Pests to know in Las Vegas
Termites in Las Vegas
- Nevada's state study guide says the arid land subterranean termite occurs statewide and the drywood termite is native to southern Nevada.[5]
- The desert dampwood termite is found in Nevada only in Clark County; its swarming flights begin in late May and continue periodically through early September.[5]
Invasive species reported here
Pests local experts flag
- Clark County Vector Control handles Africanized honeybees on county property and advises residents not to destroy a bee colony themselves but to call a pest control company.[4]
- Clark County Vector Control treats nuisance black flies that breed year-round in the Colorado River below Davis Dam, coordinating with Arizona's Bullhead City Pest Abatement District.[4]
Climate
Central Las Vegas (ZIP 89101) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night is 25 to 30°F.[8]
Public agencies that handle pests
- Each year Southern Nevada Health District staff set thousands of mosquito traps to monitor for West Nile virus, Western equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis.[1]
- SNHD only does surveillance, not control; breeding sources needing abatement are referred to public works, parks and code enforcement offices in Clark County's six jurisdictions.[1]
Local rules and responsibilities
Clark County holds property owners and tenants responsible for keeping pools clean; green pools can be reported to the local jurisdiction's code enforcement office.[3]
Hiring a licensed company
Nevada requires everyone in pest control, including applicants licensed in other states, to pass Nevada's pest control exams; all licenses expire December 31 and renew annually.[6]
Free local help
University of Nevada, Reno Extension's Clark County office on Paradise Road in Las Vegas runs the Master Gardener program and offers research-based information on pests and gardening.[7]
Sources
- Southern Nevada Health District, “Mosquito Surveillance.” www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/programs/mosquito-surveillance/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Southern Nevada Health District, “SNHD identifies Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Clark County.” www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/news-release/2017-06-01-snhd-identifies-aedes-aegypti-mosquitoes-in-clark-county/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Clark County, Nevada, “Green Pools.” www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/administrative_services/code_enforcement_-_public_response_office/services/green-pools (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Clark County Public Works, Vector Control, “Vector Control.” www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/public_works_department/vector-control (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Nevada Department of Agriculture, “Study Guide for the Control of Structural Wood-Destroying Pests.” agri.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/agrinvgov/Content/Plant/PEST/Study_Manuals/C3%20MANUAL%202014%20without%20Appendix%206-2014.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Nevada Department of Agriculture, “Division of Plant Health and Compliance-Pest Control FAQs.” agri.nv.gov/Resources/FAQs/Division_of_Plant_Health_and_Compliance-Pest_Control (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension, “Extension, Clark County Office.” www.unr.edu/around-campus/las-vegas-extension-office (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 89101 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/89101.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)