Termite Exterminator

When it comes to lists and rankings, cities around the country strive to be on them. From best restaurants to the weirdest city, nothing enhances civic pride like being ranked. Unfortunately, there are some lists we don’t want to be on, and in 2018, Baton Rouge made one of them as the 19th most termite-infested city. Our hot and humid climate allows them to flourish, and in 2019, we moved up to #3.

Formosan termites alone account for over 500 million dollars in damages in Louisiana, and based on the rankings, a good amount of those dollars is coming from Baton Rouge. The cost of repairing termite damage averages about $3,000 and can exceed $8,000.

Here in Baton Rouge, we have to deal with three types of termites:

Drywood: Their colonies are small compared to the other two, with up to 2,500 insects. However, multiple colonies can infest the same structure. They are attracted to dry wood found in support beams, attics, floors, and walls. The galleries they create cut across the grain of the wood. This is one species that can also take up residence in furniture, and they particularly like antiques. No additional water source is needed for them to thrive. The little bit of moisture available in the dry wood is enough, as they reabsorb the moisture from their feces before it is eliminated.

Subterranean: These guys are kings(and queens) of damage, and for a good reason, they live to eat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are attracted to moist and rotted wood, and their saw-like jaws act as a hot knife through butter, chewing their way along the grain. Their colonies begin in the soil, and where it meets wood, they create mud tubes to travel through and avoid exposure to the open air. Their colonies can reach 250,00. Some signs that you may have an infestation are hollow sounding or blistering wood, small piles of feces that resembles sawdust, mud tubes, and discarded wings on windowsills and near doors.

Formosan: Far and away the top dog of destruction. Their presence was first felt in Baton Rouge in 1999 and legislation declared them a public nuisance the same year. Their colonies can reach into the millions, and collectively they can consume over an ounce of wood a day. They can take out a one-foot section of 2X4 in under a month and cause catastrophic structural damage in less than six months.



Being proactive goes a long way in keep termites away. Firewood should be kept away from the home, and debris should be cleared. Rotted fascia and outside wooden surfaces should be repaired, and gutters should be kept clear. During the night, outside lights should be turned off; they attract swarming termites. If they still end up getting in, call the #1 rated pest control service in Denham Springs and the surrounding areas, CheckMate Termite & Pest Management. We’ve been taking care of local pests for over ten years. Contact us today for a free estimate.