PestControlBasics
Menu

Identify

Treat

Local

About

Pests and pest control in New Mexico

Pests to know in New Mexico

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

Pests documented in New Mexico

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

Many public records (424)

Fewer public records (201)

Range named by extension sources (5)

Termites in New Mexico

  • New Mexico State University extension confirms termites live in New Mexico soils and advises homeowners who find them in the garden to inspect their houses regularly for mud tunnels.[2]
  • In New Mexico, anyone performing termite inspections must hold a New Mexico Department of Agriculture license as a Pest Management Consultant.[3]

Invasive species reported here

New Mexico is currently free of the Japanese beetle and enforces a Japanese Beetle Exterior Quarantine on nursery plants and turf grass shipped in from infested states.[4]

Pests local experts flag

  • The Arizona bark scorpion, found in the southwestern corner of New Mexico, is the only scorpion species in the state that causes serious illness.[5]
  • Black widow spider venom is strong enough to cause serious illness, especially in children and the elderly, according to New Mexico's poison center.[5]
  • People usually get plague from the bite of an infected rodent flea, and about half of US plague cases each year occur in New Mexico.[6]

Public agencies that handle pests

The New Mexico Department of Health's Zoonotic Diseases program tracks diseases people catch from animals and insects, including hantavirus, plague, rabies, West Nile virus and Zika.[7]

Hiring a licensed company

New Mexico's pesticide regulatory agency is the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (Pesticide Compliance Section).[1]

Licensing agency: New Mexico Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Compliance Section[1].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

NMSU's Plant Diagnostic Clinic serves the state, including homeowners, and helps with insect identification through specialist referrals; samples go through county Extension offices.[9]

Local guides in New Mexico

Through the year

Summer to Fall
West Nile virus cases have occurred in New Mexico every year since 2003, with human infections peaking in late summer and early fall.[8]

Sources

  1. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. New Mexico State University, College of ACES (Southwest Yard & Garden), “June 30, 2012.” swyg.nmsu.edu/2012/063012.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. New Mexico Department of Agriculture, “Termites 101.” nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/pesticides/termites-101.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. New Mexico Department of Agriculture, “Japanese Beetle.” nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/aes/eni/japanese-beetle.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. University of New Mexico Health Sciences, New Mexico Poison & Drug Information Center, “Bites and Stings.” hsc.unm.edu/poison/poison-prevention/bites-stings.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. New Mexico Department of Health, “Plague.” www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/plg/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. New Mexico Department of Health, “Zoonotic Diseases.” www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. New Mexico Department of Health, “West Nile Virus.” www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/wnv/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. New Mexico State University, “Plant Diagnostic Clinic.” plantclinic.nmsu.edu/ (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.