Termites are a problem all over the United States. But the further south in the states you go, the worst that problem gets. Florida, for all its good, has plenty of downside as well. And one of those biggest downsides? The termite problem! It’s one of the worst in all of the lower 48, so today we’ll touch one what you can do if you find have termites in Florida home issues.
Termites in Florida Home: Why are termites so bad in Florida?
Something I’ve touched on recently a lot is the sheer amount of bugs in Florida, and why there are so many of them. Well, what brought you to Florida? Exactly! It was the weather, the nature, and the climate. Well, hairless apes aren’t the only creatures on the planet that enjoy these things. That’s right, so do bugs! And with plenty of nature, plenty of warmth, and plenty of moisture: bugs can just thrive in this state.
And I mentioned that the problem gets worse the further south you go. The reason for that is that cold is really, really tough on bugs. Low temperatures tend to cause bugs to go inactive for the winter. Genuinely cold temperatures will straight up kill them. And when I was a younger man, that would happen sometimes. You’d come out and see frost on the ground in the mornings in Tampa back in the day. But now? Florida gets cold enough to cause bugs to go inactive for maybe a week in January any more.
The result of that? Endless breeding, feasting, and spreading for Florida’s pest insects. Throw in twenty million people with almost a thousand new full time residents to the state every year, and you have a nearly endless supply of resources for any pest insect that lives off of humans. On top of that you can’t throw a stone in the state without hitting a new development, so these guys aren’t going anywhere. People will be having issues with termites in Florida home for many, many years to come.
Drywood Termites
When it comes to termites, there’s a few “types” that you’ll generally run into. One of the first is the Drywood termites. They live in colonies, but nest only in wood and not in soil. They live and flourish in older wooden structures, such as rotting porches and outsheds. They’re longer and more cylinder in shape than most other termite types you’ll run into. The most common species that lives in the sunshine state is the West Indian drywood termite.
Dampwood Termites
These are termites that like high humidity, and become more common the further south you go in the state. They’re quite common in places like Homestead and Miami. But they’re the most common type of termite in the keys. Infestations of these types of termites tend to occur in areas where free-standing wood comes into contact with soil. Or when the wood is constantly leaked on, as these termites like wed and damp conditions. They’re some of the largest termites, bigger than the other two types on our list today.
Termites in Florida Home: Subterranean Termites
Up next we have the most common termite on the list. These guys are also the most severe infestation you can have in the home. These insects live in large colonies with workers, soldiers, and the reproductive caste of termite known as swarmers. The swarmers form with full wings and eyes that can see. They fly from location to location in massive numbers to form new colonies.
Subterranean termites form nests in soil and damp wood that’s in contact with the ground similarly to dampwood termites. They will also build mud tubes from the ground that will connect with pieces of wood above ground. These guys are voracious, and will consume just about anything in their path.
They will eat any type of material that contains cellulose, dead or rotting wood, along with paper, cotton, and even plant fibers.
The most common subterranean termites in North America come from the genus Reticulitermes. While they are not the most aggressive form of termite, they are quite destructive and should not be ignored when spotted.
You can place the dreaded Formosan termite from southern china in this list. A mature colony of these termites can consume almost a pound of wood a day, and can severly damage a structure in a handful of months. They infest a wide variety of buildings as well. Trees, sheds, businesses, offices, and any structure made of wood are all on the menu for these pests.
Termite infestation signs
First and foremost, swarmers are the first thing you’re going to want to look out for. If you see masses of termite bodies or shed wings piled up on wooden structure, it’s possible that the scouts have found it and are making a new home out of it now. It won’t be too long after that you can expect to see some termites in Florida home issues.
Discolored or drooping drywall is another good sign of termite damage. When the drywall is supported by damaged wood, it starts to show the damage itself. Peeling paint that resembles water damage and small, pinpoint sized holes in the drywall can be signs as well.
Tiles in the floor can be loosened from the moisture they introduce into your floorboards as well. So if a tile fits one month, and is suddenly loose and slipper the next you may have a mound of termites underneath it. This goes for excessively squeaky floorboards as well.
And finally, the mud tubes I mentioned above, Formosan subterranean termites build these to reach wooden structures from their nests in the soil. So if you see them, you don’t just have termites, you have some of the worst termites you can have and need to contact a pro immediately. So if you see any of these signs feel free to give us as call at or visit our website at insectfree.com for a free consultation.
