Pests and pest control in Midland, TX

Pests to know in Midland

• Black-tailed prairie dog
• Eastern Bloodsucking Conenose
• Subterranean termites

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

Termites in Midland

Texas A&M AgriLife calls termites perhaps the most important wood-destroying pest for Texas homeowners, with the eastern subterranean termite the species most often encountered.^[8]

Pests local experts flag

• Texas DSHS says plague has been found in the western two-thirds of Texas, where squirrels, prairie dogs, rabbits, rats, and mice live; it notes plague in people is rare.^[6]
• Texas A&M's kissing bug lab lists Triatoma rubida and Triatoma protracta as kissing bug species found mainly in West Texas.^[7]

Climate

Central Midland (ZIP 79701) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night is 15 to 20°F.^[14]

Public agencies that handle pests

• Midland Health Services sets mosquito traps across Midland County, and the Texas DSHS laboratory tests the collected mosquitoes for diseases.^[1]
• To cut mosquito bites, Midland Health Services advises limiting time outdoors at sunrise and sunset, the peak mosquito periods, and dumping standing water around the home.^[2]
• Midland Health Services describes its role as preventing disease and promoting health for residents of both Midland and Midland County, with an environmental services program among its offerings.^[3]
• Texas DSHS Zoonosis Control serves the region through its Public Health Region 9/10 office in El Paso, which keeps a Midland sub-office.^[4]
• The DSHS Region 9/10 zoonosis team conducts vector-borne disease surveillance, including collecting ticks and mosquitoes, and investigates rabies cases.^[5]

Local rules and responsibilities

• Midland Code Enforcement answers reported violations by phone, mail, in person, or SeeClickFix, and patrols streets and alleys for compliance with health and safety codes.^[10]
• Under Midland city guidance, the property owner or tenant must maintain all land from their property lines to the center of the alley and the back of the curb.^[11]

Hiring a licensed company

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Service investigates complaints of Structural Pest Control Act violations, including unlicensed pest control work.^[13]

Licensing agency: Texas Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Programs^[15].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Midland County office connects residents with the Permian Basin Master Gardeners and lists pest management among its local topics.^[12]

Through the year

Spring

Texas A&M AgriLife reports that subterranean termite workers are present year-round, but swarmers usually appear in Texas from March through April.^[9]

Sources

1. City of Midland Health Services, “West Nile confirmed in Midland County.” www.midlandtexas.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1746 (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. City of Midland Health Services, “First West Nile case in a Midland Co. resident reported this year.” www.midlandtexas.gov/CivicAlerts.asp?AID=1782 (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. City of Midland, “Health Services.” www.midlandtexas.gov/232/Health-Services (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. Texas Department of State Health Services, “Zoonosis Control Contact Information.” www.dshs.texas.gov/idcu/health/zoonosis/contact/region11.asp (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. Texas Department of State Health Services, “Zoonosis - Public Health Region 9/10.” www.dshs.texas.gov/region9-10/Zoonosis.aspx (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. Texas Department of State Health Services, “Plague (Yersinia pestis).” www.dshs.texas.gov/notifiable-conditions/zoonosis-control/zoonosis-control-diseases-and-conditions/plague-yersinia-pestis (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. Texas A&M University Kissing Bug Lab, “Kissing Bug Resources.” kissingbug.tamu.edu/resources/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Citybugs), “Termites and Other Wood Destroying Insects.” citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/structural/termites/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Citybugs), “Subterranean Termites (ENT-6002).” citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/household/termites/ent-6002/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. City of Midland, “Code Enforcement.” www.midlandtexas.gov/1260/Code-Enforcement (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. City of Midland, “Code Enforcement FAQ.” www.midlandtexas.gov/1378/Code-Enforcement-FAQ (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, “Midland County.” agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/counties/midland-county/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
13. Texas Department of Agriculture, “Structural Pest Control Consumer Information.” texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Consumer-Information (accessed 2026-10-06)
14. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 79701 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/79701.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
15. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)