Report a Pest relies on Minnesota residents acting as volunteers to report potential threats to Minnesota’s forests and crops.
To report a pest there are three important steps:
Take pictures
of the pest or disease.
Take notes
of the exact location of the pest, including the address or GPS coordinates, as well as a description of the surroundings.
Insects
Take pictures and notes of the plants on which the insect was found. Note any unique markings on the insect. If possible, place a coin or other easily recognizable object next to the insect to compare the size.
Plants
Take pictures of flowers and leaves.
Diseases
Note the species of plant (if known) on which you find the disease. Take pictures of the disease as well as any fruit, seeds, leaves or flowers of the host plant.
Capture
the insect, if possible, or take a sample of the plant.
TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BEFORE HANDLING ANY INSECTS OR PLANTS. Some organisms cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, or may sting or bite. Wear gloves when handling insects and plants. Put the insect, disease, or plant sample in a sealed plastic bag. Place the insect in your freezer, plant/disease sample in your fridge.
Report
findings to Report a Pest using any of the following methods:
Use our online reporting form!
Select the species that you are reporting from the easy to use drop down menus. Fill in the location where you found the pest and your contact information. Simply attach pictures to the form to help identify the invasive species.
Upload photos and attach them to an email.
Write a short description of what you saw and where you saw it. Make sure to include your contact information! Send to reportapest@state.mn.us.
Use our new user-friendly smartphone/tablet app. Submit your discovery within minutes of finding the pest. Download this free Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN) app from the Google Play Store or the Apple AppStore.
Call Report a Pest at 1-888-545-6684.
Leave a detailed message that includes your name, location, contact number, and the type of pest that you want to report. The voicemail will be forwarded to the agency in charge of that pest.
