The short version
Most termite problems in Hollywood 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 Hollywood 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. Winters around Hollywood stay mild, with average lows near 59°F, so colonies keep feeding all year. Spongy floors or bubbling paint usually mean long-running damage. So it's worth an inspection, even for one or two signs.
- 1Mud tubes running up foundation walls or piers.
- 2Dry hexagonal pellets under window frames or eaves.
- 3Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
- 4Piles of identical shed wings on windowsills.
- 5Tiny pinholes in drywall rimmed with mud.
- 6Crumbling baseboards behind furniture.
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
Renewal fees are small next to a second full treatment. For Hollywood homeowners, the visit usually includes a walk-around, a crawl space check, and a bait station service.
- Time
- 30–60 minutes per visit
- Best for
- Keeping a treated home protected after the initial job
Bait Station System with Monitoring
$1,500–$3,500 install, plus $300–$500 per year
Each station holds cellulose bait laced with a chitin synthesis inhibitor. Workers around a Hollywood home share it, cannot molt, and the colony dies over weeks to months.
- Time
- 2–4 hours to install; checked quarterly
- Best for
- Colony elimination, wells and slabs, homes near water
Localized Wood, Foam, and Borate Treatment
$250–$1,500
When termites are limited to one wall or window frame, a technician can treat that wood directly; drywood termites, common around Hollywood, often show up exactly this way. Foam expands into voids, and borate soaks into bare lumber.
- Time
- 1–3 hours
- Best for
- Small drywood spots, wall voids, and exposed framing
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
A slow leak under a sink keeps the wood damp, and damp wood is exactly what termites are looking for.Which termites live around Hollywood.
Look for tiny piles of pellets that look like coarse sand. Drywood termites are common around Hollywood as well, flying straight into attic framing, eaves and furniture without any soil contact. They can do more damage, faster. Their colonies are much bigger than native ones. They arrived through Gulf Coast ports. Formosan termites are established in Florida too. It needs steady moisture. It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. The termite you're most likely to meet in Hollywood is the eastern subterranean termite.
Local termites conditions in Hollywood.
A provider who works Hollywood and Florida 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. Knowing Hollywood'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. An inspection in Hollywood usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Around Hollywood, the area is mostly urban, 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. Hollywood sits in a tropical climate, and that sets the pace for termite activity here: spring swarm season (March-May), warmer earlier in the south.
Sealing the gap where pipes enter the house takes away one of the easiest routes in. It won't replace treatment, but it helps.When termites swarm here.
Save a few in a bag, or snap a clear photo. A swarm inside usually means it's in the house. A swarm outside means a colony is nearby. Drywood termites swarm on spring and summer evenings, often near lights. Look for them on warm, humid evenings around porch lights. Formosan termites in Florida swarm later, from late April into June. Around Hollywood, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from February through April, typically on a warm, sunny day after rain. Swarm season is when termites show themselves.
Where to look around your house.
The same advice applies across the area, from Hollywood out to Fort Lauderdale and Miami Gardens. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Look where pipes come through the floor. Check the garage edges and behind baseboards. Many homes in Hollywood sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks.
A year of termites in Hollywood.
- Spring: swarm season. Around Hollywood, expect it from February through April. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings. - Summer: with highs around 90°F in Hollywood, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs. - Fall: with about 62 inches of rain a year in Hollywood, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation. - Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Hollywood, before swarm season starts.
What happens at an inspection.
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. 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.
Termites or ants?
- Tunnels: termite galleries are packed with mud. Ant tunnels are clean and smooth. - Debris: termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave sawdust. - Antennae: termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae bend like an elbow. - Waist: termites are thick through the middle. Ants are pinched. - Wings: termite wings are all the same length. Ant wings aren’t.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Prep is light for liquid treatments and bait stations. Clear a walking path along the exterior walls. Move boxes away from garage walls. Flag sprinkler heads and buried lines. Keep kids and pets inside while the Hollywood crew applies the product, and ask how long to stay off treated soil. In Florida, formosan swarms early April–late June shortly after sunset, peaking in May (UF/IFAS); FDACS gives evenings April–July. Asian subterranean swarms have been recorded in March. Drywood swarmers fly in daytime in summer and fall. In Florida, formosan swarms early April–late June shortly after sunset, peaking in May (UF/IFAS); FDACS gives evenings April–July. Asian subterranean swarms have been recorded in March. Drywood swarmers fly in daytime in summer and fall. Drill holes in slabs or patios get patched afterward.
Mulch and termites.
Pull mulch back from the foundation and keep the layer thin. A dry gap along the house makes mud tubes easier to spot, and with roughly 62 inches of rain a year in Hollywood, keeping that strip dry takes real grading and gutter work. Wood chips touching the siding trap the moisture termites are after.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- What do I need to do before and after treatment? - What does the yearly renewal cost? - What does the warranty cover, and for how long? - Is the whole foundation treated, or just one spot? - What product or system will you use? - Which termites did you find, and where?
What affects the price
- Amount of drilling through concrete and patios.
- Liquid barrier versus bait station system.
- Whole-house fumigation versus spot treatment.
- Time of year and how booked up local companies are.
- Species: subterranean, drywood, or Formosan.
- Attached garages, decks, and additions.
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What's your biggest concern about termites?
When to call for help
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. Lenders often ask for one. It's also the cheapest termite service. Carpenter ants leave clean tunnels and sawdust. Termites leave mud.
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 Hollywood
A typical home in Hollywood is worth around $450k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective. With summer highs around 90°F, Hollywood's tropical climate decides when local termites are busiest. An annual inspection is common sense here. Florida is one of the most termite-active states in the country. Hollywood gets about 62 inches of rain a year, and average humidity sits near 74%, so the soil around foundations rarely dries out.
Local research
Termites in Hollywood, FL: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in Florida, when they are busiest around Hollywood, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Termite species established in Florida
Florida has more structural termite species than any other state, so identification drives the treatment choice.
UF/IFAS ExtensionInvasive termite species in Florida
The invasive Formosan and Asian subterranean termites and the West Indian drywood termite are the ones most likely to be in a home.
UF/IFAS ExtensionFormosan termite peak swarm month in Florida
Evening swarms around lights in May are the most common way Florida homeowners discover Formosan colonies.
UF/IFAS ExtensionTermite species recorded in Florida
- 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…
- Asian subterranean termite (Coptotermes gestroi) — UF/IFAS: 'is currently restricted to southern Florida'; one of six invasive termite species among 20 established in Florida. FDACS lists it as primarily South Florida only.
- West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis) — UF/IFAS lists it among the major structural pest species accounting for roughly 65% of Florida termite reports. Clemson records the 'powderpost' drywood termite in seven South C…
When termites are busiest around Hollywood
Formosan swarms early April–late June shortly after sunset, peaking in May (UF/IFAS); FDACS gives evenings April–July. Asian subterranean swarms have been recorded in March. Drywood swarmers fly in daytime in summer and fall.
UF/IFAS: Formosan is 'distributed throughout the state, primarily in urban areas with high population density'; Asian subterranean 'is currently restricted to southern Florida'. FDACS recommends annual inspections by licensed pest control professionals and notes termites 'can use cracks the thickness of a credit card to invade'.
Rules that apply in Florida
Sources: Termite Species Distribution in Florida and UF Termite Identification Services (IN1360); UF/IFAS 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
- Never leave form boards or scrap lumber in the soil.
- Keep six inches between soil and siding or wood.
- Store firewood well away from the house, off the ground.
- Set deck and porch posts on concrete, not soil.
- Seal cracks in the foundation and slab.
- Repair rotting trim, fascia, and window frames.
Compare quotes line by line: the areas treated, the product, the warranty and the renewal fee. The lowest total isn't always the best deal.Did you know?
Some African termite mounds stand more than 25 feet tall.
Around Hollywood, soldier termites can't feed themselves, so the workers feed them mouth to mouth.
Questions people ask
How long does termite treatment take?
Fumigation takes two to three days. Bait stations take a few hours to install. A liquid barrier takes half a day to a day.
Will termites come back after treatment?
That's what yearly inspections and renewal plans are for. Treatments wear down and new colonies move in. They can.
How do I know if I have termites or flying ants?
Save one in a bag for the inspector. Ants have a pinched waist; termites don't. Termite wings are all the same length. Check the wings and the waist.
Is termite treatment safe for kids and pets?
Ask for the label and follow any re-entry times. Bait stations are locked and buried. Soil treatments stay in the ground. Used according to the label, yes.
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Both turn up around Hollywood. Drywood termites live inside the wood and leave tiny pellets. Subterranean termites live in soil and build mud tubes.
How much does a pre-construction termite treatment cost?
Around Hollywood, termites are best caught early through inspection, because the damage is hidden inside wood until it is far along. Around Hollywood, a professional inspection looks for mud tubes, damaged wood, and swarming activity, and treatment targets the soil and the colony rather than just the visible wood.
Are termites common in Florida?
Around Hollywood, the usual culprit is the eastern subterranean termite.
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Sources (10)
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