Have you noticed termite activity around your house? If you think you’ve seen flying termites after rain storms, you are right. Especially in the spring, rain often causes more termite activity, for a variety of reasons. Here, we look at why this is, whether it means you should be wary of a termite infestation, and how to take charge of your termite control to keep these flying insects out of your house.

Rainfall encourages reproductive termites to swarm in Bay Area, CA

Do termites strike you as sturdy little destroyers? It’s an easy conclusion to draw since they are indefatigable when chomping through the wood in a house. They’re very fragile, and need moisture, protection, and heat to survive. It makes sense, then, that rainfall would affect termite activity, since it is one of the major factors in regulating soil moisture and temperature. Here’s how that works:

Rainfall encourages reproductive termites to swarm. Subterranean termites need moist soil for their colonies, so when the ground is newly dampened, it gives alates the cue to go ahead and find a mate. These young reproductive termites fly away from their home, find mates, shed their wings, and start new colonies. Because spring is typically a rainy season, and temperatures are beginning to get warmer, that is when they usually begin to appear.
Rain can also dampen wood in your house. Houses with damp soil and standing water are very appealing to termites, and so is damp wood. Wood that comes into contact with the saturated ground is at risk for termite infestation, and so is water damaged by leaking pipes or flooding. If you have standing water in your crawl space or wet insulation, or if flooding damages your foundation or footing, you have an environment conducive to termite infestation. What’s more, tiny cracks in your foundation can allow termites to easily enter your home, since they only need a tiny opening to push their way through.

There is some good news about rainfall and termite activity. In areas of heavy rainfall, flooding can inhibit termite activity. Even though they like the water, termites can drown in floodwaters that sweep through their colonies. Rather than leave the nest in search of higher ground, termites caught in the rain go into temporary survival mode, entering an immobile state to conserve their oxygen. Some termites can live underwater in this state for 16 to 30 hours! While they are basically in suspended animation, not eating away at your house, it is a good time to institute a termite treatment plan to keep out these annoying insects. Since it is unlikely that flooding will wipe out an entire colony, it is important to enlist the help of professionals for both termite prevention and termite treatment.

Termite control experts will know exactly when to apply termite treatments, and which ones might be affected by rainfall. Because they have the tools and knowledge necessary to eliminate infestations and keep termites from returning, they’re able to effectively treat your property, no matter what season or weather condition it may be. However, a big part of any termite control plan is termite prevention, and much of the responsibility for that falls on the homeowner. To keep termites out of your home and off your property, make sure your lawn is properly graded so there is no standing water. Store wood away from the exterior walls, keep mulch away from the foundation and waterproof your basement or crawlspace to keep excess moisture from accumulating there. Keep your gutters clean and well-maintained and fix any leaks promptly. While you cannot control the rainfall on your property, you can prevent excess water from creating a welcoming environment for termites and other unsavory creatures.

Equally as important as preventive maintenance for termite control is partnering with a termite control company with a well-established reputation for best practices in the field of termite control. For homeowners in the Bay Area, MightyMite Termite Services is an excellent option. At MightyMite, we’ve earned a reputation as experts in California termite control. We perform termite inspections to ensure that your home is free of termites and work hard to help you keep it that way, using treatments and termite prevention methods that are naturally derived and have a low impact on the environment. We diagnose and treat infestations with the most effective methods and unmatched warranties, solving your termite problems the first time, with an industry best “no call-back rate.” That, combined with our experience, technology, and highly trained professional staff, makes us the leading extermination company in the Bay Area. We understand that your home is your most important investment, so we work hard to provide excellent service, utilizing best practices to solve our customers’ termite problems. For more information, email Info@mightymitetermite.com, call us today at 408.335.7053, or contact us through our website.