There’s a new threat to homeowners in metro Atlanta and North Georgia, one that local insect experts and pest control companies have worried about for years.
The Formosan Subterranean Termite, an invasive species once known only to warmer climates, was recently discovered infesting a home in the Hamilton Mill Community of Dacula. And the pest control company that confirmed its discovery and treated the infestation says that the presence of this newer pest means that homeowners and experts must increase their vigilance.
“A Formosan termite colony can be four to five times larger than our native eastern subterranean termites; the actual termite itself is larger too. That means the Formosan termites can do damage to a structure much quicker, so finding them sooner is a lot more important,” said Greg Holley, co-owner and president of Zone Pest Solutions in Buford. His team member was responsible for the discovery of the Formosan colony at the large golf course subdivision located northeast of Atlanta.
“We’ve known about the Formosan termite for years, and we’ve made sure that we’ve trained our team how to deal with them. But this latest discovery was the furthest north that they’ve been identified in a home by over 70 miles. It’s definitely a big deal.”
A Potent Twist to an Old Threat
Termites have long been a danger to any wooden structure in Georgia. In fact, experts estimate that termites are responsible for $200-$300 million a year statewide in both damage restoration and prevention costs.
However, while termite infestations from the native eastern subterranean and even drywood termite species can be damaging to a home, an infestation from a Formosan termite colony is potentially devastating.
A subtropical species, the Formosan termite behaves like its native cousins in that colonies are created by “swarmers” – flying kings and queens that take to the skies (usually in late spring/early summer) by the thousands, looking for a new nesting site. Once they’ve selected a new home, these swarmers drop their wings and begin laying the eggs that form the basis of a new colony. Like our native termites, Formosan termites can live underground and travel by building mud tubes to protect themselves.
Unlike their native cousins, however, Formosan termites can also form above-ground colonies called “carton nests.” These structures are often found inside damp wall voids, attics, or roofs, where the insects get to work chewing through and catastrophically weakening wood structures – while many times leaving paint and wallpaper untouched. This behavior can mask the termites’ presence to the untrained eye.
“Formosan termite colonies spread quickly, and they’re huge,” Holley said. “At the house in Hamilton Mill, we initially found six different sites, and they were located three floors up and on all four sides of the home.”
The good news is that companies like Zone Pest Solutions already know how to handle this invasion.
A Destructive March North
First, Zone ensured that the infestation that its team member discovered was indeed Formosan termites.
“We looked at several of the termites from the home under a microscope, and it was definitely a Formosan termite,” Holley said. “I’ve been on task forces that have dealt with this species before, and I’d seen infestations in places like Ft. Lauderdale (Florida) and New Orleans before. We then talked with the University of Georgia’s entomology faculty, and they have a map delineating where all the known Formosan termite infestations are in the state. We knew that we hadn’t heard of a Formosan infestation this far north, but the University confirmed this event was further north than any other.”
This is not the first time the Formosan termite has been seen in the metro Atlanta area. In fact, there were a few colonies discovered in the 1990’s. However, all these colonies were found to be associated with landscaping timbers shipped from Gulfport, Mississippi. Since then, there have been no known infestations this far north, despite a slowly encroaching line of movement from the southern part of the state.
“Early studies showed that the Formosan termite simply couldn’t survive here; it wasn’t compatible with our climate,” Holley said. “But since then, you can see a line of infestation that’s slowly moving north, especially on the coast. Now Formosan termites are being found in areas south of Atlanta and the Interstate 20 corridor. In some cities like Columbus and Savannah, they are being found routinely. These destructive insects are continuing to move north, and the climate changes seem to be making it easier for them.”
Fast Treatment, Prevention Is the Key
This slow northward invasion is why some professional pest control companies were already prepared to deal with Formosan termite infestations.
In the Hamilton Mill instance, Zone immediately employed the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System. This process started with Zone utilizing above ground baiting stations in all areas where termites were found damaging wood. This application, which resembles bread dough in a clear plastic bag, was attached to damaged areas. The bait, which is irresistible to termites, contains ingredients that prevents termites from molting (shedding their skin) – which is the only way a termite can grow – the results are death to worker termites and eventually death to the entire colony.
“We witnessed that the termite colony in Hamilton Mill was already dying just weeks after application. Formosan termites are incredibly aggressive feeders, and we use that aggressiveness against them,” Holley said. “We later installed in-ground bait stations around the exterior perimeter of the home. We found active feeding in one of those stations just 10 days after installation.
“Sentricon scientists have found that a termite colony is destined for elimination once only 14 ounces of bait is consumed by the colony. In this case, they quickly consumed over 120 ounces of bait. We can confidently say this problem has been eliminated.”
Contact Pest Control Professionals
While dealing quickly with a current termite infestation is critical, vigilance and prevention is still the optimal solution. Holley implores homeowners to establish a yearly inspection routine from a professional and ensure their homes are covered by a termite warranty.
“Most pest control companies will do a free termite inspection, so get that done at the very least. A professional will know exactly where to look and how to look for termites,” Holley said. “But if you want to make sure you’re safe, talk to them about their termite warranty. At Zone, when we sign a contract with a customer, we put a warranty on their home that states that we’re responsible for any damage that occurs – that’s 100% of any cosmetic or structural damage.
“Most companies do not cover 100% of damages, and not all companies cover Formosan termite infestations, so be sure to check the contract.”
In the meantime, Greg and his team are now looking for Formosans and talking with fellow experts about what this development means for the future. With this new threat announcing itself, a little extra vigilance and research may well be worth every penny for metro Atlanta and northeast Georgia homeowners.