How serious are subterranean termites?

Subterranean termites are the most common and destructive termites in West Florida – they are a serious problem for homeowners. Three types of subterranean termites commonly invade structures in West Florida: Native, Formosan, and Asian. Of these, invasive and aggressive, Asian subterranean termites and Formosan subterranean termites cause $1 billion in damages annually in the US alone. Because most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover termite damage, subterranean termite infestations can cause damage that can be expensive to repair and decrease the value of your home.

With colonies numbering over 1 million members, Asian and Formosan subterranean termites cause significantly more damage than native subterranean termites. According to a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) 2015 study, subterranean termites are on track to infest half of the structures in West Florida by 2040.

Formosan subterranean worker termites will consume anything that contains cellulose, including structural timbers, utility poles, in addition to live trees, and will chew through electrical wiring with their saw-tooth jaws. Asian subterranean termites will chew through rubber and plastic to find wood to consume. Subterranean termites eat 24/7 to feed their enormous colonies. Subterranean termites need moisture to survive and live inside nests under the ground near your home, building mud tubes that act as supply tunnels from the wood in your home to their nests underground. Mud tubes running up the exterior walls and/or up trees on your property are good indicators of subterranean termite activity. Entering structures usually from moist wood coming directly in contact with the ground, subterranean termite infestations can destroy structures in a few months. Subterranean termites are so serious that homeowners in West Florida enlist the services of professional pest control companies, such as Pestwise to protect their properties with annual termite warranty programs and guarantees that are a valuable asset when it comes to selling or buying a home in West Florida.

If you suspect subterranean termite activity in your Pinellas County or Palm Beach County home or business, do not hesitate to contact Pestwise right away.