Recent articles have quoted pest experts and entomology professors about a very troubling
development in our area. A breed of “super termite” is migrating northward from South Florida,
and is slowly eating through everything in their path. This includes wood buildings, but more
surprisingly, these termites can also eat through concrete. As you can imagine, if true, this has
massive implications for Hillsborough county and the surrounding areas.
What is this “Super Termite” anyway?
The specific breed of these superbugs are the Formosan (Coptotermes Formosanus) and Asian
(Coptotermes Gestroi) termites. With no natural predators in our ecosystem, there is little to stop
them from expanding.
Formosan Termites in particular are a nasty strain, as they operate 24 hours a day, are bigger
than the average termite colony, and can forage for food for miles completely underground. They
can infiltrate your home through the plumbing system and disintegrate concrete. However,
contrary to the sensationalist articles you might have read, they do not “eat” concrete. Formosan
termites find cracks in the concrete and then burrow and expand, causing structural damage.
Are they really expanding unchecked?
We wouldn’t say “unchecked”… we obviously kill them every chance we get. However, it is true
that these “super-termites” have no natural enemies in Florida. This has lead to a huge expansion
of the termite populations of both species in South and Central Florida. It’s also true that it’s
getting worse every year. In many areas, the native “Eastern subterranean” termite has been
driven out completely by these new species.
Experts believe that within the next 50-100 years, Florida will be completely saturated with these
new species of termite. They have already overrun many areas in South Florida like Dania
Beach.
Formosan termites are especially dangerous because they are so hard to spot. A Formosan
termite colony can live inside your walls and under your home for years before you have a
chance to see them or the destruction they leave behind.
Super Termites are a big deal.
During termite season, our phones start ringing like crazy, and for good reason. The longer these
pests continue their streak of destruction, the more expensive it is to remedy.
It is important to have a plan of attack with these specific termites.Tenting a home or building
can cost anywhere from $1500 to more than $9000, depending on the size. tenting leaves no no
residual and the termites will return quickly. Only using chemical pesticides isn’t the best
solution, because your home sits on a big plot of dirt, and you can’t lift the home up and spray
under it. Instead you will have to treat a trench and create a soil barrier against these invading
pests. This option works very well against most subterranean termites. However, with these
“super termites” a combination approach is the best solution.. Baiting system and soil treatment
together. The bait station system is to drive tubes filled with bait into the soil around your home.
The termites will take the poisoned bait back to their colonies, which results in the death of the
queen and the rest of the colony within a few months.
Have you seen evidence of termite infestation around your home, or do you just want to have an
expert take a look to make sure? Give us a call and we would be happy to come take a look.
