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Pests and pest control in Brownsville, TX

Pests to know in Brownsville

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

Termites in Brownsville

  • Cameron County appears on Texas A&M's list of Texas counties where Formosan termites have been detected; the species has turned up in 31 Texas counties.[5]
  • Texas A&M notes drywood termites are a common pest along the Gulf coast and in more southerly parts of Texas.[6]

Invasive species reported here

The Mexican fruit fly enters the Lower Rio Grande Valley's commercial citrus each year from south of the border and attacks more than 40 kinds of fruit.[8]

Pests local experts flag

  • Cameron County has a Texas Animal Health Commission inspection line for moving nilgai, deer, or other wildlife out of cattle fever tick quarantined areas.[9]
  • Texas A&M's kissing bug program lists Triatoma gerstaeckeri as the species mainly found in south and west Texas; 63% of those tested carried the Chagas parasite.[10]

Climate

Central Brownsville (ZIP 78520) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a, where the average coldest winter night is 30 to 35°F.[13]

Public agencies that handle pests

  • Brownsville's Department of Health, Wellness, and Animal Services runs a One Health Science Laboratory in its vector control division that tests mosquitoes for dengue, Zika, and West Nile virus.[1]
  • The city asks residents to report spots with heavy mosquito activity through the Brownsville Mosquito Notices App, which helps Vector Control staff find problem areas.[2]
  • Brownsville vector control inspectors check drains, gutters, and ditches for mosquito breeding. The city notes anything holding water longer than a week can become a breeding source.[3]
  • Texas health officials urge people living along the Texas-Mexico border to stay alert for Zika and guard against mosquito breeding and bites all year.[4]

Hiring a licensed company

Texas requires a license for anyone in the pest control business, from one-person operations to large national franchises, through the Texas Department of Agriculture.[12]

Licensing agency: Texas Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Programs[14].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Cameron County office is in the San Benito Annex Building and offers horticulture and coastal and marine resources programs.[11]

Through the year

Winter
Native subterranean termite swarming in South Texas begins in January and February, according to Texas A&M urban entomologists.[7]

Sources

  1. City of Brownsville, “Brownsville's One Health Science Laboratory.” www.brownsvilletx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2309 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. City of Brownsville, “Mosquito spraying update.” www.brownsvilletx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=3232 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. City of Brownsville, “Public Health - Vector Control.” www.brownsvilletx.gov/m/faq?cat=39 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Texas Department of State Health Services, “Zika Virus.” www.dshs.texas.gov/zika-virus (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Center for Urban & Structural Entomology, “Formosan Subterranean Termite.” urbanentomology.tamu.edu/urban-pests/termites/formosan/ (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 Center for Urban & Structural Entomology, “Native Subterranean Termites.” urbanentomology.tamu.edu/urban-pests/termites/native/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. Texas Department of Agriculture, “Mexican Fruit Fly.” texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/PlantQuality/PestandDiseaseAlerts/MexicanFruitFly.aspx (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. Texas Animal Health Commission, “Fever Ticks & Pests.” www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/feverticks-pests/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  10. Texas A&M University Kissing Bug Program, “Kissing bug resources.” kissingbug.tamu.edu/resources/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  11. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, “Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Cameron County.” cameron.agrilife.org/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  12. 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)
  13. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 78520 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/78520.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
  14. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Every statement on this page comes from the cited local, state or university source. Spot an error? Tell us.