The short version
Most termite problems in Melbourne 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.
Homeowners, landlords and anyone buying or selling a house in Melbourne, whether you've spotted something or just want to know what to watch for.
What to look for
Termites work quietly. A colony can feed inside a wall for years. Winters around Melbourne stay mild, with average lows near 52°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.
- 1Screwdriver sinks easily into sills or trim.
- 2Piles of identical shed wings on windowsills.
- 3Damage found during a remodel or repair.
- 4Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
- 5Discarded wings caught in spider webs.
- 6Termite tubes hanging down from ceilings or joists.
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
Fumigation for Drywood Termites
$1,200–$4,000 (often $1–$4 per square foot)
Before tenting a Melbourne home, food and medicine are bagged and plants near the walls are protected. The fumigator handles the gas, aeration, and clearance testing.
- 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
Ask how many stations they plan for your Melbourne home, how often they'll check them, and what the annual fee covers.
- Time
- 2–4 hours to install; checked quarterly
- Best for
- Colony elimination, wells and slabs, homes near water
Liquid Soil Termiticide Barrier
$1,200–$3,500 (often $3–$16 per linear foot)
Crews in Melbourne dig a shallow trench against the foundation, rod termiticide into the soil, and backfill. Fipronil-type products are widely published to last five years or more.
- Time
- Half a day to a full day
- Best for
- Active subterranean termites; fast knockdown around the foundation
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Check under the kitchen sink for dampness and soft cabinet wood. Plumbing walls are a common path for termites coming up from a slab.Which termites live around Melbourne.
It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. It needs steady moisture. Formosan termites are established in Florida too. They arrived through Gulf Coast ports. Their colonies are much bigger than native ones. They can do more damage, faster. Drywood termites are common around Melbourne as well, flying straight into attic framing, eaves and furniture without any soil contact. Look for tiny piles of pellets that look like coarse sand. The termite you're most likely to meet in Melbourne is the eastern subterranean termite.
Local termites conditions in Melbourne.
Across Melbourne, the area is mostly suburban, 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 Melbourne usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Melbourne'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 Melbourne 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. Melbourne sits in a humid subtropical climate, and that sets the pace for termite activity here: spring swarm season (March-May), warmer earlier in the south.
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.
Across Melbourne, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from February through April, typically on a warm, sunny day after rain. Formosan termites in Florida 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. Swarm season is when termites show themselves.
Where to look around your house.
Check the garage edges and behind baseboards. Look where pipes come through the floor. Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. The same advice applies across the area, from Melbourne out to Palm Bay. Many homes in Melbourne sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks.
A year of termites in Melbourne.
- Spring: swarm season. Across Melbourne, expect it from February through April. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings. - Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Melbourne, before swarm season starts. - Fall: with about 51 inches of rain a year in Melbourne, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation. - Summer: with highs around 91°F in Melbourne, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
What happens at an inspection.
Afterward, ask them to show you what they found. A moisture meter and a probe help them find hidden activity. On a slab, they focus on joints, cracks and pipe gaps. Inside, they check the garage, baseboards, plumbing gaps and the attic. They check the foundation, the soil line and nearby wood. The inspector walks the outside of the house first. Most inspections take an hour or two. Photos help.
Termites or ants?
- 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. - Antennae: termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae bend like an elbow. - Debris: termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave sawdust.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Keep kids and pets inside while the Melbourne 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. Flag sprinkler heads and buried lines. Move boxes away from garage walls. Clear a walking path along the exterior walls. Prep is light for liquid treatments and bait stations. Drill holes in slabs or patios get patched afterward.
Mulch and termites.
A dry gap along the house makes mud tubes easier to spot, and with roughly 51 inches of rain a year in Melbourne, keeping that strip dry takes real grading and gutter work. Pull mulch back from the foundation and keep the layer thin. 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? - Which termites did you find, and where? - What product or system will you use? - 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 affects the price
- Extent of existing damage needing repair.
- Whole-house fumigation versus spot treatment.
- Wells, drains, or water features limiting chemical use.
- Linear feet of foundation to be treated.
- Attached garages, decks, and additions.
- Number of bait stations required.
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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
Store-bought sprays usually kill only the termites you see. It also needs even coverage around the entire foundation. The product has to reach the whole colony. Treating an active colony is harder. Keep firewood away from the house. Fix leaks and clear gutters. Pull mulch back from the foundation. Some of the work is yours.
Termites in Melbourne
A typical home in Melbourne is worth around $310k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective. With summer highs around 91°F, Melbourne's humid subtropical 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. Melbourne gets about 51 inches of rain a year, and average humidity sits near 76%, so the soil around foundations rarely dries out.
Local research
Termites in Melbourne, 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 Melbourne, 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 Melbourne
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
- Trim shrubs so foundation walls stay visible and dry.
- Never leave form boards or scrap lumber in the soil.
- Set deck and porch posts on concrete, not soil.
- Keep mulch at least a foot from the foundation.
- Address wood-to-soil contact at steps, fences, and trellises.
- Store firewood well away from the house, off the ground.
Keep the inspection diagram, treatment record and warranty together. Buyers and inspectors will ask for them later.Did you know?
Some African termite mounds stand more than 25 feet tall.
Across Melbourne, termites have been chewing wood for well over 100 million years, since the age of the dinosaurs.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Both turn up around Melbourne. Drywood termites live inside the wood and leave tiny pellets. Subterranean termites live in soil and build mud tubes.
Do I have to leave my house during termite treatment?
Everyone leaves for two to three days, pets and houseplants included. Fumigation is different. Not for a soil treatment or bait stations.
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.
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Most homes around Melbourne sit on slabs, so inspectors check those spots first. They come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and small cracks. Yes.
How do I choose a termite company?
Compare the proposals, not just the totals. Ask what the warranty covers. Ask which termites they found and what product they'll use. Make sure they're licensed in Florida.
When is termite swarming season?
Across Melbourne, termites are best caught early through inspection, because the damage is hidden inside wood until it is far along. Across Melbourne, 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 Melbourne, the usual culprit is the eastern subterranean termite.
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Sources (11)
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