“There are two kinds of homes in Florida. Ones that have termites, and ones that don’t have termites… yet.”

We don’t say that to create fear, we’re just being honest about how life is in our sub-tropical climate on the Gulf Coast of Florida. All things being equal, every homeowner in our area will have to deal with termites – at some time and one way or another. That might be why there are two whole weeks of termite awareness this month!

Officially, since 2011 National #TermiteAwarenessWeek has fallen on the first full week before spring. That would be next week, March 9-15, 2025. But this year, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) says we need to start even earlier – March 2-8.

“With more homeowners watching their household expenses, it’s critical that we reinforce the value of professional pest control… termites … cause thousands of dollars in damage if left unchecked,” says PPMA Executive Director Dr. Jim Fredericks, BCE.

So we’re doing both. After all, Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville are all ranked in the cities with the most termite activity and we are close enough to worry.

Drywood Termites

Here in the Sunshine State, we deal with two main kinds of termites – subterranean Formosa termites, which we’ll talk about next week, and drywood termites.

Interestingly, drywood termites are probably what people picture in their minds when they hear the word termite. Unlike their ground dwelling cousins, drywood termites live in the wood they are eating.

They look similar to flying ants, between a 3/8^th and a full inch long. Their color can be light yellowy tan or pale brown all the way to dark brown. They do have translucent wings, but shed them pretty quickly.

Drywood termites prefer warmer, drier nesting areas and remain more localized. They don’t need much moisture, so they stick to the wood walls or furniture they’ve burrowed into and their colony grows slowly.

That can be both good and bad news. Overall, drywood termites do less financial damage than subterraneans do. But they are also harder to notice and put a stop to, meaning more damage is done before it’s discovered.

Looking for Signs

The most obvious sign of a drywood termite infestation is their practice of leaving behind fecal pellets. Unfortunately, unlike other pests, these don’t look like excrement, but are often mistaken for sawdust or dark coffee grounds.

So if you see sawdust around your windowsills or nearby furniture legs, and you haven’t been doing home improvements, you might want to get that inspected. Drywood termites like hard wood, especially in warmer months, and may eat into picture frames, bannisters and railings, bed frames and even old wooden toys.

Drywood termites create hidden galleries inside the wood and eat wood across the grain. That means another telltale sign is hearing movement in your walls or a hollow sound when you tap on wood.

One thing to definitely keep in mind – regardless of whether you have drywood or subterranean termites, you’re going to need the help of a professional.

At Good News Pest Solutions, we have the best termite protection money can buy - Term Assure 365. We inspect your whole home for signs of termite invasion, then recommend sealing up any and all possible points of entry to make sure your abode is protected.

Monitoring stations are installed and checked on a regular basis to make sure we catch any possible subterranean termite incursion before it gets too far. And our service comes with a $1-million damage repair warranty. For the complete details or to schedule service or pre-construction inspection and treatment, please give us a call!