The short version
Most termite problems in Long Beach are western 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 in spring.
- Drywood termites need wood treatment or fumigation instead.
- An inspection typically costs $75–$250.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
Anyone in Long Beach 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 Long Beach stay mild, with average lows near 46°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.
- 1Piles of identical shed wings on windowsills.
- 2Discarded wings caught in spider webs.
- 3Tiny pinholes in drywall rimmed with mud.
- 4Damage found during a remodel or repair.
- 5Layered, honeycombed wood packed with soil.
- 6Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
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.
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Termite activity through the year in Long Beach
Spring
swarm seasons. Across Long Beach, swarms often follow the first warm days and the first fall rain.
Summer
with highs around 81°F in Long Beach, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
Fall
with about 12 inches of rain a year in Long Beach, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
Winter
a good time to book an inspection in Long Beach, before swarm season starts.
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
Liquid Soil Termiticide Barrier
$1,200–$3,500 (often $3–$16 per linear foot)
Where a slab or porch blocks the trench, the Long Beach applicator drills holes and injects underneath. The goal is a continuous treated zone with no gaps.
- Time
- Half a day to a full day
- Best for
- Active subterranean termites; fast knockdown around the foundation
Fumigation for Drywood Termites
$1,200–$4,000 (often $1–$4 per square foot)
Before tenting a Long Beach 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
Localized Wood, Foam, and Borate Treatment
$250–$1,500
For new decks, additions, or repairs in Long Beach, borate on the framing is cheap insurance. Ask to have the wood treated before it's closed in.
- 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.
Crawl spaces are where termites usually get in. Joists, piers and the sill plate should all get a close look.How treatment works on a typical Long Beach home.
Under patios and garage floors, they drill small holes. Treatment goes in through the holes, which get patched afterward. Bait stations are the other main option. They're spaced every 10 to 20 feet. Termites carry the bait back to the colony. The stations are checked on a schedule, often every few months. Across Long Beach, on a slab, the crew treats the soil along the outside walls.
Which termites live around Long Beach.
It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. It needs steady moisture. Drywood termites are common around Long Beach 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 Long Beach is the western subterranean termite.
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 Long Beach, western subterranean termites usually swarm in spring, and again in fall after the first good rain. Drywood termites around Long Beach tend to swarm in late summer and fall. 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 Long Beach out to Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. Many homes in Long Beach sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks.
A year of termites in Long Beach.
- Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Long Beach, before swarm season starts. - Spring and fall: swarm seasons. Across Long Beach, swarms often follow the first warm days and the first fall rain. - Summer: with highs around 81°F in Long Beach, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs. - Fall: with about 12 inches of rain a year in Long Beach, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
What happens at an inspection.
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. Most inspections take an hour or two.
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.
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 Long Beach crew applies the product, and ask how long to stay off treated soil. In California, Reticulitermes swarm in the afternoon in spring or fall on clear days after a soaking rain; drywood swarmers fly in daytime during summer and fall; Heterotermes aureus flies late afternoon/early evening in July–September (UC IPM). Drill holes in slabs or patios get patched afterward. Prep is light for liquid treatments and bait stations.
Mulch and termites.
A dry gap along the house makes mud tubes easier to spot; in Long Beach's dry climate the risk is irrigation and leaky hose bibs rather than rain. Wood chips touching the siding trap the moisture termites are after. Pull mulch back from the foundation and keep the layer thin.
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
- Cubic footage under the tent for fumigation.
- Number of bait stations required.
- Time of year and how booked up local companies are.
- Amount of drilling through concrete and patios.
- Wells, drains, or water features limiting chemical use.
- Species: subterranean, drywood, or Formosan.
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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
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 Long Beach
Long Beach only sees about 12 inches of rain a year, so local termites gather wherever water collects, like sprinkler zones, hose bibs and AC drain lines. Termite activity in California is above average. Most houses will see termites at some point. With summer highs around 81°F, Long Beach's mediterranean climate decides when local termites are busiest. A typical home in Long Beach is worth around $785k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective. Long Beach has a mediterranean climate, and termites activity here tends to pick up spring swarm season (March-May), warmer earlier in the south. Across Long Beach, most of the housing is urban, so the usual entry points, moisture spots, and sheltered areas near the structure are what an inspection checks first. Across Long Beach, take a minute to note where you have seen activity and when it appears, so the inspection is faster and the quote more accurate. A local provider who knows Long Beach and California can point out the specific conditions that matter most here before you commit to a plan.
Local research
Termites in Long Beach, CA: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in California, when they are busiest around Long Beach, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Termite control products for drywood termites
Drywood and subterranean termite work in California is effectively professional-only; the state licenses it by branch.
UC Statewide IPM ProgramTermite species recorded in California
- 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…
- Western drywood termite (Incisitermes minor) — UC IPM: 'California's second most important termite pest', 'commonly found along the Pacific coastal region extending into the Central Valley and deserts of Southern California'…
- Desert subterranean termite (Heterotermes aureus) — UA Extension calls it an 'important structural pest' of the desert Southwest. UC IPM: 'flies in the late afternoon or early evening in July, August, and September'.
- Western subterranean termite (Reticulitermes hesperus) — Oregon State: causes damage to structures in the Pacific Northwest and 'may swarm any time of year'. Utah State describes swarmers 3/8 inch long and workers 1/4–3/8 inch, pale c…
When termites are busiest around Long Beach
Reticulitermes swarm in the afternoon in spring or fall on clear days after a soaking rain; drywood swarmers fly in daytime during summer and fall; Heterotermes aureus flies late afternoon/early evening in July–September (UC IPM).
UC IPM: Reticulitermes 'can be encountered in nearly all regions of the state'; the western drywood termite is 'California's second most important termite pest', found along the Pacific coast, Central Valley and Southern California deserts. FDACS lists California among states with Formosan termites. Branch 3 covers 'the control of wood-destroying pests or organisms by the use of insecticides or structural repairs and corrections'; Branch 1 covers fumigation.
Rules that apply in California
Sources: Drywood Termites (Pest Notes); University of Georgia Extension; University of Missouri Extension; Formosan Termite Program; Not All Termites Are Terrible (Home and School IPM Newsletter); Termites | Solve Pest Problems. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep termites away
- Check the foundation for mud tubes every spring.
- Address wood-to-soil contact at steps, fences, and trellises.
- Grade soil to slope away from the foundation.
- Fix leaking hose bibs, faucets, and pipes promptly.
- Keep gutters clean so water does not pool.
- Inspect used furniture for drywood pellets before bringing indoors.
An inspection starts outside, with a flashlight along the foundation line where mud tubes show up first.Did you know?
Across Long Beach, some tropical termites grow fungus gardens inside the nest and eat the harvest.
Across Long Beach, termites are closer cousins to cockroaches than to ants, despite the old nickname white ants.
Questions people ask
Is termite treatment safe for kids and pets?
Used according to the label, yes. Soil treatments stay in the ground. Bait stations are locked and buried. Ask for the label and follow any re-entry times.
How long does termite treatment take?
A liquid barrier takes half a day to a day. Bait stations take a few hours to install. Fumigation takes two to three days.
How long do termite bait stations take to work?
Usually several weeks to a few months. Termites have to find the stations first. Then the bait spreads through the colony.
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Yes. They come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and small cracks. Most homes around Long Beach sit on slabs, so inspectors check those spots first.
Across Long Beach, can a pest control company do a termite inspection for a home sale?
Across Long Beach, termites are best caught early through inspection, because the damage is hidden inside wood until it is far along. Across Long Beach, 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 California?
Around Long Beach, the usual culprit is the western subterranean termite.
Nearby cities
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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