RAP SHEET

Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes spp.

extreme CASE #MWP-0007

Caused $5 billion in U.S. property damage last year. Still at large.

How We Take Them Down

  1. Liquid termiticide soil treatment creating a continuous chemical barrier
  2. Termite bait station network installed around the perimeter for ongoing monitoring and elimination
  3. Localized wood treatment for active infestations within the structure
  4. Foam injection into wall voids and inaccessible areas with active mud tubes
  5. Annual inspection and monitoring program to detect new activity early

Prevention Tips

  • Eliminate all wood-to-soil contact around the home — use concrete or metal spacers
  • Keep mulch, wood chips, and soil at least 6 inches below wood siding and framing
  • Fix all moisture problems — termites are drawn to damp, softened wood
  • Divert water away from the foundation with properly functioning gutters and grading
  • Schedule an annual termite inspection — the cost of inspection is trivial compared to the cost of repairs

Fun Facts

Termite colonies never sleep. Workers operate in shifts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are more dedicated to destroying your home than most people are to their careers.

A large subterranean termite colony can consume one linear foot of a 2x4 pine board in about five months. Silently. Inside your wall.

Termite swarmers (the winged ones you see in spring) are often mistaken for flying ants. The difference: termites have straight antennae, equal-length wings, and a straight waist. Flying ants have elbowed antennae and a pinched waist. Both are bad news.

Termites have been around for over 250 million years. They outlived the dinosaurs. They are not impressed by your can of bug spray.

Field Notes

Subterranean termites are the most financially destructive pest in North America, responsible for more structural damage each year than fires, floods, and storms combined — and they accomplish this entirely without your knowledge for months or years at a stretch. Operating from underground colonies that can number in the millions, they construct hidden mud tubes to travel from soil to wood and consume structural lumber from the inside out, leaving only a paper-thin shell that looks fine right up until it doesn’t. By the time most homeowners notice termites — usually when spring swarmers emerge indoors or when a screwdriver goes through a floor joist — the damage is already significant. Annual professional inspections are not optional if you own a wood-framed structure.