Pests and pest control in Houston, TX

Pests to know in Houston

• Formosan Subterranean Termite
• Tawny crazy ant and other ants
• Red Imported Fire Ant

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

Termites in Houston

• Texas first found Formosan termites in 1956, around the Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Harris County.^[1]
• Formosan termites have since been found in 31 Texas counties, and more counties are added each year.^[1]

Invasive species reported here

The tawny (Rasberry) crazy ant, an invasive exotic ant, was found around Houston in Harris County in 2002.^[2]

Pests local experts flag

Red imported fire ants infest the eastern two-thirds of Texas, and the Houston area falls in that range.^[3]

Climate

Central Houston (ZIP 77002) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night is 25 to 30°F.^[6]

Public agencies that handle pests

• The Harris County Public Health Mosquito and Vector Control Division works to prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases for county residents.^[4]
• The division uses an Integrated Vector Management approach to prevent, detect and control vector-borne diseases, and its services include surveillance, virology and control.^[4]

Hiring a licensed company

The state pesticide regulatory agency for Texas is the Texas Department of Agriculture (Pesticide Programs), which oversees pesticide applicator certification and licensing.^[7]

Licensing agency: Texas Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Programs^[7].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office in Harris County has an Ask a Master Gardener service and a Master Gardener Speakers Bureau.^[5]

Through the year

Spring to Summer

Formosan termites swarm at night in late May and early June, and they are drawn to lights.^[1]

Sources

1. Texas A&M University Urban and Structural Entomology Program, “Formosan Subterranean Termites Coptotermes formosanus.” urbanentomology.tamu.edu/urban-pests/termites/formosan/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. Texas A&M University Urban and Structural Entomology Program, “Tawny (Rasberry) Crazy Ant, Nylanderia fulva.” urbanentomology.tamu.edu/urban-pests/ants/rasberry/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, “Red Imported Fire Ant - Field Guide to Common Texas Insects.” web.archive.org/web/20250120120213/texasinsects.tamu.edu/red-imported-fire-ant/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. Harris County Public Health, “Mosquito & Vector Control Division.” publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/About/Divisions/Mosquito-Vector-Control-Division (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service - Harris County, “Howdy and Welcome to Harris County! - Harris.” harris.agrilife.org/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 77002 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/77002.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)