Conehead termites are an invasive species that were first discovered in Florida in 2001. Ever since then, the state has attempted to eradicate, or at least contain, conehead termites within Broward County. Termites are a destructive pest, so homeowners should know how to identify and get rid of conehead termites.
This guide outlines the identifying features and signs of conehead termites, including mud tubes and their cone-shaped heads, so Florida homeowners can distinguish conehead termites from other termite species. Once homeowners have correctly identified conehead termites on their property, they can pick out the most effective method to get rid of them.
What Are Conehead Termites?
Conehead termites (Nasutitermes corniger) are a non-native termite species. They likely migrated to Florida aboard a boat. Since then, they have been nothing but a headache for Florida property owners.
Diet
Conehead termites aren’t picky eaters. Most termites eat wood because they rely on the cellulose inside wood to survive. Conehead termites get wood from many different sources, including:
- Live or decaying wood (They eat dry or wet wood.)
- Shrubs
- Roots
- Planks of wood
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Trees, including fruit trees
It’s bad enough when conehead termites are feasting on your trees or landscaping plants, since termite damage is harmful for your plants. But what’s worse is when conehead termites infiltrate your house and turn the walls of your home into their personal buffet.
Nesting Locations
Conehead termites were once called tree termites, since the species often can be found living in trees. However, the name tree termites became too confusing, since trees aren’t the only places that conehead termites nest in. To prevent confusion, the name was changed to conehead termites.
Any wood source will look like a place for a yummy snack and prime real estate for a conehead termite. They nest in a variety of places:
- In trees, alive or dead
- Behind drywall
- Stacks of firewood
- Wood pallets
- Among ground vegetation
Conehead Termite Damage
Conehead termites are a destructive nuisance and are considered aggressive structural pests by entomologists. A colony doesn’t stop, and conehead termites are active 24/7, around the clock, getting food for the colony and caring for the young.
If allowed to run rampant and untreated, conehead termites can cause extensive damage to homes, resulting in costly damage repair expenses. Termites will quickly eat away at a wooden structure, rendering it structurally unsound.
How to Identify Conehead Termites
Similar to ants, termites live in large colonies, working together to provide for the colony. Termites are born into 1 of 3 different roles: workers, soldiers, and swarmers. Each role serves a different function that is necessary for the colony’s survival.
There are many different types of termites, but all species of termites share similar basic characteristics:
- 2 straight antennae that look like a string of beads
- 6 short legs
- Thick “waist”
- Swarmers have 2 pairs of identical wings. All other types of termites are wingless.
- Wingless termites are blind. Only the winged conehead termites (swarmers) can see.
Since conehead termites are only about the size of a grain of rice, they are hard to detect and easy to overlook. Knowing what termites look like will help homeowners determine precisely what type of termite infestation they are facing.
Conehead Worker Termites
Role: The role of a worker termite is to bring food back for the colony and to care for the young.
Appearance: A conehead worker can be distinguished by a yellowish, cream-colored body. Their heads are an orangish-brown or a honeyed color. They are more plump than soldiers, whereas soldier termites look more lean.
Size: Workers are about 1/8 inch long
Conehead Soldier Termites
Role: Soldiers are in charge of defending the colony by using their jaws and a sticky, saplike secretion to warn off predators such as lizards, ants, or enemy termites from another colony.
Appearance: Conehead soldier termites have caramel-colored bodies and dark brown heads with an iconic shape. They are shaped like lightbulbs, and the mandible ends in a single point. This differentiates them from other termites, since most species of termites have two mandibles. Sometimes, the head shape is also described as being cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped.
Size: They are roughly 1/5 inch in length.
Conehead Swarmer Termites
Role: A swarmer is responsible for the reproduction of a colony. Termite swarmers, identifiable by their wings, set off from their original home nest to start a new colony. A mated pair of flying termites will become king and queen of an entire new colony. Swarm season for conehead termites usually starts in April and ends in June, though sometimes swarming season can last as late as November.
Many conehead termite colonies have multiple queens and kings. This allows conehead termites to reproduce faster than other types of termites, since most termite species have colonies with only one queen and one king.
Appearance: Conehead swarmers, nicknamed reproductives or alates, have a darker coloration than workers or soldiers. From their heads to the tip of their wings, swarmers are dull, dark brown termites.
Its charcoal black wings can be a giveaway, since many other types of termites have clear or light-colored wings.
Size: Including its wingspan, a swarmer measures roughly about 3/5 to 7/10 inches long.
Conehead Termite Tunnels
Conehead termite tunnels are the most prominent and noticeable signs of a conehead termite infestation. You might spot these tunnels running up trees, the sides of fences, or along drywall.
Conehead termites construct these tunnels to connect the nest to food sources. These termite tubes protect conehead termites, allowing workers and soldiers to travel safely outside without encountering dangerous predators or exposing themselves to the sun.
Keep an eye out for the identifying characteristics:
- Strips of raised ridges
- No more than 1/2 inch wide
- Brown or black
- They might look like dark streaks along a wall
Termite tunnels are also called termite highways, mud tubes, or mud tunnels. Break open a section of these tunnels. Come back and examine the damaged tunnel after a few days. If the mud tube is repaired when you return, it means there’s an active termite infestation.
Where Are Conehead Termites?
Conehead termites are not native to North America. The species originates from South and Central America, as well as some of the Caribbean islands. Because they are adjusted to tropical regions, conehead termites have tried to make themselves right at home in Florida.
Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) endeavors to contain and exterminate the conehead termite problem. As of right now, conehead termites have been contained and confined to Broward County.
How to Get Rid of Conehead Termites
You’ve determined that you have a conehead termite infestation on your property. Now what?
There are multiple termite control methods for homeowners to consider as they decide the best way to go about treating their termite pest problem. Conehead termites have nesting habits that make them difficult to treat. Many traditional termite treatment methods such as borate won’t work on conehead termites.
Here are the most effective conehead termite treatments:
Contact the FDACS
In the event that an infestation is detected, homeowners should contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and report the conehead termites. The FDACS is attempting to eliminate conehead termites from Florida’s shores (or at least contain them within Broward County).
So long as the conehead infestation is outdoors on your property, the FDACS will be able to treat conehead termites with the homeowner’s permission.
However, if the termites are inside a structure, such as a building, garage, or shed, it will be up to the property owner to hire a professional to treat the termite problem. For the conehead termite extermination program to succeed, though, professional termite exterminators must coordinate with the FDACS while treating conehead termite infestations in structures.
Remove Nests
Conehead termites build above-ground nests. They don’t burrow underground like subterranean termites.
These nests are rounded in shape with a hard, bumpy surface. Although it’s gross, the carton that conehead termite nests are made of is built with termite feces. The nests have a dark brown, earthy color. They can grow to be about the size and shape of a watermelon. Nests are built in trees, hidden in vegetation near the ground, or constructed in wooden structures.
The first step to exterminating a termite colony is to remove and destroy the nest. Termites rely on a nest to shelter them and protect their young and the king and queen. To exterminate a conehead termite colony, termite pest control experts will locate the nest and then dispose of it.
Treat with Termiticide
Termiticide is a liquid insecticide designed specifically to target and kill termites. Non-repellent liquid termiticides are one effective way to treat conehead termite infestations. Spraying termiticides onto a nest, termite tunnels, or a feeding site is one of the most effective ways to kill a termite colony.
Modify Habitats
Termites are attracted to messy, unkempt yards. So maintaining a neat, tidy yard is one way you can prevent termites while keeping your lawn pristine.
Here are some proper lawn maintenance procedures to follow if you want to keep termites out of your yard:
- Mow the grass to a neat, trim height
- Trim back shrubs and bushes. Keep all vegetation 3 feet away from your home’s exterior.
- Rake up leaves
- Remove sticks or fallen tree branches
- Clean up any debris or trash
- Prune trees
- Don’t use wood mulch. Try rubber mulch or gravel instead.
- Fix drainage issues
- Don’t overwater the grass
- Fix leaky pipes or faucets
When you prune trees or bushes, trim back any branches that are close to or touching the house. Any wood in contact with your house provides a bridge for termites to crawl over into your house.
Moisture attracts termites, so eliminate any drainage issues in your yard. An excess of water in your yard can be caused by overflowing gutters or by overwatering the grass. Consider reducing the amount of time you are watering your lawn.
Proper storage of firewood is another important preventative measure. To avoid termite infestations, all firewood should be stored at least 20 feet away from the house. Make sure that wherever it’s stored, it isn’t in contact with the ground.
Fumigate
Fumigation, or termite tenting, is only used in extreme cases, where there is a severe conehead termite infestation in wooden structures.
Fumigation is an intensive treatment. It involves erecting a tent around the house and pumping fumigant gas into your home. This treatment lasts for 3 to 5 days and it will infiltrate every crack and crevice and kill the termites hiding behind the walls. During the treatment, it is necessary for all pets, plants, and people to be outside until the treatment is complete.
Fumigation may not be a viable solution for eradicating a conehead termite colony in most cases. But it is an effective treatment method for severe infestations.
What is the Cost to Get Rid of Conehead Termites?
Termites that are found living in the landscape can be treated by the FDACS, free of charge.
However, if the termites are found inside your house, it is outside the FDACS’ jurisdiction, and homeowners will have to treat and pay for the cost of the termite treatment themselves.
Homeowners can expect a termite treatment to cost $275 to $863. The cost of treating conehead termites varies depending on the treatment method, the size of the structure being treated, and how severe the termite infestation is.
Chemical termiticide treatments usually cost $4 to $14.50 per linear foot.
Because fumigation treatments are so intensive, it is the most expensive treatment option. A fumigation treatment for a 2,000-square-foot home costs $2,000 to $6,000.
FAQ About Conehead Termites
Do Conehead Termites Bite?
Conehead termites do not bite people. In general, termites are not aggressive towards people and don’t want to come into contact with humans.
Are There Other Bugs That Look Like Termites?
It’s challenging enough to tell the different species of termites apart, but sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you are dealing with termites or another bug that looks like a termite. Here are some types of bugs that can be mistaken for termites:
- Acrobat ants
- Carpenter ants
- Carpenter bees
- Maggots
- Powderpost beetles
How Do You Tell if Termites Are in Your Walls?
Conehead termites are usually detectable if there are conehead termite tunnels running along your drywall or siding. Other types of termites leave behind other signs of their presence. Keep an eye out for:
- Small pinholes in the drywall
- Cracks or holes in the wall
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Mud tubes (also a sign of subterranean termites)
- Sagging drywall
- Termite droppings, called frass
- Peeling, bubbling, or blistering paint
- Crumbling baseboards
- Sagging floors
- Windows and doors that are hard to open
- Dead swarmers, especially near entry points or on windowsills
- Discarded termite wings
- Clicking noises in the walls
Is Your House Ruined if You Have Termites?
A house is not necessarily completely ruined if it has termites, but the longer termites are in your house, the more extensive and expensive the damage will be. Severe termite infestations can lead to a house being condemned as unsafe.
Termites eat away at wood, which decreases the structural integrity of a house and can cause baseboards and other wooden infrastructure to weaken and crumble. After a certain amount of wooden support is eaten away, a house becomes structurally unsafe.
Find a Pro to Deal with Your Conehead Termite Infestation
Correctly identifying termites can be tough, but this information should give you a helping hand if you’re facing a conehead termite infestation. To give yourself peace of mind, make sure your home gets an annual termite inspection. This will help you detect termite problems early on.
Having trouble with conehead termites? Don’t wait to find a local termite control professional to deal with your termite problem.
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