There are several factors at work that determine the likelihood of a termite infestation occuring on your property. Some of the most significant factors include geographic location, season, climate and available food sources, just to name a few. In theory, just about all termite infestations can be prevented if home inspections and pest-monitoring efforts are carried out at the recommended rates. However, even when occasional termite inspections are conducted on properties, some homeowners simply get unlucky, and are sooner or later struck by a termite infestation. Luckily, experts have known about the termite lifecycle for quite some time now, and this biological information can be used to determine when homes that are located in particular regions are at the greatest risk of succumbing to termite infestations.
The majority of termite infestations are reported during the months of March, April and May. The reason for this is no mystery, as termite swarming season occurs during the late spring and early summer for most termite species in America. Termite swarms are prompted by increasingly warm temperatures and rainfall. However, the United States contains diverse landscapes and vegetation, and climatic conditions in various US regions differ significantly. Therefore, relying on the seasons and the climate to determine when termite activity is at its greatest can be misleading. For example, the climate in the Sonoran Desert in the southwest US is very different from the climate in the midwest. Unlike the midwest, desert areas do not go through well-defined seasons. Therefore, it is not always clear as to when termites will swarm and when homes are at their most vulnerable. However, as a general rule, wood-constructed structures are at their most vulnerable to termites during their swarming season, which can be inferred from the time of year when temperatures increase dramatically, and rainfall ceases.
Have you ever heard of a termite infestation occuring within a home during the fall or winter months?