Why does Lakeland have both subterranean and drywood termites?

Polk County's climate (72°F mean temperature, 75% humidity, frost-free year-round), geography (lake density and sandy soils), and building stock spanning 150 years of construction make it one of the only U.S. markets where both subterranean and drywood termites are established at high density.

How often should I have a termite inspection in Polk County?

Annual inspection is the prudent baseline for any Polk County home given the combined-pressure environment. Low-pressure U.S. markets can extend to 3 to 5 years, but Lakeland-area homes warrant yearly check-ins.

Does my Lakeland termite bond cover both drywood and subterranean?

Verify the wording — some Florida termite bonds cover only subterranean termites. A subterranean-only treatment leaves a home exposed to drywood, and vice versa. Comprehensive coverage requires either both treatments or a bond explicitly covering both species.

Is new construction in Polk County immune to termites?

No. Modern CBS-with-stucco construction reduces drywood vulnerability (less exposed wood) but still has subterranean pressure at bath traps, plumbing penetrations, and expansion joints. Florida Building Code pre-construction pretreatment helps but is not absolute.

When are termites active in Polk County?

Year-round. Unlike northern markets where termite activity slows in winter, Polk County's frost-free climate keeps both subterranean and drywood colonies active 12 months a year. Treatment can be performed any month.

What percentage of Polk County homes show termite evidence over time?

Industry estimates place the proportion of Polk County homes with some termite evidence at 30 to 50 percent or more over a 30-year ownership horizon. WDO inspection reports for residential closings frequently document past or active activity.

Lakeland's Highest Combined Termite Pressure Zone

Most U.S. termite markets have one dominant species. Lakeland has two. The convergence of climate, geography, and building stock makes Polk County one of the very few American markets where both subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) and drywood termites (Cryptotermes brevis and Incisitermes snyderi) are established at high density — and where homeowners reasonably need to think about both. Call the number below for an FDACS-licensed termite inspection.

✅ FDACS-Licensed • 🏠 Polk County Local • 🔍 Inspection • ⚡ Same-Day Available

This post explains why.

The Combined-Termite States

In the United States, only four states have established drywood termite populations sufficient to constitute a major structural pest threat:

Florida (statewide)
California (coastal and southern regions)
Louisiana (coastal parishes)
Hawaii (statewide)

In all other U.S. states, drywood termites are either absent or limited to incidental detections that don’t drive structural concern.

Of these four, Florida has the broadest combined-species pressure. California has heavy drywood pressure but lighter subterranean pressure than Florida. Louisiana has heavy Formosan subterranean pressure (a particularly aggressive subterranean species) but drywood pressure is more localized. Hawaii has both species but a much smaller market.

Florida, by contrast, has consistently heavy pressure from both species across most of the state — and Polk County sits in the heart of that overlap.

What Makes Polk County a Combined-Pressure Zone

Three converging factors create Polk County’s distinctive combined-termite environment.

1. Climate

Polk County’s climate is classified as humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa), transitioning to tropical savanna (Aw) in the southern third of the county. The relevant data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service Tampa Bay station, measured at Lakeland Linder International Airport:

Mean annual temperature: 72°F
Mean relative humidity: 75% — among the highest sustained humidities in Central Florida
Annual rainfall: 50–55 inches
Frost-free days: ~325/year

The implications:

Subterranean termites require soil moisture to survive. Polk County’s rainfall pattern + lake density + irrigation maintains consistent soil moisture year-round. Soil temperatures rarely drop below 60°F, so colony biological activity continues 12 months a year.
Drywood termites extract moisture from atmospheric humidity (no soil contact required). Polk County’s 75% mean humidity is well within drywood termite establishment range. Frost-free year keeps colonies active.

Either species thrives. Together they create double pressure.

2. Geography

Polk County’s lake density is exceptional. The Chain of Lakes around Winter Haven includes 25 interconnected lakes. The Lake Wales Ridge features sandhill lakes. Hundreds of additional named lakes dot the county. Plus retention ponds, drainage swales, agricultural irrigation systems, and the Green Swamp’s edge to the north.

This geography:

Maintains consistent soil moisture for subterranean colonies
Creates the high humidity that drywood termites favor
Means most Polk County residential properties are within a few hundred yards of standing water — well within drywood swarmer flight range

The soil profile (predominantly sandy — Astatula, Candler, Pomello, Tavares series) is also ideal for subterranean termite tunneling.

3. Building Stock

Polk County’s housing stock spans nearly 150 years of Florida construction:

Pre-1900: Florida cracker-style wood-frame in Bartow and Lake Wales historic districts
1900s–1940s: Wood-frame and frame-stucco in Lakeland’s Cleveland Heights, Lake Hollingsworth, Dixieland; Winter Haven’s Lake Howard, Lake Idylwild areas; Lake Wales’ Bok Tower district
1950s–1970s: Concrete block (CBS) with wood trim, single-family ranch homes
1980s–2000s: CBS-with-stucco subdivisions, growing in south Lakeland, Polk Parkway corridor, and the Winter Haven suburbs
2010s–2020s: Mass-production CBS-with-stucco growth in Davenport, Champions Gate, Haines City, and south Lakeland

The result:

Older wood-frame stock is vulnerable to both drywood and subterranean termites
Mid-century CBS-with-wood-trim is vulnerable to drywood termites in trim, fascia, eaves, attic structural members, plus subterranean in slab penetrations
Modern CBS-with-stucco is less vulnerable to drywood (less exposed wood) but still has subterranean pressure at bath traps, plumbing penetrations, expansion joints

Almost every residential structure in Polk County has some termite vulnerability profile.

The Numbers — Termite Activity Patterns

While exact infestation rates are proprietary to pest control operators, several public data points illustrate the pressure:

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Cooperative Extension Service documents drywood termite establishment throughout Polk County, with concentration zones in older neighborhoods of Lakeland, Lake Wales, Bartow, and Winter Haven.
Florida WDO inspection reports for residential closings frequently note evidence of past or current termite activity. While exact rates vary, industry estimates place the proportion of Polk County homes with some termite evidence at 30–50%+ over a 30-year ownership horizon.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) maintains records of termite treatments performed by licensed operators. The volume of treatments in Polk County is among the highest in Florida on a per-capita basis.

What This Means for Polk County Homeowners

1. Annual inspection is reasonable. In low-pressure markets (most of the U.S.), termite inspection every 3–5 years is sufficient. In Polk County’s combined-pressure environment, annual inspection is the prudent baseline.

2. Both-species awareness matters. A subterranean-only treatment leaves a home exposed to drywood; a drywood-only treatment doesn’t address subterranean. Comprehensive coverage typically requires either both treatments simultaneously or a termite bond that covers both.

3. Real estate transactions consistently surface termite issues. WDO inspection reports for Polk County closings frequently identify past or active termite activity. The Florida FAR/BAR purchase contract’s WDO addendum (typically paragraph 17) is one of the most-invoked contract provisions for Polk County transactions.

4. New construction is not immune. While modern CBS-with-stucco construction reduces some termite vulnerability, slab penetrations, bath traps, and expansion joints remain entry points for subterranean termites. Florida Building Code-required pre-construction pretreatment helps but is not absolute protection.

5. Climate-driven year-round activity. Unlike northern markets where termite activity slows in winter, Polk County termite biological activity continues year-round. Treatment can be performed any month.

How Pest Control Operators in Polk County Address Combined Pressure

The FDACS-licensed operators reachable through this directory typically structure Polk County termite service around the combined-species reality:

Initial inspection addresses both species
Treatment recommendations may include both subterranean and drywood approaches if both are present
Termite bonds often cover both species (verify wording — some bonds are subterranean-only)
Annual re-inspection checks for both species’ activity
Real estate WDO inspection reports explicitly document both species

The combined-pressure environment is also why the Fumigation category license is more common among Polk County operators than in lower-pressure markets — whole-house drywood fumigation is a routine service here.

When to Get an Inspection

Annual preventive inspection (recommended baseline for any Polk County home)
Pre-listing inspection before selling a home
Pre-purchase inspection during real estate closing (WDO inspection report)
After observing swarmers, mud tubes, frass, or kick-out holes
After a hurricane or major storm that damaged structural wood
When termite bond is approaching renewal

Disclaimer: Lakeland Exterminators is a local dispatch and referral service, not a licensed pest-control operator. We connect Polk County, Florida homeowners with independent, FDACS-licensed and insured pest-control companies. All inspections and treatments are performed by those independent providers, who set their own pricing, scheduling, and service terms.

Any reference to same-day, emergency, or 24/7 service describes the typical scheduling of matched independent providers and is not guaranteed; actual response times vary by provider, season, location, and demand.

Why Lakeland Sits in Florida’s Highest Combined Termite Pressure Zone — Subterranean and Drywood