Florida termite control: A Complete Guide for Homeowners and Property Managers

What to look for

Florida's termite problem is a species problem. UF/IFAS reports 20 termite species established in the state and six invasive ones, and the invasives are the ones most likely in a home. The Formosan subterranean termite is distributed throughout Florida, primarily in urban areas with high population density, which puts Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville in its range. FDACS notes a single Formosan colony can cover one acre underneath a home, so the colony on your sill plate may also be on your neighbor's. The Asian subterranean termite is currently restricted to southern Florida, per UF/IFAS, with an even earlier swarm. Native eastern and southeastern subterranean termites fill in statewide. The West Indian drywood termite lives inside wood and turns up in furniture, window frames, and attic framing. The climate removes every brake. Winter lows of 54F never freeze the soil, 57 inches of rain and 74% humidity keep wood and ground damp, and FDACS warns termites can use cracks the thickness of a credit card to invade, which describes every slab home in the state.

• 1Mud tubes on foundation walls, floor joists, or crawl spaces (subterranean termites).
• 2Discarded wings near windowsills, doors, or light fixtures (swarmers).
• 3Hollow-sounding wood when tapped or blistered paint that mimics water damage.
• 4Small piles of frass (termite droppings) that resemble sawdust or pepper (drywood termites).
• 5Tight-fitting doors or windows that become difficult to open due to wood distortion.
• 6Visible tunnels or galleries in wood when a surface is broken open.

Treatment options and typical costs

Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.

Which of Florida's 20 termite species are you likely to have?

Florida has more termite species than any other state, and UF/IFAS puts the count at 20 established with six invasive. For a homeowner, four groups matter. The Formosan subterranean termite is distributed throughout the state, primarily in urban areas with high population density, which describes Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville. Its colonies are enormous, and FDACS notes a single one can cover an acre beneath a home. Native eastern and southeastern subterranean termites are everywhere in the state, with smaller colonies that enter the same way. The West Indian drywood termite is the wood-dweller. It needs no soil, arrives by flight or in furniture, and leaves six-sided pellets under window frames and attic wood. It is the reason Florida tents houses. Each group gets a different treatment, and a company that quotes before identifying the species is guessing. UF/IFAS offers termite identification services for exactly this reason. In a state with 20 species, the identification step is not a formality.

termites activity by season.

The most useful first step in Florida is to note where you have seen termites and when they appear, because that timeline is what lets a provider focus on the right area instead of treating the whole property. In Florida, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure usually turns up the conditions that are letting them in. Scheduling before the busy stretch, rather than after it, tends to mean faster service and a more accurate quote, and a local provider can point out the conditions that matter most in Florida.

When do termites swarm across Florida, from Miami to Jacksonville?

Florida's swarm season runs longer than anywhere else because so many species take turns. In southern Florida, the Asian subterranean termite can swarm in March, and Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood homeowners sometimes see the first flights before spring officially starts. The Formosan window is the one most Floridians recognize. UF/IFAS reports swarms from early April to late June shortly after sunset, peaking in May, and FDACS gives evenings from April through July. In dense neighborhoods of Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville, that means clouds of swarmers around porch lights and pool cages on humid May evenings. Drywood termites take summer and fall, flying in daytime and landing on fascia, soffits, and open windows from roughly June into October. With median winter lows of 54F, no species stops feeding between swarms. Treat when evidence appears, and book inspections before the May peak, when Florida schedules fill fastest. Keep porch lights off on April to June evenings to reduce Formosan swarmers landing on the house.

What does an inspection cover on a Florida slab home or condo?

A Florida inspection has to cover three kinds of evidence. On the slab, the inspector checks the exterior slab edge, garage walls, plumbing penetrations, and the base of interior walls near bathrooms for tubes, since FDACS says termites can enter through cracks the thickness of a credit card. For Formosan and Asian subterranean termites, the inspector should probe wall voids for carton material and check upper floors, since those species nest above ground once established. In a dense Miami or Tampa neighborhood, expect questions about neighbors' activity, because a colony can span an acre. For drywood, the attic, window frames, fascia, and wood furniture get checked for pellets. In a condo in Fort Lauderdale or St. Petersburg, shared walls and the building's treatment history matter. You should leave with a diagram, an identification of the species, and a written proposal naming the method and, for Formosan work, which approved method under the FDACS program is being used.

Soil barrier, baits, or tent: how does Florida decide?

The species decides, and in Florida the answer is often more than one method. Native subterranean termites on a slab home in Gainesville or Lakeland get a liquid barrier: trenching the foundation and drilling every attached slab so the treated zone is continuous under credit-card-width cracks. University of Kentucky Entomology notes the label requires at least five years of control. Formosan and Asian subterranean colonies push companies toward combinations. A colony that FDACS says can cover an acre may not be reached by a barrier alone, and carton nests in wall voids survive above the soil. West Indian drywood termites live in the wood, so the treatment goes into the wood: spot injection or heat for an isolated colony, or whole-structure fumigation when activity is widespread. Tenting is priced by cubic volume and leaves no residual. On a Florida home that has both, the proposal should list the drywood plan and the subterranean plan separately so you can see what each covers and what each costs.

Buying, selling, and renting in Florida: who handles the termites?

Florida regulates termite inspections and reports in real-estate sales, so the wood-destroying organism report is part of nearly every closing. Sellers in Orlando, Tampa, or Jacksonville do well to order the inspection before listing, since a May swarm during escrow or a finding of active Formosan termites can stall a deal on a home worth a median $380,000 in our data. Buyers should read the report for what was inaccessible, ask whether an existing liquid agreement or bait program transfers, and find out the renewal cost. FDACS recommends annual inspections, and a lapsed contract is documentation rather than protection. In dense neighborhoods where a Formosan colony can span an acre, ask about the neighbors too. In rentals, the owner handles treatment and the tenant reports evidence and allows access. Renters in Miami, Hialeah, or Pembroke Pines who see an after-sunset swarm indoors should photograph it and notify the landlord by email or text. In a state with 74% humidity and 57 inches of rain, damage does not wait for turnover.

Simple ways to keep termites away

• Eliminate moisture problems: repair leaky pipes, ensure proper drainage, and use dehumidifiers in crawl spaces.
• Keep wood away from soil: maintain a gap of at least 6 inches between wooden siding and the ground.
• Store firewood and lumber away from the foundation, and inspect them before bringing indoors.
• Seal cracks and gaps in the foundation, walls, and around utility lines with silicone caulk.
• Reduce wood-to-soil contact: use concrete or metal supports for posts and steps.
• Install termite barriers during new construction, such as physical mesh or chemical-treated soil.
• Schedule annual professional inspections, especially in high-risk areas like Florida.

Questions people ask

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