Polk County is one of the few U.S. markets where homeowners regularly encounter both subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) and drywood termites (Cryptotermes brevis and Incisitermes snyderi). The two are biologically distinct, leave different evidence, and require completely different treatments. Telling them apart is the first step to getting the right pest control response. Call the number below to be connected with an FDACS-licensed inspector who can confirm identification and recommend treatment.
The Single Biggest Difference: Soil Contact
Subterranean termites need soil contact to survive. Their colonies live underground, where they extract moisture from the soil. Worker termites travel up into wood structures through mud tubes — pencil-width covered passageways that protect them from drying out. If you see a mud tube on a foundation wall, slab edge, or interior wall, you’re looking at a subterranean termite. The colony is in the dirt below your home; the workers are commuting.
Drywood termites don’t need soil contact. Drywood colonies live entirely within the wood they’re eating. They extract enough moisture from the wood itself and from atmospheric humidity (which is why Florida’s 75% mean humidity is ideal for them). Drywood termites don’t build mud tubes — instead, they create kick-out holes (tiny ~1mm round holes) to expel waste, and they push fecal pellets — frass — out through these holes.
The consequence: subterranean termite treatment is fundamentally about the soil and the foundation, while drywood termite treatment is fundamentally about the entire structure including all the wood inside it.
Identifying Subterranean Termites in Polk County
What to look for:
- Mud tubes on foundation walls, slab edges, CBS-block walls, plumbing penetrations, garage walls, or interior wall surfaces. Active tubes have moist mud at the tip.
- Swarmers in late winter through spring (February–May in Polk County, peaking in March). Black bodies, pale gray equal-length wings, ~3/8 inch long.
- Discarded wings in small piles near windows, light fixtures, or door frames.
- Damaged wood with mud-packed galleries following the wood grain.
- Hollow-sounding wood when tapped.
Where to look first in a Polk County home:
- Foundation perimeter exterior — walking around the home, scanning slab edge and stem wall
- Bath traps — the slab cutouts behind tubs and showers
- Plumbing penetrations — under sinks, around water heater, around toilet bases
- Crawl space (if accessible) — looking for tubes on piers, beams, and floor joists
- Garage walls — particularly where slab meets wall
Polk County subterranean termite season: Year-round colony activity, swarming peaks February–May after the first warm rains.
Identifying Drywood Termites in Polk County
What to look for:
- Frass piles — small accumulations of pellet-like droppings, often confused with sawdust or ground pepper. The pellets are six-sided in cross-section, ~1mm long, vary in color from light tan to dark brown depending on the wood being consumed.
- Kick-out holes — tiny round 1mm holes in wooden surfaces.
- Swarmers in late spring through summer (May–August in Polk County, peaking June–July). Pale-tan to reddish-brown bodies, smoky/translucent wings often of unequal length.
- Discarded wings near windows or light fixtures.
- Hollow-sounding or crumbling wood when probed with a screwdriver.
Where to look first in a Polk County home:
- Attic — most common drywood location. Check structural members, decking, ridge beams, eaves. Frass on top of insulation is a strong indicator.
- Ceiling beams in older Lakeland, Lake Wales, Bartow historic-district homes
- Window sills and door frames
- Hardwood floor perimeter, especially in closets
- Wooden furniture, especially antiques
- Eaves and soffits from outside
Polk County drywood termite season: Year-round colony activity, swarming peaks May–August on warm humid evenings after rainfall.
Quick-Reference Comparison Table
| Feature | Subterranean | Drywood |
|---|---|---|
| Colony location | Underground | Inside wood |
| Needs soil contact? | Yes | No |
| Builds mud tubes? | Yes | No |
| Produces frass (pellets)? | No | Yes |
| Kick-out holes? | No | Yes |
| Polk County swarm season | Feb–May | May–Aug |
| Swarmer body color | Black | Pale tan to reddish brown |
| Swarmer wing length | Equal length, pale gray | Often unequal, smoky |
| Standard treatment | Liquid soil barrier OR bait stations | Whole-house fumigation OR spot treatment |
| Approximate Polk County treatment cost | $1,200 – $3,500 | $300 – $5,000 (depending on scope) |
Why the Treatment Difference Matters Financially
Subterranean termite treatment targets the soil and foundation. Liquid termiticide barriers (using fipronil-based products like Termidor SC) cost $1,200–$3,500 in Polk County. Bait station systems (Sentricon, Trelona, Recruit HD) cost $1,500–$3,000 initial plus $200–$500/year monitoring. Either approach typically achieves colony elimination within months.
Drywood termite treatment, by contrast, has to address every infested portion of the wood structure. For widespread infestation, the standard treatment is whole-house fumigation (tenting) with Vikane (sulfuryl fluoride) — typically costing $1,500–$5,000 in Polk County for a single-family home. For limited infestation, spot treatment with foam termiticide injection ($300–$800 per area) can be effective, but only if the operator can locate every active colony. Heat treatment is another option but less commonly used in Florida than fumigation.
The financial implication: a subterranean infestation is generally cheaper to treat than a drywood infestation for the same home. This is why correctly identifying the species — and recognizing when both are present — is the first practical step.
What If Both Species Are Present?
Many older Polk County homes — particularly the historic districts of Lakeland (Cleveland Heights, Lake Hollingsworth), Lake Wales (Bok Tower area), and Bartow (downtown) — show evidence of both subterranean and drywood activity. The dispatched FDACS-licensed inspector will identify both, and treatment may require a combined approach:
- Subterranean treatment (liquid barrier or bait stations) for the foundation
- Drywood treatment (fumigation or spot treatment) for the structure
- Annual WDO inspection and termite bond covering both species
When to Get an Inspection
- Annual preventive inspection for any home older than 10 years
- Pre-listing inspection if selling a Polk County home
- Pre-purchase inspection as part of real estate closing (this becomes a WDO inspection report)
- Active investigation if you see mud tubes, frass, swarmers, kick-out holes, or wing piles
- Post-storm assessment if hurricane damage has compromised structural wood
Florida Regulatory Note
All Polk County termite treatment must be performed by operators holding active FDACS licenses under the Termite/WDO category. Whole-house fumigation additionally requires the Fumigation category license. You can verify any operator’s license at the FDACS Public License Search →.
Full FDACS license reference →
Related Pages
- Termite Treatment in Lakeland — full treatment overview
- Drywood Termite Treatment in Lakeland — drywood-specific deep dive
- Subterranean Termite Treatment in Polk County — subterranean-specific deep dive
- WDO Inspection in Lakeland — for real estate transactions
- Termite Treatment Cost in Lakeland — detailed pricing
- Termite Swarming Season Florida — annual cycle