‘Strong’ termite season, but bugs won’t spread virus

South Florida’s annual swarm of termites is winging in strong this season – but relax, at least they won’t be spreading the new coronavirus.

“It’s starting and it’s strong from the samples I’ve gotten in the mail [from pest control operators] this last few days,” says Rudolf Scheffrahn, a University of Florida entomology professor based in Davie. “We’re starting in heavy-duty flight season now, and I don’t expect it to end for six weeks, two months.”

Any chance they might spread the new coronavirus along with them, in some nightmare scenario? No.

“It’s totally impossible that termites – or any other insect – would facilitate the spread of the current virus,” Scheffrahn says.

Any chance the new coronavirus might affect them, in some silver-lining scenario?

“Viruses are pathogens of all kinds of organisms – plants, insects, even bacteria, vertebrates – everything has a virus that can infect them,” he says. “The thing with termites is they’re probably the original social distancer. When an individual termite in a colony – and they’re social insects, just like humans are social – shows a certain behavior – the rest of the colony members avoid them, or even wall them off so they tend to prevent any type of infection.”

That’s partly why, as many South Florida homeowners know, they’re also hard to get rid of.

“Natural control for termites is impossible,” Scheffrahn says. “It’s been tried for the last 50-plus

years, and we still have to rely on chemical control to kill them.”

As for those in the business of killing them – pest control operators who lately have been mailing Scheffrahn sample bags and vials of the West Indian drywood and Formosan termites they’ve been finding from early swarms in MiamiDade and Broward – these are hard times.

“Business is way down right now,” Scheffrahn says, “simply because people don’t want to have strangers in the house for inspections, etc. Or they lack the money resources.”

A year ago, the phones at Hitman Termite and Pest Control in Deerfield Beach were indeed “ringing like crazy” as the swarm season began. Not so much this year, says owner John Lotz.

“Everybody in the pest control industry’s phones should be off the hook ringing right now, but that is definitely not the case,” Lotz says. “We are getting calls, we are getting jobs, but it’s not where it should be.”

Lotz says he and his three employees have masks, gloves and booties to slip over their shoes if a customer needs treatment inside a home, “anything we can do to protect ourselves and make the customer feel comfortable and try to protect them at the same time.”

Customers are even scheduling tenting, he adds, although many are reluctant to let anyone into their quarantine lockdowns – and they also may have a problem finding a place to stay for the two nights it takes to fumigate a house.

“I’m encouraging customers to at least do doors, windows and perimeter to still keep a barrier around their home and to protect the house as best we can,” he says, “and then do inside upon request.”

If you do find termites in the woodwork or flying around your home right now, Scheffrahn adds, you typically have some time to act.

“The good thing about termite infestation, if there is a good thing about termite infestation, is that it’s measured over years, not days, weeks, months,” he says. “So I think there will be an upswing in business for the pest control industry as the virus subsides.”

Any chance we might be seeing fewer termites any time soon, in another silverlining scenario? Not likely, based on the tracking map Scheffrahn uses to follow infestations throughout Florida, based on his research. Southeastern Florida is lit up with purple, yellow and red markers for West Indian drywood, Formosan subterranean and Asian subterranean – whose swarming season ended in February, earlier than the others.

“I think in the next 50 to 70 years, all these termite species are going to pretty much saturate southeastern Florida so it’s going to keep getting worse,” he says. “The pest-control industry has good methods of treatment, so you’re just going to have pay to get these bugs done.

“They’re not going to wipe us out, as long as we make sure they’re controlled.”

When it comes to termites, identification is the key to effective treatment. Tenting is best for drywood termites, and insecticides and baits work on subterranean species. Contact your county extension agent or a professional pest control company.

Types of termites

Native subterranean: Dark brown, 0.3 inches long including wings. Usually swarm in February and March, depending on weather, usually on a sunny afternoon after rain. The build shelter tubes on a foundation to connect the termite population underground with food sources above.

Asian subterranean: Yellowish brown, about half an inch long, with small hairs on wings. Swarms from February to April.

Formosan subterranean: Similar to Asian subterranean, they usually swarm at dusk and sunrise from April to June; usually found near windows, light fixtures and spider webs in well-lit areas. Can infest more than one building. They build mud tubes from the ground upward to food sources.

Drywood: Sometimes called “powderpost termites” because of the telltale pellets, they have a dull, pale-brown head and body, 0.3 inches long including wings. They swarm in the evenings at the beginning of rainy season, usually May and June. Antennae are longer than their heads. Fecal pellets, which look like sawdust, are often spotted beneath infested wood. They don’t need moisture like subterraneans; they’re often found in roofs, soffits and door frames.

Winged ants: These are often confused with termites. Ants have bent antennae, and termites have straight antennae. Ants have pinched abdomens and termites have straight abdomens.

Prevention

Take care to eliminate or reduce moisture in and around your home to help prevent damage.

Be sure pest control companies check all trees, wood piles, fences and docks as part of their inspection.

Make sure sprinkler heads do not spray your foundation.

Remove any thick vegetation around your foundation.

Remove scrap wood from your property and any wood that touches the ground. Use only pressure treated wood for fences and docks.

Repair leaking faucets, dripping water pipes. Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles. Replace weather stripping and loose mortar around windows.

Divert water away from the house through properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks.

Monitor all exterior areas of wood for any noticeable changes.