Termite Resources

Types of Termites in South Florida

Several types of termites make their home in South Florida. One of the most prominent is drywood termites. Not needing soil to survive, these pests carve out colonies in the dried wood to infest your home. With colonies consisting of thousands of termites, drywood termites gain access to your home through infested furniture or small cracks in doors and window frames, soffits and fascias.

Another common type of termite found in South Florida is the subterranean termite; unlike drywood termites, subterranean termites need the soil to survive and live in colonies under the soil around your home. Building mud tunnels to transport the wood in your home to their underground colonies, these pests enter your home through tiny cracks in your foundation where wood to ground contact occurs. The big growing concern today in South Florida is non-native invasive Formosan and Asian subterranean termites with colonies consisting of several million members. These non-native species cause much more damage in a shorter amount of time than our native species. These subterranean termites, much more aggressive than native termites, put South Florida homes at risk of fire due to their destruction of cables and wires. Formosan and Asian subterranean termites will eat through anything to get to the wood in homes, including utility poles, live trees, and boats. Subterranean termites are usually most active in the spring when they swarm to mate and form new colonies. However, South Florida’s tropical climate allows these termites to remain active all year round, especially in years with a considerable amount of rain.