The Blog

While summer often means tanning and traveling in South Louisiana, it also means termite season. And as tanning requires sunscreen, traveling requires a map, those pesky termites require vigilance and maybe treatment to prevent damage to our homes. 

According to the LSU Ag Center, each year formosan subterranean termites are estimated to cause $1 billion in damage in the U.S. Half of that — $500 million — is in Louisiana.

As you can see from the map, Louisiana is located in the very heavy termite damage division of the country. Because of this high probability, Louisiana has more control measures to meet International Residential Code building standards.

There are more than 2,000 species of termites worldwide, 50 of which are found in the U.S. Of these, there are three termite species that swarm the swamps of Louisiana: Drywood termites, Subterranean termites and Formosan termites. 

Subterranean and Formosan termites need contact with the soil. They live underground and access their wood sources through a series of tunnels. The presence of these mud tunnels is often one of the first signs of a termite problem. It’s also why pest control experts recommend keeping vegetations and soil away from the house.

Drywood termites on the other hand do not need soil to survive. They get all the water they need from the wood they live in.

Signs that you may have a termite problem include mud tunnels (described above) on the outside of the house near the ground, paint “blisters”, damaged wood paneling or trim, pinholes, or hollow sounding wood. And termites don’t only eat wood structures. Anything wood in a home is at risk including furniture, cabinets, window, frames and more.

From spring to early fall termites give another clue that they’re honing in on your home: the swarm. If you see a swarm, it’s likely there is a colony near your home. Why do they swarm? Termites swarm after a colony reaches a certain capacity and is ready to expand.

Photo by Jared Belson

The Subterranean termite usually swarm from February to June during the morning and day hours. The Drywood termite swarms during the spring and summer afternoons into the night. And the common termite in Louisiana, the Formosan termite, swarms at night during the end of spring. 

So what’s a homeowner to do? First if you notice any of these signs above, contact a reputable local pest control company. Different species require different treatment and a pest control professional will be you best guide for treatment. To stay ahead of the problem, consider a yearly termite inspection by your favorite pest control provided. 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

© 2019 Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC

Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC designs custom homes to satisfy, support and sustain our client’s best life, to be an authentic expression of their site, lifestyle and culture, while remaining rooted in history and expressive of the times. For more information on Kevin or the firm go to www.kevinharrisarchitect.com.