The short version
Most termite problems in Shreveport are eastern subterranean termites, and the usual fix is a liquid soil treatment or bait stations. Start with an inspection; $75–$250 is typical.
- Look for mud tubes, shed wings and hollow-sounding wood.
- Swarms usually show up from March through May.
- The usual fix is a soil barrier or bait stations.
- An inspection typically costs $75–$250.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
Homeowners, landlords and anyone buying or selling a house in Shreveport, 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. Average winter lows near 37°F slow termites near the surface around Shreveport, but they move deeper and keep feeding under heated homes. 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.
- 2Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
- 3Termite tubes hanging down from ceilings or joists.
- 4Buckling laminate or warped hardwood flooring.
- 5Crumbling baseboards behind furniture.
- 6Layered, honeycombed wood packed with soil.
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.
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Termite activity through the year in Shreveport
Spring
swarm season. In Shreveport, expect it from March through May. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings.
Summer
with highs around 94°F in Shreveport, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
Fall
with about 51 inches of rain a year in Shreveport, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
Winter
a good time to book an inspection in Shreveport, 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
Annual Renewal and Monitoring
$150–$400 per year
Bait systems require monitoring to keep working. A Shreveport pro checks each station, replaces consumed bait, and notes any new activity around the house.
- 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
Ask how many stations they plan for your Shreveport 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
Fumigation for Drywood Termites
$1,200–$4,000 (often $1–$4 per square foot)
Tenting is mainly for drywood termites. Most homes here never need it.
- Time
- 2–3 days including tenting and aeration
- Best for
- Widespread drywood termites throughout a structure
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.How treatment works on a typical Shreveport home.
In Shreveport, on a slab, the crew treats the soil along the outside walls. 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.
Which termites live around Shreveport.
The termite you're most likely to meet in Shreveport is the eastern subterranean termite. It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. It needs steady moisture. Formosan termites are established in Louisiana too. They arrived through Gulf Coast ports. Their colonies are much bigger than native ones. They can do more damage, faster.
Mulch piled against the house and a dripping hose bib give termites moisture and cover. Pull mulch back and fix the drip.When termites swarm here.
Swarm season is when termites show themselves. In Shreveport, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from March through May, typically on a warm, sunny day after rain. Formosan termites in Louisiana swarm later, from late April into June. Look for them on warm, humid evenings around porch 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.
Many homes in Shreveport 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. Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. The same advice applies across the area, from Shreveport out to Bossier City.
A year of termites in Shreveport.
- Spring: swarm season. In Shreveport, expect it from March through May. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings. - Summer: with highs around 94°F in Shreveport, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs. - Fall: with about 51 inches of rain a year in Shreveport, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation. - Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Shreveport, 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?
- 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. - Tunnels: termite galleries are packed with mud. Ant tunnels are clean and smooth.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Soil treatments and bait stations need little prep. 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.
Mulch and termites.
Keep mulch thin and pull it back from the foundation. A dry strip along the house lets you spot mud tubes. Wood chips right against siding hold moisture termites like.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- 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 do I need to do before and after treatment?
What affects the price
- Extent of existing damage needing repair.
- Time of year and how booked up local companies are.
- Liquid barrier versus bait station system.
- Number of bait stations required.
- Attached garages, decks, and additions.
- 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
Some of the work is yours. Pull mulch back from the foundation. Fix leaks and clear gutters. Keep firewood away from the house. 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.
Termites in Shreveport
Shreveport gets about 51 inches of rain a year, and average humidity sits near 73%, so the soil around foundations rarely dries out. Louisiana is one of the most termite-active states in the country. An annual inspection is common sense here. With summer highs around 94°F, Shreveport's humid subtropical climate decides when local termites are busiest. A typical home in Shreveport is worth around $145k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective.
Local research
Termites in Shreveport, LA: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in Louisiana, when they are busiest around Shreveport, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Termite species recorded in Louisiana
- 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 Shreveport
Formosan swarms in the Gulf South occur in evenings from April to July (FDACS); native Reticulitermes swarm in late winter and spring (UGA).
FDACS and UGA both list Louisiana among states where the Formosan subterranean termite is established. (LSU AgCenter pages could not be fetched this session; Louisiana-specific figures are not recorded.)
Sources: 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.
- Inspect used furniture for drywood pellets before bringing indoors.
- Keep six inches between soil and siding or wood.
- Install a vapor barrier over crawl space soil.
- Set deck and porch posts on concrete, not soil.
- Never leave form boards or scrap lumber in the soil.
A liquid soil treatment goes into a trench along the foundation so termites cross it on their way to the house.Did you know?
Some African termite mounds stand more than 25 feet tall.
In Shreveport, some tropical termites grow fungus gardens inside the nest and eat the harvest.
Questions people ask
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Yes. They come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and small cracks. Most homes around Shreveport sit on slabs, so inspectors check those spots first.
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Subterranean termites live in soil and build mud tubes. Drywood termites live inside the wood and leave tiny pellets. Around Shreveport, the subterranean kind causes most problems.
What does a WDI report include?
It lists any termites or damage found. It also notes conditions that invite them, like wood touching soil. It only covers areas the inspector could reach.
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 much does termite treatment cost?
For a homeowner budgeting a termite job, the professional-reported average post-construction price in Pest Control Technology (PCT) magazine's 2025 termite market report (about 145 respondents, 2024 pricing) was $1,100. Treat it as a benchmark, not a promise, since house size and method drive the quote. When you get quotes in Shreveport, ask each company what they usually see in your neighborhood.
Is termite prevention cheaper than repairing termite damage?
In Shreveport, termites are best caught early through inspection, because the damage is hidden inside wood until it is far along. In Shreveport, 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 Louisiana?
Around Shreveport, 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