Termites cannot eat through solid concrete, but they can and frequently do come up through it. Because concrete naturally cracks as it settles and shrinks around plumbing, subterranean termites can easily squeeze through these gaps (often as thin as a business card) or build "mud tubes" over the surface to reach wood.
Termites do not eat concrete but they can tunnel past through cracks in concrete foundation and infest the wood framing behind it.
Among all predators, ants are the greatest enemy to termites. Some ant genera are specialist predators of termites. For example, Megaponera is a strictly termite-eating (termitophagous) genus that perform raiding activities, some lasting several hours.
Visual Warning Signs of Termites
Look for mud tubes. These pencil-width tunnels run along concrete surfaces and are a telltale sign of termite activity. They serve as protected corridors for traveling between their nests and food sources.
Termites are most active during the warmer months, specifically from March through early fall. Peak activity occurs in the spring (March–May) when winged "swarmer" termites leave their colonies to mate and start new ones, usually after a warm, humid day following rainfall.
Commercial termiticide foams and contact sprays containing active ingredients like fipronil, deltamethrin, or lambda-cyhalothrin kill termites instantly on contact. For natural alternatives, direct applications of orange oil, strong vinegar and lemon juice solutions, or insecticidal soaps also kill termites immediately.
Florida consistently takes the crown as the worst state for termites. California and Texas follow closely, as their massive size and varied climates offer an all-you-can-eat buffet for subterranean termites and drywood termites.
Here are the top five signs of termite infestation to look out for in your home.
Effective termite treatment for concrete slabs involves creating a chemical barrier in the soil beneath and around the concrete. This is done either by pre-treating the soil before the slab is poured or by post-construction drilling and injecting termiticides through the concrete to reach the underlying dirt.
Termites are most commonly mistaken for flying ants and carpenter ants. While ants and termites both swarm in the spring to mate, termites have straight antennae, thick, waistless bodies, and all four wings are the exact same size. Carpenter ants are also destructive and target damp wood, making them doubly easy to confuse with termites.
Alaska is the only U.S. state without any native termite populations. The state's severe cold temperatures and permafrost, which freezes the ground year-round, make it impossible for colonies to survive.
Termites primarily emerge (swarm) to mate and establish new colonies. This behavior is triggered by a combination of three specific environmental cues:
That depends on your definition of hard, but termites, bedbugs, and cockroaches top the list. In the pest control world, the top most challenging cases are those that involve severe infestations of termites, bed bugs, and cockroaches. Each of these sends shivers down most people's spines, and for good reason.
Yes, termites can climb concrete. While they cannot eat or chew through solid concrete, subterranean termites are resourceful and can easily crawl over its surface or squeeze through tiny cracks and gaps (as narrow as 1÷16 of an inch) to reach the wood framing of your home.
Termites hate strong, bitter, and tangy scents—particularly those that disrupt their chemical communication and navigation. The most effective scents to repel or kill them include:
The soil underneath and around the concrete slab must be treated with the termiticide before the concrete slab is poured.
Consider calling a reputable pest management professional to have the building inspected and treated (if appropriate). It takes several years for a termite colony to grow large enough to be able to produce swarmers.
The fastest way to kill visible termites instantly in your house is to directly inject termiticide foams (like Termidor Foam or Spectracide Termite Killing Foam) directly into infested wood, cracks, or mud tubes. For long-term colony eradication, non-repellent liquid soil treatments are required.
Termites are active year-round, but their peak swarming season is spring through summer. Swarms are triggered by warmer temperatures (typically above 70∘F70 raised to the composed with power F70∘F) and high humidity, most commonly on calm days following rainfall.
Winged termites that do not find a new area to infest will die from dehydration within a few hours. Just sweep or vacuum them up. However, a significant swarm of 50 to 100 winged termites at the interior of your home is a sign that a colony exists somewhere in your home and has been present for 3 to 6 years.
Carpenter ants, powderpost beetles and carpenter bees tunnel into wood and cause damage, so signs of their presence can sometimes be mistaken for termites.
Spotting termites early is the key to preventing severe structural damage. Watch for pencil-sized mud tubes on your foundation, discarded wings near windows, or wood that sounds hollow when tapped. You should also check for bubbling paint and small piles of frass (termite droppings).
Alaska is the only U.S. state completely free of termites. Its brutally cold temperatures, short summers, and deep permafrost create an uninhabitable environment.