Tips to protect your home during termite season
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss (WXXV) -If you noticed swarms of bugs around your lights lately, you’re not alone. Termite season is back in South Mississippi.
It’s a familiar pattern for pest control experts on the Coast, and this year is no different.
Bruno Milanese with Bay Pest Control says this is the prime time for Formosan termites — a particularly aggressive species — to begin swarming. “Well this happens every year right around Mother’s Day. The Formosan termites, the colonies overpopulate during the winter and the reproductives are what we see swarming out. They usually swarm out late in the evenings right at dark and they’re attracted to lights. So there’s millions and millions of termites that will be swarming in the next four to six weeks.”
To avoid inviting them into your home, Milanese says one of the simplest solutions is to manage your lights at night. “Turn off your outside lights at night, close your blinds, close your curtains because they are attracted to light.”
But light isn’t the only thing drawing termites in. Moisture — especially from above-ground sources — can also be a major issue. “Formosan termites are one of the few species that either can come up from the ground or from up above if they find a moisture house. So, take a look around your house, look up around the eaves, the roof edge, make sure there’s not any rotten areas or moisture sources. Check around your windows and door frames, make sure they’re caulked real good.”
And if you’re spotting termites inside your home? “If you’re seeing termites inside the house, and you’re only seeing a couple without their wings on then that’s probably not a problem”, says Milanese. “But, if you see hundreds of termites or even 50-75 termites flying around inside of your house, you need to call us for a free inspection because there’s chances that something is going on there.”
The certified entomologist also says termites don’t always need contact with the ground to do serious damage. “Any place that can build up excessive moisture, the Formosan termites could start a colony above ground without ever having ground contact.”
Experts recommend getting annual inspections and keeping an eye out during this swarm season.
