ORLANDO, Fla. – A new study this week by pest-control company Terminix has revealed the most termite-infested states in the nation — and it turns out the Sunshine State is right at the top.
According to the report, the numbers were aggregated based on the company’s proprietary pest management data from last year.
In the U.S., the worst places for termite infestations turned out to be states near the southern border, as well as a collection of states in the northeast.
“Consistently warm temperatures, high humidity, and dense development create ideal breeding grounds for termite colonies...” the report reads. “These regions provide termites with reliable access to food sources, shelter and breeding conditions across residential and commercial environments, fueling sustained risk regardless of season.”
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Per the report, the top 10 most termite-infested states are as follows:
- Florida
- California
- Texas
- Georgia
- Tennessee
- Pennsylvania
- Arkansas
- Ohio
- New York
- Maryland
However, it doesn’t end there.
Last week, the UF/IFAS released news about two invasive termite species in Florida that experts warn are now putting the entire state at risk.
Those pests — identified as Formosan and Asian termites — have been historically relegated to South Florida. However, a recent study shows they’re no longer restricted to just that region of the state.
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“Decades of monitoring data show the spread is accelerating, with the Asian subterranean termite moving steadily north and the Formosan termite now established in most coastal counties and major urban centers, potentially putting all of Florida at risk by mid-century,” UF/IFAS Public Relations Manager Lourdes Mederos wrote.
As such, Lourdes said, long-term partnerships with pest control professionals will grow to be increasingly important, since these relationships will help experts to better monitor where these termites are heading.
WHAT ARE THESE INVASIVE TERMITES?
In an interview with News 6 last summer, Thomas Chouvenc, an associate professor of urban entomology with the UF/IFAS, explained that the Formosan and Asian termites hail from parts of Asia.
According to the UF/IFAS, Chouvenc and other researchers have determined that humans may be helping these termites “conquer the world” by unwittingly ferrying them around via private boats.
“Now, South Florida is one of the few places in the world where these species have established independently,” Chouvenc said. “They’re requested to be two of the most destructive termite species in the world.”
WHY ARE THEY SUCH A PROBLEM?
The Formosan species can form colonies with millions of individual termites, potentially causing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to homes.
State officials also report that Formosan termites will forage aggressively, making them much more destructive than native subterranean termite species.
But while these invasive Formosan termites can be found in a wide range of states — including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Arizona and California — that’s not the case for the Asian termites.
Similarly to Formosans, they’ve been responsible for home damage and the deaths of plenty of healthy trees in the region.
“I like to call (Asian termites) the tropical cousin of a Formosan termite because they are adapted to truly warm temperatures, cannot survive cold temperatures,” Chouvenc stated. “So it’s been restricted to South Florida.”
According to Chouvenc, Asian termites have already spread north as far as places like Tampa, Orlando and Melbourne.
“I always say that 99.9% of all infestations in houses will be either Asian termites or Formosan termites,” he added.
But thanks to the Asian variety interbreeding with Formosan termites, this problem could spread much farther.
THEY’RE BREEDING!?
Recent research has revealed that two invasive species of termites in Florida have managed to produce a hybrid, raising concerns about the destructive potential this new breed brings to the table.
Last year, Chouvenc and other researchers finally found a hybrid colony infesting a tree in Fort Lauderdale, leading to the revelation that this new hybrid species has established itself in South Florida.
However, Chouvenc said that may not be the case forever, as further crossbreeding may create hybrids that are better adapted to different temperatures, potentially increasing their range across Florida and even into neighboring states.
That being said, it may not be a problem many people today will have to worry about.
“In the very long term — this is beyond our lifetime, I hope — these two species will become ubiquitous in Florida because of their own special ability to spread," he said.
In the meantime, Chouvenc explained, researchers are still looking into measures to mitigate the spread of termites and deal with infestations.
For more information on how to prevent a termite infestation in your home, click here.