Pests and pest control in Murfreesboro, TN

Pests to know in Murfreesboro

• Spotted Lanternfly
• Red Imported Fire Ant
• Western Drywood Termite
• Subterranean termites
• Ticks

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

Termites in Murfreesboro

• UT entomologists note that drywood termites' range typically does not include Tennessee, though an established population exists in Nashville; most drywood infestations arrive in infested furniture.^[7]
• The Tennessee Department of Agriculture advises that termite treatment contracts should carry a warranty of at least one year, and real estate wood destroying insect reports are warranted for 90 days.^[8]

Invasive species reported here

• The Tennessee Department of Agriculture lists Rutherford County among the counties with confirmed spotted lanternfly populations as of September 2026.^[2]
• Rutherford County is on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's imported fire ant quarantine list.^[3]

Climate

Central Murfreesboro (ZIP 37130) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night is 5 to 10°F.^[11]

Public agencies that handle pests

• Murfreesboro's street department places larvicide dunks in standing water, drainage ditches and retention ponds along public rights-of-way, but not in flowing water or on private property.^[1]
• Based on Extension Service advice, the City of Murfreesboro chose not to develop a mosquito-spraying program, focusing instead on killing larvae.^[1]
• The Rutherford County Health Department advises avoiding the outdoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, and wearing long sleeves, long pants and DEET repellent.^[1]

Local rules and responsibilities

Murfreesboro's Building and Codes department enforces the city's property maintenance code, including weeds and grass taller than 12 inches. Complaints can be filed online or by phone anonymously.^[4]

Hiring a licensed company

Tennessee's Wood Destroying Organisms license category covers control of termites, wood borers, carpenter bees, carpenter ants and decay.^[9]

Licensing agency: Tennessee Department of Agriculture — Pesticides Section^[12].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

• UT Extension Rutherford County lists plant and pest diagnostics and soil testing among its services, and its agriculture programs share updates on emerging issues such as plant pests and diseases.^[5]
• Rutherford County Extension agents help run the Middle Tennessee Landscape Management Short Course, usually held each January, where certified applicators can earn up to 10 recertification points.^[6]

Through the year

Spring to Fall

Tennessee health officials say spotted fever rickettsiosis cases peak from May through September, tied to a tick season running from early spring to late summer.^[10]

Sources

1. City of Murfreesboro, “Mosquito Control.” www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/161/Mosquito-Control (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry, “Spotted Lanternfly.” www.tn.gov/protecttnforests/insects/spotted-lantern-fly.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. Tennessee Department of Agriculture, “Imported Fire Ant: Tennessee Quarantined Counties 2026.” www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/agriculture/documents/planthealth/2026/IMPORTED%20FIRE%20ANT%20AREAS%20IN%20TENNESSEE%20January%202026_PL-ADA.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. City of Murfreesboro Building and Codes, “Property Maintenance.” www.murfreesborotn.gov/2010/Property-Maintenance (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. UT Extension Rutherford County, “Agriculture Programs.” rutherford.tennessee.edu/agriculture-programs/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. UT Extension Rutherford County, “Landscape and Ornamental Industry (HLT).” rutherford.tennessee.edu/commercial-applicators/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. University of Tennessee Extension Entomology and Plant Pathology, “Reticulitermes hageni, the light southern subterranean termite.” epp.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/267/2023/11/2020-09RhageniV1I1.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. Tennessee Department of Agriculture, “Pesticide Consumer Tips.” www.tn.gov/agriculture/businesses/pesticides/pesticide-consumer-tips.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. Tennessee Department of Agriculture, “Certification, Licensing and Charters.” www.tn.gov/agriculture/businesses/pesticides/certification.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. Tennessee Department of Health, “Vector-Borne Diseases.” www.tn.gov/health/vector.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 37130 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/37130.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)