Pests and pest control in Amarillo, TX

Pests to know in Amarillo

• Mosquito
• Raccoon
• Subterranean termites
• Black-tailed prairie dog

Why each one matters here is cited in the sections below.

Termites in Amarillo

• Texas A&M entomologists report subterranean termites swarm later in the Panhandle than elsewhere in Texas, not until April and May.^[5]
• Termites are perhaps the most important wood-destroying pests for Texas homeowners, and the eastern subterranean termite is the species most commonly encountered.^[6]

Pests local experts flag

• Amarillo Animal Management & Welfare does not collect trapped animals unless they are high-risk rabies carriers such as skunks or raccoons.^[3]
• Texas health officials say plague has been found in the western two-thirds of Texas where squirrels, prairie dogs, rabbits, rats, and mice live.^[9]

Climate

Central Amarillo (ZIP 79101) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night is 0 to 5°F.^[11]

Public agencies that handle pests

• Amarillo's Environmental Health Department treats more than 100 sites around the city where stagnant standing water lets mosquito larvae develop.^[1]
• The City of Amarillo does not spray private homes or property for mosquitoes; it treats public rights-of-way, parks, drainage areas, and other public spaces.^[1]
• Amarillo's Environmental Health Department belongs to the Amarillo Area Public Health District and monitors and controls mosquitoes for Potter and Randall County communities.^[2]

Local rules and responsibilities

Amarillo requires grass, weeds, and vegetation on residential, commercial, and vacant lots to stay below eight inches; the city says the rule helps prevent pests.^[4]

Hiring a licensed company

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Service investigates complaints about violations of the Structural Pest Control Act, including unlicensed pest control work.^[10]

Licensing agency: Texas Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Programs^[12].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

• Randall County, served by its own Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office, takes in the southern half of the City of Amarillo.^[7]
• The Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains Research and Extension Center in Canyon is the District 1 office for AgriLife Extension, covering 22 Panhandle counties.^[8]

Through the year

Spring to Fall

Amarillo's mosquito spraying typically runs from April to October, guided by trap counts, complaints, weather, and disease risk such as West Nile virus.^[1]

Sources

1. City of Amarillo, “Mosquito Control.” www.amarillo.gov/environmental-health/mosquito-control/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. City of Amarillo, “Environmental Health.” www.amarillo.gov/environmental-health/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. City of Amarillo, “Animal Management & Welfare.” www.amarillo.gov/animal-management-welfare/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. City of Amarillo City Marshal's Office, “City Marshal.” www.amarillo.gov/city-marshal/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Center for Urban & Structural Entomology, “Native Subterranean Termites.” urbanentomology.tamu.edu/urban-pests/termites/native/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, “Termites.” citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/household/termites/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, “Randall County.” agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/counties/randall-county/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. Texas A&M AgriLife, “Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains Research and Extension Center.” highplains.tamu.edu/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. Texas Department of State Health Services, “Plague (Yersinia pestis).” www.dshs.texas.gov/notifiable-conditions/zoonosis-control/zoonosis-control-diseases-and-conditions/plague-yersinia-pestis (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. Texas Department of Agriculture, “Structural Pest Control Consumer Information.” texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Consumer-Information (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 79101 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/79101.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)