Termites do not go dormant in Florida the way they do in northern states. Colonies feed, breed, and expand every single month of the year.
Termites need moisture to survive. Florida's humidity levels create a near-perfect environment for subterranean termite colonies to establish and grow underground.
Florida's sandy, moist soil is easy for subterranean termites to tunnel through, allowing them to reach the foundation and wood framing of your home faster.
As covered in our recent post on the UF/IFAS termite spread study, Florida is one of the only places in the world where Asian subterranean termites, Formosan subterranean termites, and their newly confirmed hybrid offspring all coexist in the same environment.
According to the National Pest Management Association, termites cause an estimated $6.8 billion in damage and treatment costs across U.S. properties every single year.
The reason that number is so staggering? Termite destruction almost always happens out of sight. Inside walls. Under floors. Within structural supports. By the time you see a sign, the damage has already been building for months or years.
As Steven Dupuy, technical services manager at Terminix, put it in the report: “Any structure that contains wood, whether it’s new or old, modest or luxurious, is vulnerable to termites.”
That includes concrete block homes. Termites do not need to travel through concrete to reach the wood inside your walls. They build mud tubes straight through it.
Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), https://wisehousebugs.com/florida-ranked-number-one-termite-activity-us
“How do I make these mosquitoes stop ruining my life without bathing my family in chemicals?”
One of the more surprising findings in the Terminix report is that Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Maryland all made the top 10. States that historically saw only moderate termite pressure are now seeing growing activity as shorter winters and rising average temperatures allow colonies to survive longer and migrate farther north.
This mirrors exactly what UF/IFAS researchers found in their 2026 study on invasive termite species spreading across Florida. The trend is clear: termite risk zones are expanding, not shrinking.
The Terminix report recommends four key steps for homeowners:
Subterranean termites travel through soil to reach food sources. Store firewood off the ground, elevate wooden structures, and check fences regularly for rot or early signs of infestation.
Create at least 12 inches of space between landscaping and your home's exterior to improve airflow and reduce moisture buildup.
Check your roof for leaks, inspect gutters and downspouts, and look for plumbing leaks. Damp environments allow termite colonies to establish faster.
This is the single most important step. Professional inspections catch infestations before damage becomes structural, and before repair costs spiral into the thousands.
At Wise House Pest Control, we have seen firsthand how devastating termite invasions can be for homeowners across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. We use safer, more effective treatments that target termites where they hide, breed, and travel. Not just where you see them. We use Sentricon and Annual Trelona bait stations to eliminate entire colonies at the source, with no tenting and no need to leave your home. Florida ranked number one. That means protecting your home cannot wait.
1177 Hypoluxo Rd Suite C-31 Lantana, FL 33462 (561) 727-8239
464 NW Peacock Blvd, Unit 106 Port St Lucie, FL 34986 (772) 783-4300
Contact us today for a free termite inspection and personalized protection plan.
