Pest control in Houston: costs, city services and local pests

Houston’s heat, humidity and flat, wet landscape suit mosquitoes, termites and cockroaches. This page explains which public services exist, what Texas law says about rentals, what private treatment typically costs, and how to check a company.

We are a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company. We do not treat properties ourselves and we cannot promise a quote, a price or a response time.

Local pest issues in Houston

Mosquitoes and West Nile virus

Harris County Public Health’s Mosquito and Vector Control (MVC) Division uses integrated vector management to prevent, detect and control mosquito-borne disease. Inspectors find and reduce breeding sites and apply larvicide where appropriate. Adult mosquito spraying is used in operational areas where mosquito-borne disease activity has been confirmed, or after a declared emergency. The Division says treatments take place between 8:30pm and 5am, weather permitting, and it publishes a map of treatment areas.

In May 2025, Harris County Public Health reported the year’s first mosquito sample to test positive for West Nile virus, in north-west Harris County near ZIP code 77064, and started spraying in that area. Our guide to mosquitoes around a US home covers what you can do at home, starting with standing water.

Ticks, fleas and kissing bugs: free identification

The MVC Division accepts ticks, kissing bugs and fleas found in Harris County for identification and testing, free of charge. Ticks are tested for several bacterial pathogens, kissing bugs for the Chagas parasite and fleas for the bacterium behind flea-borne (murine) typhus. Specimens must come from inside Harris County and must not have been attached to a person. If one was, the Division asks you to call 713-440-4800 for guidance. It aims to contact submitters with results within two to three weeks.

Formosan subterranean termites

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says the first Texas infestations of Formosan subterranean termites were found in 1956 near the Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Harris County. The species is concentrated in the greater Houston-Galveston area, and its colonies are much larger than those of native subterranean termites. Speaking to Houston Public Media in May 2025, an AgriLife Extension specialist said they are sometimes called the “Mother’s Day termite” because they tend to swarm around then, at night and towards lights. She suggested a professional inspection for homeowners who see a swarm nearby. See our guide to suspected termites: what to record.

Public services: what they cover and what they cost

Neither the county nor the city treats the inside of private homes. For termites, cockroaches, rodents or ants, you need a licensed company.

What private pest control costs

We found no independent, published price survey for Houston, so we use national ranges rather than invent a local figure.

Source: How Much Does Pest Control Cost? (2026), HomeGuide (homeguide.com), one-time visit ranges, checked September 2026. Full table in our US pest control cost guide.

HomeGuide notes that pest control can cost more in peak season in hot, humid or wet areas, and that mosquito control costs more in warmer regions because the season is longer. It reports $80 to $150 per mosquito visit. For termite contracts, read our guide to termite treatment contracts in the USA.

Renting: who is responsible?

Under Section 92.052 of the Texas Property Code, a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant. The Texas State Law Library gives roaches and rats as examples of such conditions. The duty applies once certain requirements are met: the tenant has given notice to the person who collects the rent, is not behind on rent, and did not cause the problem. Section 92.056 sets further steps a tenant must follow before remedies such as ending the lease or repair-and-deduct become available. Read your lease too, as it may say more about pests. Our guide to pests in a rented home covers what to record.

How to choose a pest controller in Houston

• Check the licence. The Texas Department of Agriculture’s Structural Pest Control Service licenses pest control businesses, certified applicators and technicians. A business licence is needed for each location, including branch offices. TDA publishes reports of current licences.
• Ask about termite method and warranty. Formosan termites behave differently from native species, so ask how the company will inspect for and treat them, and what retreatment is covered.
• Check the pest first. Fire ants, carpenter ants and other ants need different approaches. See our guides to ants indoors and cockroaches in a home or business.

Pest control businesses in Houston

These businesses are listed from public business information. We have not checked their licences, and a listing is not an endorsement.

Common questions

Sources

• Mosquito and Vector Control Division, Harris County Public Health (publichealth.harriscountytx.gov)
• Mosquito and Vector Control: Control, Harris County Public Health (publichealth.harriscountytx.gov)
• Mosquito and Vector Control: Report an Issue, Harris County Public Health (publichealth.harriscountytx.gov)
• Formosan subterranean termites, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (urbanentomology.tamu.edu)
• Formosan subterranean termites could swarm around Houston area during Mother’s Day weekend, Houston Public Media (houstonpublicmedia.org)
• Harris County Public Health reports first positive West Nile virus mosquito sample this year, Houston Public Media (houstonpublicmedia.org)
• Houston 3-1-1, City of Houston (houstontx.gov)
• Requesting Repairs: Mold and Pests, Texas State Law Library (guides.sll.texas.gov)
• Structural Pest Control Licensing and Current Licenses reports, Texas Department of Agriculture (texasagriculture.gov)
• How Much Does Pest Control Cost? (2026), HomeGuide (homeguide.com)

Last checked: September 2026.