Pests and pest control in Fresno, CA

Pests to know in Fresno

• Mosquito
• Yellow Fever Mosquito
• Western Drywood Termite

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

Termites in Fresno

UC IPM reports drywood termites occur in the Central Valley as well as coastal and desert areas, while subterranean termites are very abundant in most parts of California.^[10]

Invasive species reported here

The Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District runs traps aimed specifically at the invasive Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) alongside its standard surveillance traps.^[9]

Pests local experts flag

In Fresno County, Culex mosquitoes transmit West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses each year; the viruses begin circulating once average daily temperatures reach 75°F.^[3]

Climate

Central Fresno (ZIP 93721) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night is 25 to 30°F.^[13]

Public agencies that handle pests

• The Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District, created in 1942, serves parts of Fresno plus Kerman and the communities of Biola, Calwa, Malaga and Easton.^[1]
• The Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District covers 1,058 square miles of central and eastern Fresno County, including part of the City of Fresno, plus Clovis, Reedley, Sanger and Selma.^[2]
• Consolidated MAD gives mosquitofish to residents within its boundaries at no cost and stocks them in neglected pools, ornamental ponds, troughs and flood-control basins that don't drain to creeks.^[4]
• Consolidated MAD does not test dead birds itself; residents report them to CDPH, and if a bird is flagged the district sets mosquito traps at the property.^[7]
• For wide-area larvicide spraying, Consolidated MAD uses VectoBac WDG, a Bti-based product that targets larvae, does not kill adult mosquitoes and does not harm bees.^[8]

Local rules and responsibilities

Consolidated MAD does not require owners to repair a non-functional swimming pool, but it does require access to inspect it for mosquito breeding; notices go out at the March–April start of season.^[5]

Hiring a licensed company

California's Structural Pest Control Board, created by a 1935 law, registers and licenses people who perform structural pest control, including termite inspections.^[12]

Licensing agency: California Environmental Protection Agency — Department of Pesticide Regulation^[14].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

UC IPM notes that in low-elevation areas such as the Central Valley, some mosquito species bite at night while others bite during the day.^[11]

Through the year

Spring to Fall

Fresno-area residents are told to screen yard drains starting in May, when mosquito season begins, and remove screens in November before the rainy season.^[6]

Sources

1. Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District, “Our District.” www.fresnomosquito.org/our-district (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “About Us.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/about-us (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “Mosquito-Borne Virus Information.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/mosquito-borne-virus-information (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “Mosquitofish.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/mosquitofish (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “Unmaintained or Non-Functional Swimming Pools.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/unmaintained-or-non-functional-swimming-pools (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “How to Screen Your Yard Drains.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/how-to-screen-your-yard-drains (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “Report a Dead Bird.” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/report-a-dead-bird (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, “Wide Area Larvicide Spraying (WALS).” www.consolidatedmadca.gov/wide-area-larvicide-spraying-wals (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District, “What We Do.” www.fresnomosquito.org/education (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. UC Statewide IPM Program (UC ANR), “Pest Notes: Termites.” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/subterranean-and-other-termites/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. UC Statewide IPM Program (UC ANR), “Pest Notes: Mosquitoes.” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/mosquitoes/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. California Structural Pest Control Board, “Structural Pest Control Board Overview.” www.pestboard.ca.gov/about/overview.shtml (accessed 2026-10-06)
13. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 93721 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/93721.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)