Subterranean Termite Control in Parkland

• Pencil-width mud tubes on the slab edge, a garage wall or a stem wall
• Swarms of winged termites at dusk in spring, often near lights
• Piles of discarded wings on windowsills and in spider webs
• Baseboards or door trim that sound hollow or dent with a thumbnail
• Bubbling paint or drywall that looks water damaged with no leak

According to UF/IFAS, Asian subterranean termites begin swarming in early March and fly at dusk. Formosan subterranean termites follow in late April to early May. If your porch light is covered in small winged insects on a warm, still evening in March, take it seriously.

Swarmers inside the house usually mean the colony is in or under the structure. Swarmers outside might be coming from a tree, a stump or a neighbor's yard. Either way, save a few in a zip bag or a pill bottle with rubbing alcohol. The inspector will want to see them, and UF runs a free termite identification service if you want a second opinion. Our swarm season guide covers how to tell them apart from flying ants.

Expect the inspector to walk the outside of the slab, check the garage, look under sinks and around tubs, and tap trim and baseboards along exterior walls. They'll check where planting beds and mulch are piled against the house, since that keeps the soil damp right at the foundation. Irrigation heads that spray the wall all summer are a common find.

The first goal is to confirm it's a subterranean termite and not a drywood termite. UF stresses this point: the species decides the treatment. If the inspector finds frass pellets instead of mud, see drywood termites.

Most subterranean jobs use one of two approaches, or both. A liquid termiticide applied to the soil around and under the slab creates a treated zone the termites pass through. Bait stations set in the ground around the house get termites to carry a slow-acting material back to the colony. Baits take longer to work and need ongoing monitoring.

Ask the provider which approach they suggest for your house and why, how long the work takes, what monitoring comes after, and what their service agreement covers. Those terms come from them, so get them in writing.

• Pull mulch back a few inches from the foundation
• Point sprinkler heads away from the walls
• Fix AC condensate lines that drip next to the slab
• Keep firewood, lumber and old stumps away from the house

Termite inspections come up in a lot of real estate deals here. If you're under contract and the inspection found activity, tell us that on the call so the provider knows the timeline. If you're buying an older home in Pine Tree Estates or around the golf course, it's worth asking the seller for past treatment records.