Termites.

Where they live

Subterranean termites live in the soil, in colonies that can number in the hundreds of thousands. They dry out in open air, so they stay underground or inside the wood they eat, and build mud tubes, tunnels of soil about the width of a pencil, to cross anything exposed. In Brevard the common ones are the eastern subterranean termite and the Formosan subterranean termite.

Their life cycle

A colony has workers, which eat wood and feed the rest; soldiers, which guard it; and a king and queen, which reproduce. Once a colony is a few years old it sends out swarmers: winged termites that fly out, drop their wings, pair off and start new colonies. Eastern subterranean termites swarm in daylight in late winter and spring. Formosan termites swarm on late spring and early summer evenings, around lights. Swarmers or piles of wings inside the house are often the first sign.

How they get into your home

From the soil: through cracks in the slab, expansion joints, gaps where plumbing comes up through the slab, and anywhere wood or mulch touches the house. They build mud tubes up the foundation to reach wood above ground, and do their damage out of sight, inside walls, door frames and baseboards.

After the first year, and up to the fifth year, we provide a visual inspection of your home each year. This is the annual renewal.

The cost of the annual renewal is set out in your termite service agreement.