Termites Spring Into Action Across Texas

Our Texas insect expert answers common questions about bugs.

By Laura RiceMarch 31, 2015 8:59 am

Wizzie Brown is a program specialist with the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Office.

What are Termites? 

“Termites are a wood destroying insect that eat peoples homes and so a lot of people don’t like them.  Any wood to soil contact you have around the structure you need to try to get rid of.”

Where Will You Find Them?

“Termites forge randomly so you don’t know if they’re going to be on your house or not. But the bad thing is we can’t tell where they are since they live underground… Usually when you have termites or you think you have termites you either see the swarmers or you see, what are called, mud-tubes and that’s actually kind of gross because it’s fecal matter and saliva and mud all mixed together and they make these little tubes that run up the foundation of the home and that actually protects them from getting to the soil into your house.”

How to Avoid Them:

“So any fences that have wood that are in the ground, a lot of people have actual plants growing on their house, that is terrible for termites and I would recommend that going away. Any shrubbery, mulch, anything real close to the house that is not only wood but also holds moisture is a bad idea because termites are attracted to both wood and moisture and so you’re just waving a red flag saying, ‘hey free lunch come over here.'”

How to Get Rid of Them:

“Usually it’s some sort of a termite treatment or you can inspect your house on a regular basis.”