Florida Termite Season: Spotting Swarms Early
If you woke up to a pile of small wings on a windowsill, you may have just watched a termite colony try to start a new one inside or beside your home. Swarming is how termites reproduce, and South Florida sees it heavily through the warm, humid months. A swarm is not a guarantee of damage, but it is a strong signal that a colony is active nearby and worth an inspection right away.
Two very different termites live here
South Florida deals with both subterranean and drywood termites, and the difference shapes how you find them and how they are treated.
- Subterranean termites nest in the soil and need that moisture, so they build pencil-thin mud tubes up your foundation, slab, or piers to reach wood. The Formosan subterranean termite is established here and is especially aggressive, often swarming on warm, humid evenings in late spring.
- Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood they eat and do not need soil contact. They infest attics, fascia, door frames, and furniture, and they push out tiny six-sided fecal pellets called frass that pile up like coffee grounds or sawdust.
Signs to watch for
Swarmers are the most visible clue, but they are not the only one. Termite swarmers are easy to mistake for flying ants, so look at the details: termites have a straight, broad waist, two pairs of equal-length wings, and straight antennae, while ants have a pinched waist and bent antennae.
- Piles of discarded wings near windows, doors, or light fixtures after a warm evening.
- Mud tubes running up the foundation or interior walls, which point to subterranean termites.
- Small piles of frass below wood, baseboards, or window sills, which point to drywood termites.
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped, blistered paint, or floors and trim that feel soft.
How each is protected against
Because the two termites live so differently, the protection is different too. Subterranean termites are managed by interrupting their soil connection, typically with a treated zone around the structure or an in-ground baiting system that the colony shares and eliminates. Drywood termites, since they live in the wood itself, are handled with targeted localized treatments for small, accessible infestations or whole-structure fumigation when the activity is widespread. The wrong approach against the wrong species wastes money and leaves the colony working.
If you have seen swarmers, wings, mud tubes, or frass, do not wait for the next swarm season to act, because damage adds up quietly between them. Priority Pest Control is licensed and insured and inspects homes throughout Sunrise and South Florida. Call (954) 530-5667 or book a free inspection and we will identify the species and the right protection for your home.