Honestly, I think winter is the nicest time in Florida. Yep, down here the Sunshine state is brutally hot nearly year-round. But in December and January, we get some nice dips into cool, reasonable weather. Now, I’m sure a lot of people disagree because they’re beach fanatics, but that’s neither here nor there. No, more pertinent to the point is the break we get from our legion of pest insects. Most of the fliers and bloodsuckers take a break during the winter months. But not the Florida Winter Termites.
Today we’re going to be talking about those. The wood boring ants that eat up your home from right beneath you. Not only are these guys voracious, but they’re costly if left untreated. The best thing you can do for yourself if you’re dealing with termites is to be informed.
This is probably the most dangerous pest you’ll find out there. And I don’t mean for your body. I mean for your wallet. No other insect costs as much money every year as the dreaded termite.
Florida Winter Termites: Overview
The first step in prevention is to be on the alert for termites. Termites rarely emerge from the soil, mud tubes, or food sources through which they are tunneling. Most people are not aware they have termites until they see a swarm or come across damage during construction. One of the first signs of termite infestations you’ll see is mud tunnels.
Subterranean termites maintain their headquarters in the ground and build “mud tubes”, pencil-size, that connect the nest (moisture) to the food source (wood). The tunnels may contain broken mud particles with fecal materials. Mud tubes or shelter tubes are proof of termite infestation, but their absence does not necessarily mean that a structure is free of termites. The insects may reach sills and other wood members through cracks or voids in the foundation wall, under the outside stucco, or from earth-filled porches, steps, terraces, or patios. You can break open tubes to determine if termites are still active inside. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, another indication of continued activity. Old tubes are dry and will crumble easily.
Needless to say, damaged wood is also a big red flag for termite infestation. Wood may appear crushed at structural bearing points. Termite damaged wood resonates with a dull thud (hollow sound)when tapped with a hammer. Pick and probe the surface of an infested piece of wood with a penknife and you will find tunnels running parallel to the wood’s grain.
Termite Species
There’s more than one Florida Winter termites that you’ll likely come across as a homeowner. We’ll cover a few species below.
Subterranean Termite
The most aggressive Florida Winter termite you’ll find is the Formosan Subterranean Termite. These are the most aggressive and destructive wood-destroying termites in the United States. This species can create colonies containing millions of termites. And each one of them feeds on lumber, utility poles. Additionally, they will feed on any other wooden structure they can find. These things cause massive substantial economic loss every year. They’re established well here in the bay area and other southern states.
The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the most common species here in Florida. They’re found up and down the entire east coast, too. This species is likely to infest building timber where it eats up internal sections of wood. Hence, causing thousands of dollars to homes and millions to your businesses.
Then, you’ll have the termite known as the Asian Subterranean Termite. These are another massively damaging species of pest. This species, while similar to the Formosan subterranean termite in its construction of mud carton nests, is limited to more tropical localities. This termite is largely found in southern areas of Florida. Asian subterranean termites pose a threat to all wooden structures.
Dampwood Termites
Then we have our homegrown Florida dampwood termite. These guys are also often found in tropical areas and urban settings on the Florida coasts and off the Keys. Structural infestations of dampwood termites are associated with sources of free water. Including, wood-to-soil contact, wood exposed to roof leaks, or wooden siding/decoration exposed to rainfall or sprinklers.
Another termite you may find crawling around your house is the West Indian drywood termite. Colonies of all drywood termite species infest solid hardwoods and softwoods. Including, all common building lumber and articles of furniture such as headboards and cabinets. The West Indian drywood termite is prone to attack smaller furniture items. These items include table legs and picture frames, making this pest easy to transport from one place to another. This species is one of the most widespread in the tropics and is common to Florida as well as some other coastal areas of Southeast states.
In this article, I go into the warning signs and how you’ll be able to tell if you have the little invaders at your door. But, you still need to be wary of a possible infestation even if you don’t see these red herrings. If you do suspect you have a termite infestation, make sure to contact a pro to get your termites handled. This goes for anywhere in the bay area too.
How to inspect for Florida Winter Termites
You will need a good flashlight, screwdriver or pocketknife, and coveralls. Look at possible trouble spots closely. Often this means crawling in crawl spaces. The presence of swarmers or their shed wings almost always indicates termite activity. A complete termite inspection would mean locating exposed shelter tubes and damaged wood.
Generally speaking, Subterranean termites are found at or near ground level. However, in warmer areas of the country, they occasionally occur above the first-floor level.
Termite damage may be located by probing wood with a screwdriver, ice pick, or knife. Inspection should be concerned with the exterior and interior surfaces of the foundation, particularly construction where wood is on or near the soil.
Start inspection in the basement and use a bright flashlight. Look for mud tubes and the activity of swarmers.
If necessary, get help from a professional pest control operator.
