The short version
Most termite problems in College Station are eastern subterranean termites, and the usual fix is a liquid soil treatment or bait stations. Drywood termites need fumigation or wood treatment instead. Start with an inspection; $75–$250 is typical.
- Look for mud tubes, shed wings and hollow-sounding wood.
- Swarms usually show up from February through April.
- Drywood termites need wood treatment or fumigation instead.
- An inspection typically costs $75–$250.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
Anyone in College Station who owns, rents out, or is buying a home and wants to know whether termites are a real concern.
What to look for
Termites work quietly. A colony can feed inside a wall for years. Mild winters barely slow them down. Spongy floors or bubbling paint usually mean long-running damage. So it's worth an inspection, even for one or two signs.
- 1Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
- 2Termite tubes hanging down from ceilings or joists.
- 3Small kick-out holes in exposed wood.
- 4Tiny pinholes in drywall rimmed with mud.
- 5Buckling laminate or warped hardwood flooring.
- 6Mud tubes running up foundation walls or piers.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Colonies grow and spread every year they go untreated.
- Damage hides behind drywall, flooring and trim.
- Homeowners insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
- An active infestation can complicate a home sale.
- Formosan colonies are large and can do serious damage quickly.
Treatment options and typical costs
Termite Inspection and WDI Report
$75–$250
The inspector checks the foundation, garage, attic and damp spots. Bring up anything you’ve noticed.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job, real estate closings, and yearly peace of mind
Annual Renewal and Monitoring
$150–$400 per year
A renewal contract sends a technician back each year to re-inspect and touch up the treatment. Many liquid warranties stay valid only if renewal is kept current.
- Time
- 30–60 minutes per visit
- Best for
- Keeping a treated home protected after the initial job
Fumigation for Drywood Termites
$1,200–$4,000 (often $1–$4 per square foot)
You leave for a few days while the gas penetrates wood. A licensed fumigator in College Station clears the structure with monitors before anyone returns.
- Time
- 2–3 days including tenting and aeration
- Best for
- Widespread drywood termites throughout a structure
Bait Station System with Monitoring
$1,500–$3,500 install, plus $300–$500 per year
Bait systems around College Station homes need ongoing monitoring to keep working. Skip the yearly service and the stations go unchecked.
- Time
- 2–4 hours to install; checked quarterly
- Best for
- Colony elimination, wells and slabs, homes near water
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
In a basement, the wooden sill plate on top of the block wall is the first piece of wood termites reach.Which termites live around College Station.
The termite you're most likely to meet in College Station is the eastern subterranean termite. It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. It needs steady moisture. Formosan termites have spread into parts of Texas too. Their colonies dwarf native ones. Inspectors take them seriously. Drywood termites turn up now and then, mostly in older wood. Look for tiny piles of hard, sand-like pellets.
Local termites conditions in College Station.
Knowing College Station's seasonal timing lets you schedule treatment before the busy stretch rather than after it, which usually means faster service and a more accurate quote. A provider who works College Station and Texas every day can point out the specific conditions that matter most here, and getting the scope, price, and follow-up terms in writing makes it easier to compare options. College Station sits in a local climate, and that sets the pace for termite activity here: the warmer months. In College Station, the area is mostly residential, so termites pressure can differ from one block to the next depending on how tight the entry points are and how much food, water, or shelter is close by. An inspection in College Station usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first.
A downspout that dumps water at the foundation keeps the soil wet year-round. Extend it well away from the house.When termites swarm here.
Swarm season is when termites show themselves. In College Station, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from February through April, typically on a warm, sunny day after rain. Formosan termites in Texas swarm later, from late April into June. Look for them on warm, humid evenings around porch lights. Drywood termites swarm on spring and summer evenings, often near lights. A swarm outside means a colony is nearby. A swarm inside usually means it's in the house. Save a few in a bag, or snap a clear photo.
Where to look around your house.
Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. Many homes in College Station sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks. Check the garage edges and behind baseboards. Look where pipes come through the floor.
A year of termites in College Station.
- Summer: termites follow moisture. Watch AC lines, sprinklers and hose bibs. - Fall: clear gutters and move firewood away from the walls. - Winter: a good time to book an inspection in College Station, before swarm season starts. - Spring: swarm season. In College Station, expect it from February through April. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings.
What happens at an inspection.
On a slab, they focus on joints, cracks and pipe gaps. A moisture meter and a probe help them find hidden activity. Afterward, ask them to show you what they found. Photos help. Most inspections take an hour or two. The inspector walks the outside of the house first. They check the foundation, the soil line and nearby wood. Inside, they check the garage, baseboards, plumbing gaps and the attic.
Termites or ants?
- Antennae: termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae bend like an elbow. - Debris: termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave sawdust. - Tunnels: termite galleries are packed with mud. Ant tunnels are clean and smooth. - Wings: termite wings are all the same length. Ant wings aren’t. - Waist: termites are thick through the middle. Ants are pinched.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Clear a path along the outside walls. Move stored boxes away from garage walls. Mark sprinkler heads and any buried lines. Keep pets and kids inside while the crew works outside. Ask how long to stay off treated soil. Any drill holes in a slab or patio get patched. Soil treatments and bait stations need little prep.
Mulch and termites.
Wood chips right against siding hold moisture termites like. Keep mulch thin and pull it back from the foundation. A dry strip along the house lets you spot mud tubes.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- Is the whole foundation treated, or just one spot? - What does the warranty cover, and for how long? - What does the yearly renewal cost? - What do I need to do before and after treatment? - Which termites did you find, and where? - What product or system will you use?
What affects the price
- Attached garages, decks, and additions.
- Local labor rates and licensing requirements.
- Amount of drilling through concrete and patios.
- Number of bait stations required.
- Linear feet of foundation to be treated.
- Time of year and how booked up local companies are.
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What's your biggest concern about termites?
When to call for help
Lenders often ask for one. It's also the cheapest termite service. Carpenter ants leave clean tunnels and sawdust. Termites leave mud. Call if you see mud tubes, pellets or an indoor swarm. Hollow-sounding wood is another clue. Buying or selling? Get a wood-destroying insect (WDI) report either way.
What you can do yourself
Treating an active colony is harder. The product has to reach the whole colony. It also needs even coverage around the entire foundation. Store-bought sprays usually kill only the termites you see. Some of the work is yours. Pull mulch back from the foundation. Fix leaks and clear gutters. Keep firewood away from the house.
Termites in College Station
An annual inspection is common sense here. Termites need moisture. Around here they gather where water collects. Think leaky hose bibs, AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and short downspouts. Texas is one of the most termite-active states in the country.
Local research
Termites in College Station, TX: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in Texas, when they are busiest around College Station, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Annual subterranean termite damage in Texas
Texas is one of the costliest termite states, with both native and Formosan species.
Texas A&M AgriLife ExtensionSwarm onset in South Texas
South Texas homeowners should watch for swarmers a full season before the rest of the country.
Texas A&M AgriLife ExtensionTermite species recorded in Texas
- Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) — UGA calls it 'the most widely distributed subterranean termite, and it is the most common termite found in the eastern United States'; it swarms February through April in Georgi…
- Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) — FDACS lists it in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Arizona, California and Hawaii. Colonies contain…
When termites are busiest around College Station
Swarms begin in January–February in South Texas and not until April or May in the Panhandle (Texas A&M).
Texas A&M identifies the eastern subterranean and Formosan subterranean termites as the two economically important species. Termites enter via wood in direct contact with soil and by building shelter tubes over or through foundation cracks; modern termiticides provide approximately 5 years of protection and licensed professionals are recommended.
Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Biology of Subterranean Termites in the Eastern United States (B1209); University of Missouri Extension; Formosan Termite Program. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep termites away
- Keep six inches between soil and siding or wood.
- Seal cracks in the foundation and slab.
- Keep the termite renewal contract current after treatment.
- Repair rotting trim, fascia, and window frames.
- Install a vapor barrier over crawl space soil.
- Keep gutters clean so water does not pool.
A liquid soil treatment goes into a trench along the foundation so termites cross it on their way to the house.Did you know?
In College Station, termites have been chewing wood for well over 100 million years, since the age of the dinosaurs.
In College Station, some tropical termites grow fungus gardens inside the nest and eat the harvest.
Questions people ask
Can I treat termites myself?
Treating the colony is not. Retail sprays kill what they touch and warn the rest. Save the money for a College Station inspection and a proper treatment. Partly. Fixing moisture, moving mulch, and sealing cracks are good College Station, Texas homeowner tasks.
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Drywood termites leave clean galleries and piles of dry pellets. A College Station pro uses these clues plus the location to choose between a soil treatment and a wood treatment. Look at the evidence. Subterranean termites leave mud in the wood and tubes on the foundation of a College Station home.
How long does termite treatment take?
A full liquid barrier takes most of a day. Bait systems keep working for months after a short installation. A College Station pro should give you a timeline in the proposal. It depends on the method chosen for your College Station home. Spot treatments take an hour or two.
Does fumigation kill subterranean termites too?
Subterranean termites need a soil barrier or bait system. A College Station inspector who finds both species will recommend both treatments. No. Fumigation kills every termite inside the tented College Station home, but subterranean colonies live in the soil and simply come back.
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Once through the slab they reach wall framing behind the drywall. Treating a College Station slab home involves drilling and injecting termiticide beneath it. Yes. Slab homes in College Station are common termite targets because termites enter through shrinkage cracks, expansion joints, and the gaps around plumbing pipes.
Are termites common in Texas?
Around College Station, the usual culprit is the eastern subterranean termite.
Sources (6)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Termite Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides