Yesterday marked the official first day of spring, and with the rise of warmer temperatures also bring increases in termite activity. Termite infestations cost more than $5 billion in property damages in the U.S. each year and can cause irreversible destruction to construction and retrofits alike.
Terminix released its ranking of the 15 most-infested cities, which showed that residents of Mobile, AL. reported the most cases of termite infestations in 2016, followed by three cities in Texas and four in Florida. Due to the serious damage termites can cause to businesses and other facilities, it’s critical that FMs in areas affected by termites are aware of the risks and have appropriate plans in place.
“We consistently see higher levels of termite activity in the southern United States, particularly in and around coastal cities where the weather is damp and humid — the perfect environment for a growing termite colony,” says Paul Curtis, manager of technical services for Terminix.
In addition to the warmer weather, the high number of infestations in Florida can also be attributed to the presence of six invasive termite species. Pest Control Technology reported that researchers from the University of Florida predict half of South Florida’s structures could be impacted by termite damages by the year 2040.
In its ranking released this week, Terminix identified 15 cities across the country* that should be on alert for termites in 2017, as they experienced the highest number of infestations in 2016.
Here is the final ranking*:
- Mobile, Ala.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Memphis, Tenn.
- Tampa, Fla.
- Miami, Fla.
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Jacksonville, Fla.
- Dallas, Texas
- Baton Rouge, La.
- Houston, Texas
- Oklahoma City, Okla.
- San Diego, Calif.
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- Little Rock, Ark.
*This ranking was created by compiling termite-specific service data from more than 300 Terminix branches across the country. The rankings represent branch service areas with the highest volume of termite services throughout 2016.
For more information on this data and termite control, please visit the Terminix webpage.
