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Pests and pest control in Mississippi

Pests to know in Mississippi

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

Pests documented in Mississippi

From public GBIF occurrence records since 1990. A record means a species was documented in Mississippi, not that it's common near you.

Many public records (468)

Fewer public records (241)

Range named by extension sources (6)

Termites in Mississippi

  • Invasive Formosan subterranean termites, first found in Mississippi in Lauderdale County in 1984, are considered established in parts of 26 mostly southern counties and can potentially turn up anywhere in the state.[2]
  • Mississippi also has native eastern subterranean termites, which, like Formosans, typically infest structures from the ground.[2]

Invasive species reported here

Imported fire ants reached southern Mississippi by the 1930s and have since spread to every county in the state.[3]

Pests local experts flag

  • Brown recluse spiders are common year-round residents of many Mississippi homes, and some buildings harbor heavy infestations.[4]
  • Fire ants thrive in open areas such as home lawns, parks and sports fields, and aggressively defend their mounds when disturbed.[3]

Public agencies that handle pests

The Mississippi State Department of Health's West Nile virus page reports human case data and covers mosquito-borne illnesses in the state, including West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, chikungunya and eastern equine encephalitis.[5]

Hiring a licensed company

Mississippi's pesticide regulatory agency is the Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce (Bureau of Plant Industry, Pesticide Program).[1]

Licensing agency: Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce — Bureau of Plant Industry, Pesticide Program[1].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

The MSU Extension Insect ID Lab identifies insect specimens and digital images for Mississippi residents and gives management recommendations, with no charge for individual samples from state citizens.[6]

Local guides in Mississippi

Through the year

Winter to Summer
In Mississippi, Formosan termites typically swarm at night from early May to early June, while native subterranean termites swarm in daytime, usually mid-February to mid-May.[2]

Sources

  1. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Mississippi State University Extension Service, “Formosan termite swarms threaten large part of state.” extension.msstate.edu/news/feature-story/2024/formosan-termite-swarms-threaten-large-part-state (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. Mississippi State University Extension Service, “Introduction to Fire Ants.” extension.msstate.edu/introduction-fire-ants (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Mississippi State University Extension Service, “Brown Recluse Spider, No. 28.” extension.msstate.edu/newsletters/bugs-eye-view/2015/brown-recluse-spider-no-28 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. Mississippi State Department of Health, “West Nile Virus - Mississippi State Department of Health.” msdh.ms.gov/wnv (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. Mississippi State University Extension Service, “Insect Identification.” extension.msstate.edu/insects/insect-identification (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Every statement on this page comes from the cited state, federal or university source. Spot an error? Tell us.