Pests to know in Fort Worth
Termites in Fort Worth
According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the eastern subterranean termite is the termite Texas homeowners encounter most often, and termites are among the most important wood-destroying pests of Texas homes.[7]
Invasive species reported here
Emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Tarrant County. Texas A&M Forest Service lists it among 40 Texas counties with EAB as of June 2026; the first Texas detection was Harrison County in 2016.[8]
Pests local experts flag
- Tarrant County has about 45 mosquito species, so county vector staff use several trap types, including gravid, BG Sentinel, CDC light and New Jersey light traps.[4]
- Kissing bugs (triatomines), which can spread Chagas disease, live in all regions of Texas. DSHS says outdoor dogs face much higher infection risk than other pets.[9]
Climate
Central Fort Worth (ZIP 76102) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night is 15 to 20°F.[10]
Public agencies that handle pests
- The City of Fort Worth monitors 40 mosquito trap locations every week as part of its mosquito control program.[1]
- Each Tarrant County city handles its own mosquito abatement. Tarrant County Public Health monitors and recommends, but each city's governing body decides whether to start or stop control.[3]
- Tarrant County Public Health provides more than 1,000 free mosquito traps to most cities in the county, then sorts trapped mosquitoes by species and tests them for West Nile virus.[3]
- Tarrant County Public Health does not spray for nuisance mosquitoes. It will treat any water with mosquito larvae and adulticides only where disease-positive mosquito pools turn up in unincorporated areas.[3]
Local rules and responsibilities
Under the Texas Health and Safety Code, Tarrant County vector control staff can abate nuisances on county property without notice, treat abandoned properties and take legal action against owners who fail to abate.[4]
Hiring a licensed company
Tarrant County Public Health's mosquito abatement program is staffed by personnel licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture.[3]
Free local help
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Tarrant County office serves an urban county that includes Fort Worth, Arlington and 43 other municipalities.[6]
Through the year
- Spring to Fall
- Fort Worth collects mosquitoes and tests them for diseases such as West Nile virus every week from May through the end of October.[2]
- Summer to Fall
- Tarrant County Public Health says West Nile cases usually occur during mosquito season, which starts in summer and continues through fall.[5]
Sources
- City of Fort Worth, “Mosquitoes.” www.fortworthtexas.gov/mosquitoes (accessed 2026-10-06)
- City of Fort Worth, “Mosquitoes after the storm.” www.fortworthtexas.gov/news/2022/9/mosquitoes-storm (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Tarrant County Public Health, “Ground Spraying for Mosquitoes in Tarrant County.” www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/public-health/health-protection-and-response/environmental-health-promotion/vector/ground-spraying-for-mosquitoes-in-tarrant-county.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Tarrant County Public Health, “Vector Control.” www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/public-health/health-protection-and-response/environmental-health-promotion/vector.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Tarrant County Public Health, “West Nile Virus.” www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/public-health/disease-control-and-prevention/epidemiology-and-health-information/diseases-in-tarrant-county/west-nile-virus.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Tarrant County, “Tarrant County.” tarrant.agrilife.org/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, “Termites & wood destroying insects.” citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/structural/termites/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Texas A&M Forest Service, “Emerald Ash Borer.” tfsweb.tamu.edu/trees/invasive-species/invasive-insects/emerald-ash-borer/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Texas Department of State Health Services, “Chagas Disease.” www.dshs.texas.gov/notifiable-conditions/zoonosis-control/zoonosis-control-diseases-and-conditions/chagas-disease (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 76102 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/76102.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)