Enoch is a growing community in Iron County with roughly 9,000 residents. It was founded by Joel C. Johnson, who was part of an exploratory expedition. When he saw the valley that would one day become Enoch he said “Mine, mine, all mine by right of discovery!” He returned 2 years later in 1851 and established his claim at a spring that had long been used by travelers on the Old Spanish Trail. The area was Dubbed Johnson’s Ranch (or Johnson’s Springs), but later became Fort Johnson after settlers built a protective stockade in 1854 due to tensions with local tribes.
While the big iron works were centered in Cedar City, limited iron production and foundry work also took place in Enoch. However, the majority of the community’s early economy was built upon cattle ranching, farming, dairying, and beekeeping. In 1890 the name was changed from Johnson’s Springs to Enoch, based on the biblical city of Enoch, so the new post office wouldn’t be confused with another Utah settlement that already had a similar name.
For decades Enoch remained a scattered collection of small farms, but in 1966 the communities of Enoch, Grimshawville, Stevensville, and Williamsville officially incorporated as the City of Enoch (which only had about 102 residents at the time) primarily so a municipal water system could be built. Since then, the city has grown steadily as a quiet, family-oriented community just north of Cedar City, with easy access to the national parks, Southern Utah University, and outdoor recreation areas such as Three Peaks.
Throughout Enoch’s history is another parallel history: a clear annual rhythm of pest activity. Summers are hot and dry; winters are cold enough to cause many pests to seek shelter. Homes, yards, and structures therefore encounter different species at different times of year.
Seasonal Pests of Enoch
Spring is when everything wakes up and starts looking for food. Ants are usually first: pavement ants, odorous house ants (a.k.a. sugar ants), and harvester ants emerge and begin to forage. Spiders also get more active, and the first wasps start scouting for nest spots. Termites can also swarm if a colony is nearby and they find a suitable food source, usually damp wood. Subterranean termites are the most common in Southern Utah and can cause serious structural damage. This is also when lawn grubs start chewing on grass roots.
Summer is full-on pest season. Wasps and hornets become bold around your trash cans, outdoor eating areas, and eaves. Ants keep marching. Scorpions become more noticeable in their quest for cooler areas like garages, shoes left outside, under rocks, and they can even find their way inside. Utah actually has several scorpion species, but the Arizona bark scorpion is the most common in the Cedar City / Enoch area. Black widow spiders hang out in dark, quiet corners. Flies and gnats also are at their peak during this time.
Fall is boxelder bug time. Those black bugs with the red X markings show up by the hundreds on the sunny side of houses and try to sneak inside to ride out the winter. They don’t bite or sting, but they can stain walls and fabrics if you smash them, and they’re just plain annoying! At the same time, mice and rats start looking for warm places to nest, and spiders (including black widows) get more interested in sheltered spots like the inside of your home.
Winter doesn’t mean the pests disappear; instead they mostly just move inside. Rodents are the main issue; once they’re in the walls or attic they’re hard to ignore. Spiders keep showing up in basements, garages, sheds, and storage areas. You might still see the occasional ant on a warmer day. Spider mites can also make their appearance in these cold months as a swarm of tiny moving dots. They invade through your windows and are generally found on the sills of the “sunny” sides of your home.
Conclusion
Enoch’s history is full of grit and perseverance. It’s gone from a valley spring, to a ranch, to a fort, and now a modern growing community, but don’t let pests claim YOUR home by “right of discovery”. If you’re looking for quality pest control in Enoch that features free estimates and no contracts, then call Newby’s Pest • Lawn • Weeds TODAY at 435-586-7337 or click below to schedule an appointment!
