Formosan termites on move in Texas
If you live in Texas and own a home, it’s an important time of year to watch out for termites. An invasive species, the Formosan termite, is in the beginning of its reproductive season, with massive swarms of the insects headed out to create new colonies, possibly inside your walls.
“They’re a very destructive, wood-destroying termite,” entomologist Robert Puckett said of the Formosan species.
These non-native insects tend to swarm in the two weeks before and after Mother’s Day, while native termites began their reproductive season a few weeks ago.
Formosan termites also differ from native termites in that they swarm at night instead of during the day, said Puckett, a researcher at the Texas A&M University Department of Entomology.
The bugs appear just after dark and are attracted to lights, he said.
Seeing a swarm does not mean a homeowner will have an infestation, Puckett said, but it’s important to be vigilant.
A pest control company can inspect the home, looking inside the walls for an infestation.
A homeowner also can check for “shelter tubes” along the perimeter of the building. These linear tubes made from dirt will snake up a home’s slab, and possibly allow termites to enter the home through a weep hole or other structural deficiency, Puckett said.
Termites also can burrow in from below through cracks in a home’s foundation, making it more difficult for a homeowner to spot an infestation.