Who doesn’t love warm and sunny weather? Nice beaches, a decent little bit of nature left, and some lax tax laws all make Florida a pretty swell place to live for human beings. But that’s not exclusive to us! So today we’ll talk about Brandon Florida termites and why they’re such a problem here in the Tampa area.
Brandon Florida Termites: Why are termites so bad in Florida?
Well, the obvious first answer is the weather. Termite season in the south is year-round. There used to be a time when winter would get a bit cooler down here, but those days seem to be gone now. Instead, you have termites out and being industrious 24 hours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year.
Because of this, termites actually cause more damage every year in Florida than floods, fires, and hurricanes combined. This may seem hard to believe, but we have an average of three to five termite colonies per acre of land in this state. It’s not really that surprising when you think about it. And due to the fact that they’re hard to detect until they bring your house down on your head, many infestations aren’t noticed until it’s much too late. Termites even cause roughly five billion bucks worth of damage a year!
So, add that to the insane humidity and you have your answer. There are multiple species of termites in Florida, we’ll cover that in a second. But, the dampwood termites thrive here. There’s rarely a time when there isn’t rotten wood in your home when the humidity is 90% for most of the summer!
What Are Dampwood Termites?
Dampwood termites are much larger than other species of termites common across the country. They’re common among the pacific coast and southeast united states and are a particular problem in Florida.
These termite colonies are populated by three primary castes. The reproductives, soldiers, and workers. The soldiers protect the colony, and the workers dig out wood and feed themselves and the rest of the colony. There are also termite swarmers, which are the largest termites in the united states and have two sets of wings and exist to seek out new queens to start colonies with.
High humidity levels and water availability are keys to the survival of this Florida termite species. Because of this, they prefer moist woods like untreated fence posts, living trees, logs, and furniture. Termites that are dampwood termites do not tunnel into the soil. Instead, these Brandon Florida termites prefer to build galleries in the wood they infest. Oddly enough, these termites are also strong fliers and gravitate towards lights at night. So that porch light you leave on all night long can actually lead to a fun little termite infestation in your home.
These guys will cause the most damage to moisture rich areas of the home. Places with roof leaks and kitchens for example tend to be attractive infestation targets for dampwood termites.
Infestation signs and where you can find dampwood termites
Infestation signs of dampwood termites usually start with the shed wings and fecal pellets cast off by the bugs. Individual fecal pellets may be hard to see due to the effect of the moist and damp conditions in these termite galleries.
As for the distribution of these insects, they can be found throughout Florida and the Keys. Popular habitats include woodlands, mangroves, urban environments, and nearly the entire southern portion of the state.
Drywood Termites
Next on our list of Brandon Florida termites is the drywood termite. These guys are roughly a fourth to three eights of an inch long depending on their age. Workers vary in color from cream to almost white and are typically the smallest members of the colony. They are responsible for the same things as worker termites in dampwood colonies. Soldier termites are a bit darker in coloration and are equipped with strong mandibles.
The alate caste is the swarming and reproduction caste here as well. They vary in color from caramel brown to black and have slightly longer bodies than other termite soldiers. They also have two pairs of equally sized wings.
The slow action of drywood termites often goes undetected within wall voids, under floors, and in attic spaces. This means that damage can accumulate to an alarming level before you even notice an infestation. These termites do not require an external water source like dampwood termites, making them much more widespread.
In Florida, there’s even a fun little species known as Cryptotermes brevis, which is adapted to thrive even in the low humidity levels found indoors. Drywood termite infestations are thankfully much less drastic than other forms of infestation, with roughly three thousand members being the extreme upper limit of their colonies. Frass and wings are some of the best ways to detect these infestations, but they tend to be so small scale that outside of obvious damage you’ll likely need professional help.
Subterranean Termites
This is easily the most destructive type of termite on this list. These guys cause more damage than any other species in the world, in fact. Invasive to Florida, this species builds specialized mud tunnels to reach food sources and protect themselves from open air. They consume wood twenty four hours a day and use their saw toothed jaws to bite off huge chunks at a time.
Subterranean termites can cause damage so quickly and so extensively that they can critically damage a structure and cause it to collapse. They’re found in every state in the union except for Alaska, though it will likely be warm enough for them there before too long.
These termites are long, narrow, and oval shaped. Their coloration and appearance vary like the other two groups based on caste and sex.
The biggest telltale sign of these termites is the mud tubes they construct to reach homes. Mud tubes look like long tunnels made of wood and soil, which the termites construct to protect them from drying out as they travel.
So if you’re having trouble with Brandon Florida termites, visit our website or contact us over the phone to get yourself some help.
