Termite Swarm Season in Florida

Termite season strikes residents in the Tampa Bay Florida area typically during the months of January through May.

Termite swarms not to be confused with flying ants have a different wings than their cousin the ant.
While both species have four wings, the termite wings are all the same size and the ant wings have noticeably larger wings in the front as compared to the hind pair. Ant reproductive (swarmers) have two pairs of wings.Often ants have a black dot near the tip of the front wings, and dark wing veins can be seen. You can’t see termite wing veins with the naked eye.

• Ant wings do not break off easily. Termite wings break off easily, with just a touch. You may see the broken wings from the swarming termites in a area they have been crawling.
• Termites have an almost straight antennae, the ants antennae are elbowed.
• Termite wings are twice as long as the body.
• Ants appear distinctly segmented, because of their thin-waisted appearance. Termites have a broad-waisted appearance.Termite waists are not narrow.Termite bodies are straight-sided with no constriction.

As you can see in the image to the right the ant has elbowed antennae, where as the termites antennae are strait.

When the termites receive the proper cues such as (warm temperatures, bright sunlight, low winds, for example) they will leave the colony and fly away to start their own colonies.

There are three major groups of termites which occur in Florida: dry wood, subterranean and Formosan termites have been found in Tampa. Termites can be identified by the appearance of the swarmers, their damage, and the droppings they leave behind.
The two most common types of termites are “drywood” and “ground,” or subterranean termites. Subterranean termites cause about 95% of the termite-related damage found in the Tampa Bay area. Both types of termites eat cellulose for nutrition. Cellulose is found in wood and wood products.

If you suspect a termite infestation you can catch some and put them in a container and bring them by our office located at
802 West Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL
or call: (813) 936-5850 or 1-800-410-5850 for a Free estimate.

Service Areas:

Hillsborough County: All including Tampa, Town-N-Country, Templ Terrace, Brandon, Wesly Chapal, Riverview, Gibsonton, Progress Village, Valrico
Pinellas County: All including St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Largo, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Trinity
Pasco County: All including Holiday, Lutz, Trinity, New Port Richey, Land-O-Lakes, Cheval
Alos Polk, Manatee, Hernando and Sarasota Counties

Tampa Termite Inspection & Services

Termite season strikes residents in Florida during the months of January through May. These swarms start to appear when the termites leave their colonies to find new nesting sites. It is at this time that homeowners begin to realize they might have a termite problem since they spot the swarming termites in their homes. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has urged homeowners in the past to use some form of termite pest control to defend their homes in Tampa, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough Counties and all of the Tampa Bay area. It has been noted that Floridians spend more than $700,000,000 on damages and termite pest control each year. Still, about half of Florida’s homeowners don’t use any type of termite pest control to safeguard their property.

The termites typically found infesting homes in Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg and other Florida cities are subterranean and dry wood termites. There are different termite pest control methods for both subterranean and dry wood termites. Subterranean termites live underground in the soil and feed off of structures from the ground up; dry wood termites live in isolated wood pieces of a wooden structure and usually cause extensive damage before detected. Most of the time, homeowners are caught unawares, leading to significant damage and cost; it is this inability to detect an infestation that makes a reliable termite pest control method vital in Tampa Bay homes.

Use these tips to keep the termites away until you implement some type of termite pest control method to your home:

• Discard any piles of wood or mulch that may be close or under your home
• Contact a local termite pest control specialist to annually inspect your home
• Quickly repair any moisture problems or water leaks since subterranean termites are attracted to moisture
• Keep siding materials about 6 to 8 inches above ground level. This doesn’t include masonry or brick.

Although subterranean termites get all the glory, many people tend to forget about drywood termites. These tiny insects can inflict a world of destruction to your Tampa bay home or business with barely a sign. Drywood termites often leave tiny mounds of fecal pellets underneath the wood they’ve infested. The holes are nearly impossible to see since they are about 1mm in size, and as a security measure, soldier termites plug the holes with their heads to shield the hole from invaders.

Although they tend to be localized, it is very difficult to manage drywood termite infestations. If a colony is spotted soon, the infestation can be treated successfully. However, if that colony has matured and produced alates that have begun their own colony, the infestation will intensify and the number of termites can double and multiply.

At Tri-S Pest Control we use the following treatments to rid drywood termites from your property:

• Termidor—this leading non-repellant treatment can be used alone. Termidor is perfect for those seeking a cost-effective cure to drywood termites.
• Bora Care—can be applied to your home or office without you having to vacate. It is injected into your walls with a needle, and will protect your wood for up to 25 years.

Tri-S Pest Control Service can handle any of your termite pest control needs. Our termite pest control technicians are cross trained, meaning they’re not only trained in termite pest control but also general pest control, providing a total solution to all your needs. With a dual approach for current and future issues, our technicians complete both preventative termite pest control in Tampa and beyond as well as treatments to eliminate your current infestation.

If you suspect your home has termites, call us today for a free estimate in Tampa call: (813)936-5850, in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk and Sarasota counties call: 1-800-410-5850. We offer simply superior service, guaranteed!