Protect Your Housefrom

Termites

Contents

Termite Species in Mississippi...................................................................................................................................3

Termite Biology............................................................................................................................................................4

Identifying Termite Species........................................................................................................................................6

Distribution of Formosan Termites in Mississippi.................................................................................................7

Signs of Termite Infestation .......................................................................................................................................8

Termite Control..........................................................................................................................................................10

Common Questions about Termite Treatments ....................................................................................................11

Common Termite Risk Factors ................................................................................................................................14

For most of us, our house is our largest single invest-ment, and we want to keep it in good repair and pro-tect it from threats. Termites are a major threat toMississippi houses, and unprotected buildings aremore likely to be damaged by termites than by fire orwind. Although it is rare for termites to completelydestroy a building, repairing termite damage can easi-ly cost tens of thousands of dollars. These pests occurthroughout the state, and any building that containswood or other cellulose components is susceptible toattack. Sooner or later, your house will probably beattacked and damaged by termites—unless you pro-tect it properly.

This publication contains information that willhelp you protect your house from termites. First, itdiscusses the different species of termites that occurin Mississippi and how to determine which speciesthreaten your house. Information on termite biologyis also covered because understanding termite biolo-gy can help you better understand how to controlthese pests. The section on termite control covers themost common methods of controlling termites in pre-existing buildings and the relative merits of each, andprovides answers to some of the most common ques-tions homeowners have about termite control. Thefinal section discusses some of the more commonthings that increase the risk of a house being dam-aged by termites.

Termite Species in MississippiThere are three major species of termites in the state:eastern subterranean termites, Formosan termites, andsoutheastern drywood termites. All three species dam-age homes and other buildings, but their distributionvaries. Eastern subterranean termites occur through-out the state. Formosan termites are spottily distrib-uted in the southern half of the state, but they contin-ue to expand their territory each year. Southeasterndrywood termites are uncommon, with most infesta-tions occurring in the three coastal counties.

Eastern subterranean termites (Reticulitermesflavipes) are our most common termites; they occurthroughout Mississippi, and every wood structure inthe state is at risk of attack by these termites. Actually,there are several species of Reticulitermes termites inthe state, but their biology and damage is so similarthat they can be considered as one for our purposes.R. flavipes is by far the most common Reticulitermesspecies. These termites are a natural and importantpart of the ecosystem in Southern forests where theyhelp recycle fallen trees and limbs. It is only whenthey enter our wooden buildings or damage other

structures that these termites become pests.Unfortunately, this is something they will readily do.Eastern subterranean termites are very susceptible todesiccation and must maintain contact with the soil, orsome other ready source of moisture, in order to sur-vive. This is one of the weak links in termite biologythat we exploit in their control.

Formosan termites (Coptotermes formosanus) area non-native, invasive species that was first found inthe state in 1984. They now occur in at least 25Mississippi counties (Figure 4) and are especially com-mon in the coastal area. This is a subterranean termitethat, like the eastern subterranean termite, nests in soiland forages on available wood. Well-establishedcolonies of Formosan termites use a mixture of saliva,mud, and digested wood to build nests, known as car-ton nests, in walls and other voids in infested build-ings. In humid environments, this carton can absorbenough moisture from the air to sustain a colony. Thisability to survive without having direct contact withsoil is one of the key differences between Formosanand eastern subterranean termites. Formosan termitesalso are larger, forage more aggressively, developmuch larger colonies, and consume more wood pertermite. This means Formosan termites are capable ofcausing greater damage in a shorter period of time.Formosan termites also are much more likely toinvade living trees and will even attack trees, such ascypress, that are immune to eastern subterranean ter-mites. Formosan termite infestations in trees are animportant problem in the coastal area of the state.

Southeastern drywood termites (Incisitermes sny-deri) occur primarily in the extreme southern part ofthe state, mostly along Highway 90. These termites areso named because they do not have to maintain con-tact with soil or another source of moisture in order tosurvive. They live in dry wood timbers. Drywood ter-mite treatment is much different than that for othertermites, so it is important to be sure of the identifica-tion before treating. Drywood termite swarmers super-ficially resemble Formosan termite swarmers, andthese two species are sometimes misidentified.Depending on the extent of infestation, treatment fordrywood termites can range from removing or treatinga few infested timbers to tenting and fumigating theentire building. Occasionally other species of drywoodtermites are brought into the state in infested furnitureor other wood products. Infestations of drywood ter-mites are relatively uncommon, even in the coastalarea, and the remainder of this publication focuses onthe two subterranean species.

3

Termite BiologyTermites have a gradual life cycle, hatching from eggs,which are laid by the queen or by secondary reproduc-tives, into nymphs. The nymphs gradually developinto adult termites, most of which are workers. Thereare several castes (Figure 1), but workers are by far themost numerous. Depending on species, about 1 in 50to 1 in 10 of the termites in a colony are soldiers.Soldiers have enlarged, darker-colored heads armedwith strong mandibles, which they use for protectingthe colony. In addition to the founding queen andking, mature termite colonies also contain many sec-ondary reproductives, and it is the combined egg pro-duction of these secondary reproductives that accountsfor most colony growth. Mature colonies produce hun-dreds to thousands of winged swarmers once eachyear, which leave the colony and attempt to start newcolonies of their own.

Termite colonies begin when a pair of swarmerssettles to the ground after the mating flight. The twoswarmers find a crevice in the soil, seal themselves in,and mate. The young queen lays her first eggs, whichhatch into nymphal workers. These first workers for-age on cellulose material in the immediate area. Thiscould be decaying bits of wood, mulch, leaves, or pineneedles. Recent research has found that pine needlesare one of the best food sources for Formosan termite

colonies. As more workers are produced, they expandthe nest galleries and forage farther from the colonyfor food. New termite colonies grow slowly. After thefirst year a newly founded colony may contain onlyaround 50 to 100 termites, and there may be only afew hundred after 2 years. It takes at least 3 to 5 yearsfor a colony to grow large enough that it may be ableto invade a building or produce swarmers of its own.

Termite workers are entirely white, soft-bodied,and blind. They are highly susceptible to desiccationand shun exposure to light and open air. This is whytermites must maintain contact with moist soil orsome other constant source of moisture. Termites for-age by building underground tunnels that radiateaway from their nest site. They cannot sense the pres-ence of wood or cellulose from any distance; theydetect suitable food sources largely by random forag-ing. Once they locate a suitable food source, theyestablish foraging tunnels to the source and exploit itfor as long as it lasts. When termites are forced to trav-el over an exposed hard surface, such as rock, brick,treated wood, or a concrete foundation, they buildmud tubes to maintain their moist, protected environ-ment. These mud tubes are one of the more obvioussigns of termite infestation, but they are not alwayspresent or visible.

worker soldier swarmer

Figure 1. Castes of eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes.

4

SwarmingSwarming is the main way termites reproduce andbegin new colonies. It takes several years for a colonyto become large enough to produce swarmers. Thesewinged swarmers are unmated male and female repro-ductive forms. A healthy, well-established colony ofsubterranean termites will produce hundreds to thou-sands of swarmers.

Through most of the year, a colony of termitesgoes about its daily business in out-of-the-way, unseenplaces, tunneling through the soil and feeding onwood or other cellulose products. Normally, termitesshun light and quickly plug any holes or accidentalopenings to the outside world. However, on “swarm-ing day” the worker termites intentionally open holesto the outside, and the young swarmers emergetogether to fly and be carried by wind to another loca-tion. The plan is to pair up with a member of theopposite sex, fall to the ground together, shed thewings, mate, find a protected site in the ground, andbegin a new colony.

Unlike fire ants, which mate in the air, leaving thenewly mated queen to start a new colony alone, newlypaired termites found a colony together—queen andking. However, the vast majority of termite swarmersdie without fulfilling this goal. This is especially true

for swarmers that emerge inside a building, becausethey will soon die without access to moist soil.

Eastern subterranean termites and Formosan ter-mites swarm at different times of the year. Dependingon location in the state and other factors, most easternsubterranean termites will swarm from mid-Februaryto mid-May, normally during the morning hours. Mostswarming events occur over a short timeframe and gounobserved. Seeing swarmers emerge inside a build-ing or finding dead swarmers on a windowsill is asure sign a building is infested. Formosan termitesusually swarm from early May to early June.Formosan termites swarm at night and are stronglyattracted to lights. Occasionally, termite swarms areseen at other times of the year. These are usually oneof the other species of Reticulitermes termites.

Termites or Ants?Although swarming termites may resemble wingedants superficially, a close examination reveals severalmajor differences. Ants have elbowed antennae; a nar-row, wasp-like waist; and hind wings that are shorterthan the forewings. Termite swarmers have straight,bead-like antennae and a broad waist. Their hindwings and forewings are the same length (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Three easy ways to distinguish between termite swarmers and winged ants.

5

Identifying Termite SpeciesIt is important to know which species of termite youare attempting to control because control options varydepending on species. Although they are the mostabundant caste, workers of all three termite species aresimilar in appearance and are difficult, if not impossi-ble, to identify. Fortunately, there are several differ-ences in swarmers and soldiers (Figure 3), as well asin behavior, that allow for ready identification.

Table 1. Identifying termite species

TTrraaiitt oorr HHaabbiitt TTeerrmmiittee SSppeecciieess

EEaasstteerrnn SSuubbtteerrrraanneeaann FFoorrmmoossaann DDrryywwoooodd

Distribution Statewide Southern half (see map) Mostly along coast

Appearance of soldiers Rectangular head Teardrop-shaped head Boxy, rectangular headNo teeth on mandibles No teeth on mandibles Heavy teeth on mandibles

Abundance of soldiers About 1 per 50 workers About 1 per 10 workers --

Color of swarmers Dark brown to black Yellow to golden brown Yellow to brown

Swarms (time of year) Feb to May May to June May to June

Swarms (time of day) Day, usually morning Dusk to midnight Dusk

Builds mud tubes Yes Yes No

Produces piles of dry fecal pellets No No Yes

Tunnels in wood galleries contain dry soil Yes Yes No

Forms aerial colonies Rarely Often Always(not requiring contact with soil) (requires structural or plumbing (if a mature colony builds (does not require

leak to sustain an aerial colony) aboveground carton nest, constant moisture source)or if there are structuralor plumbing leaks)

Figure 3. Soldiers of eastern subterranean termites have rectan-gular heads, while Formosan termite soldiers have teardrop-shaped heads.

6

eastern subterranean

termite

Formosantermite

Distribution of Formosan Termites inMississippiAs of 2009, established populations of Formosan ter-mites were known to occur in 25 Mississippi counties(Figure 4), all of which are in the southern half of thestate (see darker counties on map below). ButFormosan termites continue to spread within the state,

and it is likely that undetected infestations alreadyexist in many other counties. Within infested counties,populations are often spottily distributed. Some infest-ed counties have only a few reported detections, butFormosan termites are quite common in the coastalarea. Still, there are isolated areas or neighborhoods,even in the three coastal counties, that Formosan ter-mites have not yet colonized.

Figure 4. Distribution of Formosan termites in Mississippi as of August 2009.

7

Signs of Termite InfestationTermites work quietly inside walls, floors, and attics,and because of their secretive nature, a building can beinfested for quite a long time before the problem isdetected (Figure 5). This is why it is best to go aheadand take preventive action, rather than wait until you

have damage. Still, it is important to be aware of thesigns of termite infestation because even buildings thathave been treated can become infested. Some of themost common signs of termite infestation are listed inthe following table.

Table 2. Signs of termite infestation

SSiiggnn

You see swarmers emerge inside the house, or you find deadswarmers on the floor or windowsill.

You see swarmers emerge outside from a stump, wood pile, orother source very near the building’s foundation.

You see swarmers emerge outside from a stump, fallen log, pile ofwood, or other source well away (25 feet or more) from the build-ing, or you find active termites in such a situation.

You find mud tubes traveling up the outside foundation wall, innerfoundation wall, up support piers or plumbing under the house,etc. (Note that simply destroying these tubes will not control ordeter the termites.)

You notice a BB-sized spot of dried mud on an inside wall or ceil-ing of sheetrock, wood paneling, or other wall covering. (Scrapeaway the mud and watch closely to see if a termite comes toinvestigate. Mark the spot and note whether it is repaired over thenext few days.)

You notice narrow, sunken, winding lines in wallpaper, paint, orother surfaces.

You notice odd-shaped formations of dried mud sprouting fromwalls in the spring.

You encounter termite damage when removing wallpaper, doinghome repairs, or remodeling.

You notice structural problems such as a sagging floor or roof, ormore obvious problems like a broken door frame.

CCoommmmeennttss

This is a sure sign the building has an active termite infestation.Start getting bids/inspections.

This may or may not mean the building is infested, but it is definite-ly cause for further investigation. Get a professional inspection. Ifyou do not know when the building was last treated, it would be agood idea to get it treated.

This is rarely cause for concern. It is normal for termites to be inthese types of situations. Still, if you do not know when the buildingwas last treated, this should serve as a reminder to have it inspect-ed. Do not worry about trying to control these termites “before theyget to the house.” Just make sure the house is properly protected.

Such tubes are usually a sure sign of termite infestation. Carefullybreak a 1-inch section of the tube and watch to see if you observetermites or if they repair the tube over the next few days. Unlessyou know these are old tubes from a previous infestation, get aprofessional inspection whether you see termites or not.

These are known as “pin-holes” in the pest control trade. Theyoccur when termites accidentally cut an opening to the outside,which they promptly repair with mud because they do not like thelight and air flow. Get a professional inspection.

This could be due to termite galleries located just beneath the sur-face. Note that termites do not eat the gypsum core in sheetrock,but they readily eat the outer cardboard covering. Get a profes-sional inspection.

These are probably “swarm castles” built by Formosan termites inpreparation for swarming. Start getting bids/inspections.

If you actually see termites, you know this is an active infestation.If there is dried mud in the galleries, this is a sign of termite dam-age, but if no termites are present, this could be old damage froman infestation that was controlled at some time in the past. Get aprofessional inspection.

This could be due to wood rot or other causes, but if you find dam-aged timbers with galleries containing dried mud, this is termitedamage. If you actually see termites in the damaged wood, youknow this is an active infestation. Get a professional inspection.

8

Figure 5. Termites can easily enter buildings without being detected.

Figure 6. Liquid termiticides are used to create a barrier of treated soil around a building. Termites that penetrate this treated soil barrierare killed when they contact the termiticide.

9

Termite ControlTermite control is best done preventively! Ideally, youwant to treat before termites get into the building andcause damage, but it is often necessary to treatbecause a building is already infested. Termite treat-ments can be divided into two broad categories: pre-construction and postconstruction. Preconstructiontreatments are always preventive treatments, butpostconstruction treatments can be either preventiveor corrective. This publication focuses on postcon-struction termite protection and attempts to answersome of the most common questions homeownershave about these treatments.

Currently, there are two basic options for postcon-struction termite control: liquid termiticide treatmentsand in-ground bait stations. The baits are a relativelyrecent innovation, with the liquid termiticides beingthe more conventional treatment.

Liquid Termiticide TreatmentsLiquid termiticides are applied by trenching, rodding,and/or drilling around the building and treating thesoil with a liquid termiticide to create an insecticidebarrier approximately 1 foot wide around the founda-tion of the building. (Treated trenches must be a mini-mum of 4 inches wide, but termiticide migrates intonearby soil.) This insecticide barrier protects a build-ing from initial invasion by killing foraging termitestrying to enter the area (Figure 6). In most cases, it willalso control termites that have already infested thebuilding because they must travel through this treatedsoil barrier when they return to the soil for moisture.Unless they have already established a carton nest orhave some other aboveground source of moisture,even Formosan termites must return to the soil.

Depending on how the building is constructed, itis sometimes necessary for the technician to drillthrough the flooring and slab on the interior and injecttermiticide. It is also necessary to treat bath traps, andthis usually means the technician must enter the build-ing, cut or drill through a wall to access the bath trap,and treat the exposed soil with a small amount of ter-miticide. For buildings with crawlspaces, the techni-cian must crawl under the house and trench and treataround all support piers. With most termiticides, thetechnician will need to trench and treat along theinside of the foundation wall in crawlspaces. In somecases, it is also necessary to drill horizontally throughbrick and other types of masonry and inject termiticideinto voids through which termites may enter.

The liquid termiticides on the market today arequite effective and most provide many years of resid-ual control of both eastern subterranean termites andFormosan termites. Of course, any activity that dis-turbs the treated soil barrier will create a potentialpoint of entry for termite infestation. Examples of such

activities include digging flower beds too near thebuilding, piling mulch or leaves against the building,treated soil being washed away from the building,untreated soil being washed against the building,stacking fire wood against the building, and addinguntreated wood structures (trellises, planter boxes,steps, etc.) to the building.

Bait StationsIn-ground baits consist of stations placed in theground at regular spacing around the perimeter of thebuilding and checked regularly for termite activity,usually every 3 months or so. Initially, the stationscontain only wood or some other bait and do not con-tain any insecticide. When or if termite activity isdetected in a station, the noninsecticide bait isreplaced with bait containing a slow-acting insecticideor insect growth disruptor. Foraging workers carrythis baited material back to the colony where it isshared with other colony members, eventually result-ing in control.

Bait stations can be used for preventive or correc-tive treatments, but when used on buildings withactive termite infestations, bait stations are usuallyused in combination with spot treatments of liquid ter-miticides. The liquid termiticides are applied to thoseareas of the building where termite infestations areknown to exist in order to hasten control.

Termiticide Foam TreatmentsFoams are specialized treatments used by pest con-trol technicians to apply termiticides into wall andother structural voids where termite infestations areknown or suspected to occur. The termiticides usedin foam treatments are some of the same productsused as liquid termiticide treatments, but they aremixed with a special additive and applied with spe-cial equipment, resulting in foam with a consistencysimilar to that of shaving cream. When injected intostructural voids, this foam spreads in all directions,filling the void and drying to leave a termiticideresidue inside the treated void.

Foam treatments are used primarily as spot treat-ments to treat infested areas of a building and to sup-plement and hasten the control provided by liquid ter-miticide soil treatments or baits; they are not used asstand-alone treatments. Foam treatments are especiallyuseful for treating aerial colonies of Formosan ter-mites, and locating and foaming any aerial colonies isan important part of treating an active infestation ofFormosan termites. It sometimes takes months or evenmore than a year, and several return visits by the tech-nician, to detect and treat all aerial colonies in a build-ing that was heavily infested with Formosan termites.

10

Common Questions about TermiteTreatmentsWhich treatment option is best, the bait or theliquid termiticide? Both the liquid termiticides and the in-ground baitsare capable of providing effective, long-term termitecontrol. The baits have the advantage of using far lesstotal insecticide and of being able to provide control inenvironmentally sensitive or hard-to-treat situations.However, baits are much slower-acting than liquid ter-miticides, and it can take a year or longer to eliminatean active termite infestation using baits alone. Also,baits will work only if stations are properly main-tained and checked regularly. Liquid termiticides offerquicker control with fewer service visits, and this oftenresults in less cost in the long run. One of the keyadvantages of liquid termiticide treatments is that,once properly applied, they will usually continue toprovide years of effective termite control without fur-ther maintenance—even if the termite contract is notrenewed. This is not true for the in-ground baitingmethod, which must be serviced routinely, usuallyevery 3 months, in order to remain effective.

What liquid termiticides are used today and howlong do they last? Currently, there are several active ingredientsapproved for use as liquid termiticides. These includefipronil (Termidor), imidacloprid (Premise), and sev-eral pyrethroid insecticides, such as bifenthrin(Talstar), cypermethrin (Prevail), and permethrin(Dragnet). Termiticides are subjected to rigorous,long-term testing by the USDA Forest Service at fourfield locations in the United States. In general, prod-ucts must provide 100 percent control for a minimumof 5 years in order to be labeled, but there have beensome exceptions. As of the end of the 2009 testing sea-son, the better termiticides have provided 100 percentcontrol for 7 to 8 years in the USDA Forest Service tri-als in Mississippi. Termiticides do break down overtime, and even the best termiticide cannot provideprotection if the treated soil barrier around the foun-dation is disturbed in some way.

What if I have Formosan termites? Although there are some key differences in the biolo-gy, behavior, and damage potential of Formosan andeastern subterranean termites (Formosans tend to formlarger colonies and are generally more damaging),control options are similar. The insecticides and treat-ment methods used to control eastern subterraneantermites will work equally well on Formosan termites.The only real difference is that Formosan termites aremuch more likely than eastern subterranean termitesto have aerial colonies, relying on either their cartonnest material or some plumbing or structural leak as a

source of moisture. This means they may not have totravel back to the soil to obtain moisture and they arenot always controlled by a typical soil-applied termiti-cide barrier treatment.

It is still important to apply a liquid termiticidesoil treatment when treating for Formosan termites,but it is also important to treat any aerial colonies.This is usually done by using a termiticide foam totreat wall, floor, and ceiling voids where such coloniesoccur. Professional pest control technicians are awareof this tendency of Formosan termites to form aerialcolonies and have the equipment and experience need-ed to find and treat such colonies. However, aerialcolonies are difficult to detect, and it is not practical topreventively treat an entire building for aerialcolonies. It can take several repeat visits by the termitetechnician to find and eliminate all aerial Formosancolonies. This is one reason it is especially important tokeep your termite contract in force if you live in anarea where Formosan termites occur.

I found swarmers! Does this mean my house isinfested with termites? If the swarmers actually emerge inside the house, or ifdead swarmers are found inside the house, then thebuilding definitely has an active termite infestation(see exception below). If swarmers are observedemerging just outside the house, within 10 feet or so ofthe foundation, then the home may be infested, butnot necessarily. If the house has been properly treated,the swarmers could just be coming from a stump orother nearby outside wood source. Termites are a nat-ural and beneficial part of the forest ecosystem. Theyare present in every wooded environment in the state,including home landscapes, and seeing a swarmemerge from a stump or other site located some dis-tance from the house is not cause for alarm. However,if you do not have a current termite contract and donot know when the building was last treated, seeingswarmers anywhere in the landscape is a goodreminder that you need to take action.

I live in the Coastal area and I found a halfdozen Formosan swarmers in my living room inMay. Does this mean my house is infested? Not necessarily. Finding eastern subterranean termiteswarmers or large numbers of Formosan swarmersinside is a sure sign a building is infested, but becauseFormosan termites swarm at night and are attractedto light, finding a small number of swarmers insidedoes not necessarily mean the building has an activeinfestation. These few swarmers could have simplyflown through an open door or window or ridden inon someone’s clothing. However, finding more than afew dozen Formosan swarmers inside should beviewed as cause for further investigation. The bottom

11

line here is that if you live in an area where Formosantermites are this common, you should already haveyour house protected. If not, then let these swarmersserve as a reminder.

There is also a small possibility that these are dry-wood termite swarmers. Drywood termite swarmersare also golden brown and swarm about the sametime as Formosans. Drywood termite infestations arenot common, but homeowners living along the GulfCoast need to be aware of the potential for drywoodtermite infestations.

I haven’t seen any swarmers. Does this mean myhouse is not infested? Not necessarily. Observing swarmers is only onemeans of discovering an infestation. By their verynature, termite infestations are cryptic and difficultto detect. Although termite colonies swarm only 1day a year, swarmers are one of the most easilyobserved signs of infestation. Other signs of termiteinfestation include exposed mud tubes; pin-holes insheet rock, paneling, or other wood surfaces; sunken“trails” in walls or ceilings, indicating the presenceof termite tunnels located just below the surface;accumulations of soil on windowsills or along base-boards; and detection of damage to wood, books, orother cellulose products.

What should I do if I observe a swarm in or nearmy house or if I have some other reason to sus-pect an infestation? If you already have an active termite contract with apest control company, contact the company; tell themwhat you observed and where you observed it, andrequest a follow-up inspection. Depending on the con-tract, the company will usually provide any additionalneeded treatments at no additional cost. If you do nothave a current termite contract on your home, contacta local pest control company, tell them what you haveobserved, and request an inspection and a bid for anynecessary treatment.

How much will it cost to have my house treatedfor termites? Depending on the size of the home, the type of foun-dation, and how the home is constructed, termitetreatment costs can range from around $800 to severalthousand dollars. Pest control companies performingwork in Mississippi must be licensed by theMississippi Department of Agriculture. Mississippi hasmany high-quality pest control companies, but the costof treatments and the type of service can vary consid-erably among companies, and it is a good idea to getbids from several different companies.

Keep in mind that price and quality of service arenot necessarily closely correlated, and the lowest bid

may not always be the best bid. Also realize that thereis a lot involved in treating for termites, and qualityservice and treatment are not cheap. Be sure to askquestions and understand exactly what you are get-ting when you buy a treatment and termite contract.In addition to the original treatment cost, most compa-nies charge an annual renewal fee to keep the contractin place from year to year. The cost of an annualinspection is included in this renewal fee. Dependingon the details of the contract and size of the home,renewal fees can range from around $80 to severalhundred dollars.

If my building sustains termite damage whileunder a contract, will the company pay for therepairs? This depends on your contract, but probably not. Mostcontracts today only provide for retreating the struc-ture in the event it becomes reinfested while undercontract, but some companies still offer damage repaircontracts as an additional option. Contracts that coverdamage repair and retreatment are usually more costlythan those that provide only for retreatment. Be sureto read contracts carefully and understand what youare getting—before you commit.

Can I save money by treating my home myself? No! Although there are products available to home-owners for control of termites, treating your house fortermites is not a do-it-yourself project. Most of theinsecticides professional pest control companies use totreat termites are not readily available to the generalpublic. This is especially true for the longer-lasting,more effective products. Even with the proper insecti-cide, few homeowners have the training and special-ized equipment needed to properly apply termitetreatments. One of the main problems with do-it-your-self treatments is that it usually takes several years tofind out that the treatment was not effective. Having abuilding professionally treated for termites is costly,but it is far less costly than having to repair major ter-mite damage because of an ineffective do-it-yourselftreatment. You may want to use one of the do-it-your-self products to treat a storage shed, a dog house, orsome other small, stand-alone structure, but get a pro-fessional to treat your house!

Should I pay the renewal fee each year? After you have spent the money for the initial treat-ment, it is usually a good idea to pay the renewal feeeach year to keep your contract in force and get theannual inspection. Read your contract carefully to seeexactly what protection and services you are gettingfor the renewal fee and how much the renewal fee is.Then make an informed decision based on the poten-tial risks and benefits. You definitely need to pay the

12

annual renewal fee and keep the contract in forcewhen using the in-ground bait stations because termiteprotection ceases as soon as service visits cease. It isalso an especially good idea to keep your contract inforce in areas where Formosan termites are presentbecause of their more aggressive foraging behaviorand tendency to establish aerial colonies.

I just found termites in my house. How muchtime do I have to do something? If your house is infested with termites, it is critical, butnot urgent, that you have the building treated to elimi-nate the infestation. It takes several years for a colonyof termites to grow large enough to invade a buildingand produce swarmers. If you have found an infesta-tion or had a swarm emerge in or near your house, thecolony has been there for several years. Taking amonth or two to get the home inspected and get bidsfrom several companies won’t result in that muchadditional damage, and you may get a better treat-ment at a lower price.

We are buying a new home; what do we need toknow and do about termites? When existing homes are sold in Mississippi, mostlenders require a “wood-destroying insect report”(WDIR) or “termite inspection.” A trained termitetechnician will conduct the inspection, then file areport of the findings. If termites are found during theinspection it is recommended that the building beproperly treated, and if “conducive conditions” arenoted, it is wise to have them corrected. It is impor-tant to understand that when the WDIR indicates thatno termites were found, this does not necessarilymean the building is free of termites. It only means atrained technician inspected the building for termitesand other wood-destroying organisms and did notfind any. By their very nature, termite infestations arecryptic and difficult to detect (see Figure 5), and shortof dismantling the building piece by piece, it isimpossible to be absolutely sure whether or not abuilding is infested.

When purchasing an existing home, it is a goodidea to visit with the previous owner about the historyof the building. When was it built? When was it last

treated for termites and what termiticide was used?Has the building ever been infested? Is the home cur-rently under a termite contract? If the home is under atermite contract, it is a good idea to check with thepest control company to see if they will allow you, asnew owner, to assume the contract by paying the nextannual renewal fee. If it has been several years sincethe home was treated for termites, if it was treatedwith one of the less effective termiticides, or if the pre-vious owner does not know when the home was lasttreated, then it is a good idea to have the home retreat-ed. If it is not possible to visit with the previous ownerand a real estate broker is handling the sale, a propertycondition disclosure statement is required through theMississippi Real Estate Brokers Act of 1954. The prop-erty condition disclosure statement requires the sellerto disclose known problems, including any evidenceof rot, mildew, rodent infestation, or wood destroyinginsect infestation, if any treatments were made, if thedamage was repaired, and if the structure is currentlyunder a termite contract.

When purchasing a newly built home, where youwill be the first owner, it is important to be sure thetermite pretreatment was or is applied properly.Pretreatments are done in two steps. The first step is toapply termiticide to the soil underneath the buildingbefore the slab is poured, or to treat the lower 2 feet ofthe wall studs and base plates with an approvedborate product before the interior insulation and wallcovering is installed. The final step is to apply termiti-cide around the perimeter of the building after all con-struction and initial landscaping is complete.

The pest control company doing the pretreatmenthas up to 1 year after the building is completed toapply this final perimeter treatment. As a new home-owner, you want to be sure this final treatment getsdone, and you need to know what termiticide is used.Beginning in 2009, Mississippi pest control companiesare required to place a sticker on the exterior electricalbox showing the date when this final perimeter treat-ment was applied and what company applied thetreatment. If you purchase a new home before thisfinal perimeter treatment is done, check with thebuilder and get the name and contact information ofthe pest control company that was contracted to dothe pretreatment.

13

Common Termite Risk FactorsEven if your house is properly treated for termites,there are many things you can do, or allow tooccur, that increase the risk of termites invadingyour home. Knowledge can help you avoid thesecommon problems.

Here are some general points to keep in mind:• It is important that the house be properly treated

and that any new addition be properly treated. • Any activity that disturbs the band of treated soil

around the outside of the house will increase therisk of attack. This includes any activity that movestreated soil away from the area or any activity thatmoves soil, mulch, leaf litter, or pine straw over thetreated band of soil.

• Any activity that results in soil, mulch, or leavesbeing in contact with any wood part of the houseor with siding or insulation will provide a readyentry point for termites.

• Excessive water accumulating against the foun-dation or over the treated soil can leach, breakdown, or wash away the termiticide. This can bewater from poor drainage, gutter downspouts,air conditioner condensation, leaky faucets, orexcessive irrigation.

• Moist, rotting wood is a major predisposing fac-tor for termite infestations. This is true whetherthe moisture results from leaks in roofs, flashing,or other structural components; from plumbingleaks; or from moisture condensation due topoor ventilation.

Following are some specific examples of risk fac-tors for termite infestation:• Not having the building properly treated for

termites.• Not having the building annually inspected for

termites.

• Adding onto a building and not having the addi-tion treated.

• Adding a patio or deck and not having the arearetreated.

• Adding a trellis, steps, or other wood structureusing untreated wood.

• Allowing soil to contact siding or any wood por-tion of the house.

• Inadequate ventilation under houses with crawlspaces.

• Digging or tilling in the treated soil band.• Adding raised flowerbeds against the outer wall of

the house.• Stacking firewood or lumber against the house.• Piling mulch against the foundation.• Allowing leaves or pine straw to accumulate

against the house.• Planting shrubs or flowerbeds too near the founda-

tion, making inspection difficult.• Trees growing too near the house, where roots can

grow under the foundation.• Soil being washed away from or against the

foundation.• Removing or replacing treated soil when installing

plumbing or other utilities.• Dogs or other animals digging in treated soil band.• Water from roof or downspouts dripping onto

treated soil band.• Water from air conditioners or leaky faucets drip-

ping onto treated soil band.• Excessive irrigation water leaching through treated

soil band.• Poor drainage, allowing water to pool against

foundation.• Moist wood due to plumbing leaks, structural

leaks, or condensation.

14

15

The information given here is for educational purposes only.References to commercial products, trade names, or suppliers are madewith the understanding that no endorsement is implied and that nodiscrimination against other products or suppliers is intended.

Copyright 2009 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributedwithout alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service.

By Dr. Blake Layton, Extension Entomology specialist, and Joe MacGown, Department of Entomology andPlant Pathology

Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status is a violation of feder-al and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affilia-tion is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated.

Publication 2568Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published infurtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. MELISSA J. MIXON, Interim Director (POD-09-09)