Termite Season: Behavior and Characteristics

Termites On Damaged Wood

There’s a saying about termites in Atlanta that we hear often: “There are two types of houses in Georgia — those who have termites, and those that are about to have termites.” If you live in our wonderful peach state and own a home, more than likely you’ve had experience with these hungry and destructive pests. To learn more about termite behavior and their characteristics, check out the info below from the Georgia pest experts at Healthy Home Termite & Pest Control.

When is Termite Season?

Because of the warm and humid climate and the abundance of trees, Georgia is a hotbed for termite habitats. In nature, termites serve an important purpose of breaking down decaying wood from trees that have fallen or branches that have broken off trees. Unfortunately, this also means that your house, deck, and porches are all susceptible to this same break down process.

Since Georgia stays warm for the majority of the year, termite season is typically year-round, with some slowdown of activity in the coldest months of the year (November through February). Depending on the species of termite, they might produce what are known as “swarmers” in the spring or fall. These winged insects might be mistaken as flying ants, but are in fact male and female termites looking to create their own nests. During these swarming seasons, your home is most susceptible to fresh infestations.

What Types of Termites Are There in Georgia?

There are four of the most common types of termites: dampwood, drywood, Formosan, and subterranean termites. In the southeast, specifically in Georgia, the most dominant types are Eastern subterranean termites and Formosan termites. These two species are inground termites and thrive in moist environments. Formosan termites in particular, are an aggressive species that were brought over from China and are known to chew through obstacles in their way (wiring, rubber, etc.).

How Large are Termite Colonies?

Termite colonies can be vast and are typically made up of a few different types of termites: a queen, a king, workers, soldiers, and swarmers. Queen termites can amazingly live up to 25 years and is the largest in the colony. She can lay up to 2,000 eggs a day. A king termite produces swarmers and workers with the queen throughout the year and is responsible for starting the colony with the queen.

Worker termites cannot reproduce and look like insect larvae, but do the majority of the eating and breaking down of wood that is so destructive to your home. Swarmers, on the other hand, are only produced a few times a year (typically spring and fall) and grow wings. These swarmers group into male and female pairs and fly off to start new colonies. Once they pair up and find a place to start a colony, they shed their wings and begin reproducing worker termites.

Stop Termites with Help from Healthy Home Termite & Pest Control in Georgia

Because termites can have such a devastating impact in Georgia homes, it’s important to contact your local pest specialist to inspect your home for termite signs and damage. Our helpful and knowledgeable team can help you root out any termite colonies and help prevent further infestation. Schedule an inspection at 770-505-9040 or schedule one online.