Termite Control and Prevention

There are three types of termites that can be found in Florida: subterranean termites, drywood termites, and dampwood termites. Of these three, the subterranean termite is seen most often and is the most destructive to homes in South Florida. Termites are very social insects, and cause billions of dollars of damage annually.

Subterranean termites nest in the soil in colonies, and build "mud tubes" or tunnels to protect and enable them to travel from the nest to the wood they are infesting. The colonies can be comprised of several thousand individual termites, each of whom has a specific job. There are workers, who make up the majority of the colony, and do all of the work. They make the mud tubes, maintain the nest, and find the food...namely, they are the ones who chew and eat the wood. The soldiers defend the nest against enemies, especially ants, and ensnare these trespassers with a sticky substance. The reproductive males and females, also known as swarmers, are the termites you are most likely to see. They can fly from the original colony to begin a new colony. Since they are not strong fliers, they are likely to be prey for other insects, birds or frogs, and only small percentages survive. A female swarmer who survives to start a new colony is called the queen.  The queen is the star of the show in the termite colony. She lays the eggs, and the workers feed, groom and nurture her. She has a king, and it is his job to mate with the queen to replenish the egg supply to grow the colony.

A termite colony, under good conditions, can survive for many years. They need a good location, with access to food and water, and ideal temperatures. Termites feed on wood and products containing cellulose, like paper or certain plant materials. Termites do not actually get nutrition from the wood; they have protozoa in their digestive systems that change the cellulose to usable food. Termites are attracted to wet decaying wood, and can build mud tubes many feet long once the food is detected. Moisture is very important to termites, as they can dehydrate very easily. For this reason, you should always be aware of any excess water around the base of your home. Termites can access your home through small cracks or through pipes and wires on the exterior of your home.

Termite swarm season in Florida is generally between January and May, during the day, and usually after a rain. The swarmers lose their wings after their flight, and you may find evidence of swarmers by the wings left behind. Since termites are attracted to light, you may find wings near windows and doors. You may also see swarmers flying inside your home, usually near a light source. This does not necessarily mean your home has been invaded...you need an inspection to determine if there is a colony on your property.

It can be difficult to determine the difference between a termite swarmer and a flying (swarming) ant. Termites have straight antennae, a straight waist, and wings that are the same size with many small veins. Swarming ants have bent antennae, a nipped-in waist (think "hourglass figure") and wings of unequal size with few veins.

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Some signs of termite infestation are:

• Swarmers: Usually the first sign a homeowner may see, especially near windows or other indoor sources of light. Swarmers inside almost always means there is an active infestation in the house.

• Wings and Mud Tubes: Wings will be usually found around windows, points of entry, or in cobwebs. Mud tubes would be seen going up to an entry point. In the case of a home with a crawl space, the area under the house must be thoroughly inspected for the presence of mud tubes.

• Wood Damage: This is not always easy to find, as the exterior of the wood may need to be removed to see any damage. One way to test possible areas of infestation is to tap on wood with a screwdriver or hammer. If a hollow, dull sound is emitted, further inspection may be performed with a sharp instrument dug into the wood. This can expose termite damage. All wood-to-ground contact should be eliminated around your home. Moisture-to-wood contact should also be minimized at all times.