Pest guide

Termites in Texas: signs and next steps

Finding termites is stressful, but termites work slowly. In most cases you have time to learn your options and compare two or three licensed companies before you sign anything.

Eastern subterranean termites, pale soldiers with dark brown heads, on a blue background

Termites in Texas #

Termites are a big deal here. Subterranean termites alone cause about $500 million in damage in Texas each year, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

The main kinds:

Eastern subterranean termites. The most common kind in Texas homes. They live in the soil and reach wood through mud tubes.
Formosan subterranean termites. An invasive termite now found in more than 30 Texas counties. They're more common along the Gulf Coast and still rare in most of the state.
Drywood termites. Found across Texas, with the most along the Gulf Coast and in South Texas. They live inside dry wood and don't need contact with soil.

Signs to look for #

Termites in Texas: signs and next stepsPest Control Helper

Termite signs to check

Swarmers. Winged termites, or piles of shed wings, on windowsills, in spider webs, or near lights. Swarmers inside usually mean termites are active in the house. Swarms happen mostly in spring and early summer. In South Texas they can start in January or February. In the Panhandle they usually come in April or May.
Mud tubes. Thin tunnels of dirt running up the foundation, slab edge, or piers, or around pipes where they come through. Break off a small piece. Small, pale insects inside mean termites are active.
Damaged wood. Tunnels that follow the grain of the wood, often lined with mud.
Drywood pellets. Little piles of tiny, hard pellets, about the color of the wood, below small holes. Drywood termites push these out of their tunnels.

A quick look that finds nothing doesn't prove your home is termite-free. Termites hide well, especially drywood termites that live entirely inside wood.

Ant or termite? #

Swarming ants and termites look alike at first. Check for these:

	Ant	Termite
Waist	Thin and pinched	Thick, no pinch
Antennae	Bent like an elbow	Straight
Wings	Front pair longer than back pair	Both pairs about the same length

Save a few of the insects or wings. A county Extension office can help you find out. See how to get a bug identified.

What you can do now #

A&M does not recommend treating termites yourself. Proper treatment takes special drilling and pressure equipment. But you can make your house less inviting:

Termites in Texas: signs and next stepsPest Control Helper

Make your house less inviting

Keep soil at least 6 to 8 inches below the top of the foundation or the bottom of the siding.
Remove wood-to-soil contact. Wood steps and porches should sit on concrete, not dirt.
Slope the soil so water drains away from the house.
Fix leaks from plumbing, the roof, AC lines, and gutters.
Clear scrap wood, old form boards, and stumps from near the foundation.
Have the house checked for termites once a year.

How termites are treated #

A licensed company should explain your options in writing. Common ones are:

Liquid termiticide in the soil. The company treats the soil around and under the house to make a treated zone. This often means trenching along the foundation and drilling through the slab in spots. A&M says it can protect a house for about five years.
Termite bait stations. Stations go in the ground or on the wall where termites are active. Results can take weeks or longer, and the company has to check the stations regularly.
Foams and wood treatments. These reach wall voids, porches, and other hard spots, and are often added to other methods.
For drywood termites: treating the infested wood directly, or fumigating the whole house under a tent. Tent fumigation needs a separate license category.

What Texas requires before treatment #

Texas rules protect you here. Before any treatment for subterranean or drywood termites, the company must give you a written estimate with disclosure documents. They must include:

Termites in Texas: signs and next stepsPest Control Helper

What the written estimate must include

The company's name, address, phone number, and license number, plus the date.
A diagram of your home showing where termites were found, conditions that attract them, and what will be treated.
The label for each product they plan to use.
The full details of any warranty.
The signature of a certified applicator or licensed termite technician who works for the company.
A consumer information sheet from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

A company can give you a rough price range over the phone, but that doesn't replace the written estimate. TDA also says a proposal can't be written on the back of a business card. You must get the documents before work starts.

Reading the warranty #

Termite warranties vary a lot. Ask:

Termites in Texas: signs and next stepsPest Control Helper

Questions to ask about the warranty

Does it cover re-treatment only, or repair of termite damage too?
Which parts of the house are covered, and which are left out?
How long does it last? What does renewal cost each year?
What could cancel it? For example, adding a room or patio without telling the company can void some warranties.

Texas doesn't allow routine yearly re-treatment without a reason, such as clear signs termites are back or the treated soil was disturbed. Keep copies of every document.

Buying or selling a home #

Termite inspections for a real estate sale are reported on TDA's required form, the Texas Official Wood Destroying Insect Report (often called a WDI report). TDA says these inspections cover only the areas that are easy to reach. An inspection isn't a warranty, and it isn't a report on structural damage. If termites turn up before closing, there is usually still time to choose a treatment carefully. Rushing into a weak plan is worse than delaying.

Licenses for termite work #

Termite work in Texas requires a TDA license in the termite category. Tent fumigation requires the structural fumigation category. Here's how to check a license. For price ranges, see what pest control costs.

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Termites in Texas: signs and next steps

Termites in Texas #

Signs to look for #

Termite signs to check

Ant or termite? #

What you can do now #

Make your house less inviting

How termites are treated #

What Texas requires before treatment #

What the written estimate must include

Reading the warranty #

Questions to ask about the warranty

Buying or selling a home #

Licenses for termite work #

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