The Termite You Haven’t Heard Enough About
Most people in the Savannah area know termites are a problem. The humidity, the sandy soil, the coastal climate — it’s basically an ideal environment for them. But when most homeowners think ‘termites,’ they’re picturing the Eastern Subterranean Termite, the one local pest companies deal with year-round.
Formosan termites are different. And if your home is anywhere near the coast, they deserve your attention.
At Prestige Pest Control, our founders are both Associate Certified Entomologists. Marty and Cindy Jones have spent decades studying the insects that damage Savannah-area homes — and in recent years, Formosan termite activity in coastal Georgia has become something we take seriously.
What Are Formosan Termites?
The Formosan Subterranean Termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is an invasive species originally from East Asia. It was first detected in the continental U.S. in the 1960s — arriving through shipping ports in Texas, South Carolina, and Louisiana. Since then, it’s spread throughout the Southeast.
In Georgia, Formosan termites are most concentrated in the coastal regions, particularly near Savannah and surrounding communities like Pooler and Rincon. The University of Georgia even established a dedicated initiative — the Georgia Formosan Subterranean Termite Eradication Initiative — specifically to track and educate about their spread in the state.
They look similar to Eastern Subterranean Termites to the untrained eye. The swarmers (alates) are yellowish-brown, about half an inch long, with translucent wings covered in small hairs. One key difference: Formosan soldiers have rounder, tapered heads, while the native Eastern Subterranean soldiers have rectangular heads.
Why Formosan Termites Are a Bigger Problem Than Regular Termites
This is the part that matters most.
A Formosan termite colony can contain several million workers. A typical Eastern Subterranean Termite colony contains several hundred thousand. That’s not a small difference — it’s roughly a 10x gap in colony size. More termites means more foraging, more damage, and faster destruction of structural wood.
A mature Formosan colony can consume around an ounce of wood per day. At that rate, a single colony can eat through a foot of 2×4 lumber in about 25 days. We’ve seen infestations cause severe structural damage to homes in coastal Georgia in as little as a few months — damage that easily costs tens of thousands of dollars to repair.
There’s another factor that makes them harder to deal with: once a Formosan colony is established, usually within three to five years of initial infestation, eliminating it is extremely difficult without professional treatment.
When Do Formosan Termites Swarm in Savannah?
Formosan termites swarm from April through July. Unlike the Eastern Subterranean Termite — which tends to swarm during the day in late morning — Formosans swarm at dusk, usually after warm, humid evenings following rain.
If you see large numbers of yellowish-brown flying insects around your outdoor lights on a warm spring evening, that’s a red flag. A single colony can release more than 70,000 swarmers in a single event.
Swarming doesn’t always mean your home is infested. But it does mean there’s an established colony somewhere nearby. If swarmers are appearing inside your home — near windows, light fixtures, or around door frames — that’s a much more serious sign and warrants immediate inspection.
Signs of Formosan Termite Damage to Watch For
Formosan termites do their worst work out of sight, behind walls and under floors. By the time damage becomes visible, it’s often already severe. Here’s what to watch for:
- Hollow-sounding wood when you tap on walls, floors, or window frames
- Blistered or bubbling paint — this can indicate moisture buildup from termite activity inside the wall
- Visible mud tubes along your foundation, crawl space piers, or exterior walls
- Discarded wings near windowsills or door frames after a warm evening
- Wood that appears to have been eaten along the grain, sometimes with a honeycomb appearance
- Sagging floors or ceilings — a sign that structural members may already be compromised
One thing worth knowing: Formosan termites can also establish secondary carton nests above ground — especially in areas with consistent moisture, like around leaking pipes or in wood near gutters. This makes them harder to detect with standard inspection methods.
What Prestige Does Differently for Termite Control
As certified entomologists, we don’t rely on guesswork when it comes to termite identification. Proper species identification matters because Formosan termites and Eastern Subterranean Termites, while treated with similar products, require different approaches to fully eliminate the colony. Misidentify the species and you risk an incomplete treatment.
We’re also one of the only pest control companies within 100 miles of Savannah to offer the Termidor HP II Precision Injection System — a high-tech treatment method that protects your home without trenching, drilling into your foundation, or tearing up your landscaping. It’s a cleaner, more precise approach to termite treatment, and it’s particularly effective against the large, aggressive colonies that Formosan termites build.
Whether you’ve spotted swarmers, noticed suspicious damage, or you just want to make sure your home is protected before termite season begins, we offer free inspections. Request yours here.
Prevention Tips — What Homeowners Can Do
No prevention method is foolproof against Formosan termites, but reducing the conditions they thrive in goes a long way:
- Eliminate moisture around your foundation — fix leaky gutters, downspouts, and any areas where water pools near the structure
- Keep firewood, mulch, and wood debris at least 15–20 feet from the house
- Seal cracks in your foundation and exterior walls
- Repair any wood that’s in direct contact with soil
- Schedule an annual termite inspection — early detection is the difference between a manageable treatment and a major repair bill
If you’re in Pooler, Savannah, or anywhere in Chatham or Liberty County, contact our team before swarming season. It’s easier — and far less expensive — to protect your home before a colony gets established.