The state of Florida is home to 21 species of termites, many of these are beneficial species that help clean up dead and decaying wood in our surrounding environment. Four of these species are problematic to homeowners and can cause significant damage to homes and similar properties in relatively short periods of times if left untreated. These species are: Drywood termites, Asian subterranean termites, Formosan subterranean termites, and Native subterranean termites.
Termite control methods over the years have become very sophisticated allowing pest control companies to be less intrusive to customer's homes to prevent and control termite issues. Today the main methods used in the field to control termites are spot treatments, structural fumigation, "no-tent" termite treatments, liquid barrier treatments, heat treatments, borate treatments, and baiting stations. Each application has its pros and cons for each type of termite, please reach out to us to speak about which application would be best for your home, business, or boat.
Both dry wood and subterranean termites in Florida have a mating season depending on the time of the year which results in massive swarms (flying termites). Typically, when this happens the termites are dispersed through an area looking for new areas to infest and colonize. Many homeowners are unaware of active termite infestations inside their homes and do not realize the problem until they find these wings piled up usually around an interior window or door frame. We recommend having our professional inspector check these wings to ensure they are indeed termites as ants also swarm and to the untrained eye can easily be misidentified.
Termites can enter a home in many different ways. For example, subterranean termites can enter a home from underneath the structure by wood to ground contact or enter through expansion joints in a building's foundation. Not all subterranean termites need to enter from below a structure though, it is not uncommon to find large subterranean termite colonies flourishing on boats that are docked in the water (entered through swarming). Dry wood termites usually enter a home through swarming (flying) from an infested structure that is nearby. It is also not unusual for dry wood termites to accidentally be transported into a home from infested building materials during a remodeling construction.
Even though both subterranean and drywood termites are both termites, they behave in a few different manners which makes treatment options different for each. Once a drywood termite has infested a piece of wood, they do not need anything else to survive, which can make identification of the infested locations difficult. The drywood termite gets their food and water from the wood they are infesting. One of the easiest ways to identify a dry wood termite infestation is the "coffee ground" like frass that is left behind from their consumption of wood. A subterranean termite on the other hand needs a water source for it to be able to build its mud tubes to infest wood. Typically, these termites enter the home from beneath the structure from the soil and use a nearby water source to build their habitat in the wood structure. On average in Palm Beach County the dry wood termite is the more common termite, but the invasive subterranean termite species the Formosan termite has been growing in numbers since first being discovered in the area.
The annual cost for control and repair of damaged structures in the United States is more than $5 billion. A mature Formosan subterranean termite colony can eat as much as 13 ounces of wood a day and can severely damage a home in as little as three months. A single colony of drywood termites can eat up to a cubic foot of wood in a year and many times an infested home can have more than one colony infesting the structure.
Absolutely, there are multiple options to protect a structure from termites prior to becoming infested. Some non-treatment alternatives are ensuring that wood to ground contact is reduced on the property and also correcting any conducive conditions which could make the structure more susceptible to termite infestation. That being said, we highly recommend having a professional perform any preventive treatments as these have the highest chance of limiting termite activity and eliminating any potential infestations.
Structural fumigation is the industry recommended control method for an active dry wood termite infestation. It has the highest chance of success compared to other methods of control and when performed properly it is a safe treatment option. Please visit www.fumigationfacts.com for more information.
The "no-tent" termite treatment option is fast becoming one of the go to methods for treating dry wood termites in the pest control industry. This method allows the homeowner to stay in the structure as the treatment is being performed and also has the benefit of having residual properties. As long as all the termite infestation areas can be identified, this method can be effective in eliminating a drywood termite colony
Liquid termite treatments can be very effective in eliminating subterranean termites. This method usually is one of the quicker ways to gain control of a subterranean termite colony. The treatment consists of trenching and rodding around the exterior of the property to create a continuous barrier. Depending on the layout of a property sometimes down drilling is needed to gain full control of a termite colony. This service can also be performed as preventative service.
In-ground termite bait stations are now the recommended treatment for most subterranean termite infestations according to the University of Florida. These stations when installed properly can eliminate subterranean termite infestations in a relatively short period of time and have the added benefit of being a non-repellant meaning the termites do not know they have been affected. The termites then transfer the product back to the rest of the colony resulting in an elimination of colony. This service is highly recommended also as a preventative measure.
