictable seasonal patterns. Quarterly service allows us to treat before ants swarm, spiders move in, or rodents seek shelter.

Timed for Iowa’s Pest Seasons

Each visit aligns with what’s happening outdoors:

• Spring: ants, spiders, overwintering pests
• Summer: crawling insects, occasional invaders
• Fall: rodents, boxelder bugs, stink bugs
• Winter: monitoring and prevention

More Cost-Effective Over Time

Preventive service typically costs less long-term than repeated one-off treatments for recurring issues.

Predictable Scheduling

No more waiting for a problem to pop up or trying to book last-minute service. Your home stays on a regular, reliable schedule.

Final Thoughts

This move to quarterly service plans isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing things smarter.

By focusing on prevention, seasonality, and consistency, we can provide better results and a better overall experience for our customers.

If you have questions about how quarterly service works or what plan is right for your home, we’re always happy to help!

Iowa homeowners are often caught off guard when insects suddenly appear inside their home during a warm stretch in late winter. One of the most common culprits this time of year is boxelder bugs.

If you’ve noticed black-and-orange bugs crawling out of walls, windows, or light fixtures on sunny days, you’re not alone and you’re not dealing with a new infestation. What you’re seeing is a seasonal behavior that’s very typical in Iowa.

Are Boxelder Bugs a Sign of a Bigger Problem?

Not usually. Boxelder bugs:

• Do not reproduce indoors
• Do not cause structural damage
• Do not infest food

However, they can:

• Stain walls, curtains, or upholstery if crushed
• Accumulate in large numbers
• Reappear every year if entry points aren’t addressed

Without prevention, boxelder bugs tend to become a recurring seasonal issue.

Why DIY Sprays Usually Don’t Work

Many homeowners try spraying visible boxelder bugs with household insect sprays. While this may kill the bugs you can see, it doesn’t solve the underlying issue because:

• Most bugs are hidden inside walls
• Sprays don’t address how they got inside
• Killing visible bugs doesn’t prevent future activity
• Improper products can stain surfaces

That’s why boxelder bugs often seem to “come back” no matter how much you spray.

How We Handle Boxelder Bugs at The Bug Man

Effective boxelder bug control focuses on prevention and exterior treatment, not chasing bugs indoors.

Our approach typically includes:

• Treating exterior surfaces where boxelder bugs congregate
• Targeting entry points around windows, doors, and siding
• Reducing activity on sunny sides of the home
• Helping prevent fall re-entry so the problem doesn’t repeat next year

What Homeowners Can Do Right Now

If you’re seeing boxelder bugs during warm winter days:

• Vacuum visible bugs instead of crushing them
• Seal obvious gaps around windows and doors
• Avoid spraying random indoor insecticides
• Plan preventive treatments before fall

The key is stopping them before they overwinter, not reacting once they’re already inside.

Final Thoughts

Seeing boxelder bugs on a warm winter day can be unsettling, but it’s a very common and predictable issue in Iowa homes. These bugs didn’t suddenly appear, they’ve been hiding out since fall and are reacting to the temperature change.

Addressing the problem properly now can reduce activity this year and help prevent the same frustration next fall.