Pests to know in Evansville
Termites in Evansville
In a Purdue statewide termite survey, the termite species Reticulitermes hageni was found only in Evansville.[7]
Pests local experts flag
- The county health department warns that tires holding water are a prime breeding site for the aggressive Asian tiger mosquito, and notes Vanderburgh County usually holds a tire amnesty day twice a year.[1]
- According to the county health department, the three most common cockroaches in Vanderburgh County are the German, Oriental and American cockroach.[3]
- The health department says bed bugs are making a big comeback in Vanderburgh County, pointing to more travel, reduced use of certain pesticides and pesticide resistance.[4]
- The Indiana Department of Health reports the Gulf Coast tick is present mostly in southern Indiana counties.[9]
Climate
Central Evansville (ZIP 47708) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night is 0 to 5°F.[11]
Public agencies that handle pests
- Vanderburgh County Vector Control treats sites where water stands longer than 24 hours with larvicide oil and rechecks them until the water dries up.[1]
- The Vanderburgh County Health Department does not test ticks for disease, but residents may bring ticks in for identification sealed in a clear plastic container.[2]
- In Evansville, the Building Commission hands out rodent bait to property owners and tenants who bring government-issued ID to Room 310 of the Civic Center and fill out a Bait Release form.[5]
Local rules and responsibilities
Evansville's Building Commission treats tall grass or volunteer vegetation over nine inches as a weed, and a property with weeds over that height violates city code.[6]
Hiring a licensed company
Under the Office of Indiana State Chemist, Category 7b certification covers applicators using pesticides on termites and other wood-destroying organisms, and also qualifies them to inspect structures for termites.[8]
Free local help
Purdue Extension lists periodical cicada Brood XXIII, a 13-year brood, in several southwestern Indiana counties, with Vigo County as its northern limit.[10]
Through the year
- Spring to Fall
- Vanderburgh County's health department says ticks are most active from April until September, though it recommends watching for them year-round.[2]
Sources
- Vanderburgh County Health Department, “Mosquitoes.” vanderburghhealth.org/mosquitoes/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Vanderburgh County Health Department, “Ticks.” vanderburghhealth.org/ticks/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Vanderburgh County Health Department, “Cockroaches.” vanderburghhealth.org/cockroaches/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Vanderburgh County Health Department, “Bedbugs.” vanderburghhealth.org/bedbugs/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Vanderburgh County Health Department, “Rodents.” vanderburghhealth.org/rodents/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- City of Evansville Building Commission, “Weed Control.” www.evansvillegov.org/city/topic/index.php?topicid=576&structureid=147 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Purdue University Department of Entomology, “Survey and Identification of Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Indiana.” www.entm.purdue.edu/ants/pubs/21.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Office of Indiana State Chemist, “Continuing Certification Program.” oisc.purdue.edu/pesticide/continuing_certification_program.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Indiana Department of Health, “Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick).” www.in.gov/health/idepd/zoonotic-and-vectorborne-epidemiology-entomology/vector-borne-diseases/tick-borne-diseases/amblyomma-maculatum-gulf-coast-tick/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Purdue Extension Entomology, “Periodical Cicada in Indiana.” extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-47/E-47.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 47708 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/47708.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)