Formosan Termite

What Do Formosan Termites Look Like?

It’s essential to know which termite group is causing problems because each one is quite different biologically and, therefore, requires different methods of control. Formosan termites are very similar to other subterranean termite species, like Asian subterranean termites and eastern subterranean termites, so it’s best to contact a PMi pest control professional to help with proper identification.

It’s important to note that Formosan termite swarmers are often confused with flying ants, too. The best way to tell them apart is by looking at their waists, as termites have broad waists and flying ants have narrow ones. Termites also have straight antennae compared to bent antennae on flying ants. Lastly, termites have wings of equal size, while flying ants have bigger front wings.

Infestation and Prevention

Signs of a Formosan Termite Infestation

There are a few red flags signaling a Formosan termite problem. The first sign that an area is infested with Formosans is the presence of swarmers or winged reproducers. Swarmers are often attracted to lights, so homeowners should keep an eye out for them (and their discarded wings) near windowsills, doors, lights, and vents.

Formosan Termite Damage

Another sign of a Formosan termite infestation is damaged wood that sounds hollow when tapped. The wood often appears to have been eaten away along the grain pattern.

How to Get Rid of Formosan Termites

Anyone suspecting a termite infestation should contact a PMi pest professional about Formosan termite control and treatment.

Formosan Termite Prevention

To prevent a future Formosan termite infestation, homeowners should consider scheduling a PMi professional termite inspection annually – or at least once every 3-5 years, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors. There are also some things that can be done both inside and outside of the home, starting with eliminating sources of moisture. Inside, homeowners should reduce humidity in crawl spaces, attics, and basements. Outdoors, divert water away from the home’s foundation to prevent Formosan termite access with properly functioning downspouts, gutters, and splash blocks.

Regulate humidity in your basement or crawl space. Homeowners should also store firewood at least 20 feet away from the home and maintain a one-inch gap between soil and wood portions of the home. It’s also good practice to routinely inspect the foundation of the home for signs of mud tubes, visibly damaged wood and wood that sounds hollow when tapped.

Education

Distribution

The Formosan termite was described from Taiwan (Formosa) in the early 1900s but is native to southern China. Formosan termites have long been a pest in Hawaii, dating back to 1905, but were not discovered in the continental states until 1956. They were thought to have entered the country on cargo shipments of wood via various port cities.

Today, Formosan termites prefer mildly temperate climates (to 35 degrees north latitude in the United States). They are found in many states across the southern U.S., including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Smaller populations of Formosan termites have also been discovered as far north as the Canadian border. Most of the inland infestations are the result of Formosan termites being transported via shipments of railroad timbers recycled for landscaping purposes.

Habits

They have similar habits to those of eastern subterranean termites. They live in huge underground colonies with an average of 350,000 workers, invading structures using mud tubes constructed up from the soil to wood. Formosans may also establish secondary carton nests above ground if a substantial moisture supply is available. Carton nests are made of soil and wood cemented together with saliva and termite feces.

Their aerial nests are more often encountered than those of eastern subterranean termites. In fact, they account for about 25% of the structural infestations in Florida and for about 50% of those in high-rise structures in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Their queens can produce more than 1,000 eggs per day. New colonies are created when winged termites, also known as swarmers, are released from the colony and swarm. Swarming usually occurs in the evening hours following a warm, rainy day in the late spring or early summer. A single colony of Formosan termites may release over 70,000 swarmers.

Threats

Because of their aggressive nature, Formosan termites are difficult to control once they infest a structure. Although colonies of several million termites are known, a mature Formosan termite colony can eat about 31 grams or 1+ ounce per day. At this rate, such a colony could completely consume one foot of 2X4 wood in 25 days – causing severe structural damage to a home in as little as six months.

In addition to structures, Formosans infest living trees and shrubs, utility poles, landscape timbers, wooden railroad trusses, and even boats. They are also known to chew through the coverings of telephone and electric cable insulation, resulting in costly damage and power outages in cities.

In 2005, the National Pest Management Association estimated that in the U.S., termites collectively cause more than $5 billion in damage each year.