Weeks before Tampa Bay, Florida, area residents usually expect to see them, termite swarms are showing up unseasonably early. Pest control companies have reported clusters of termites around homes after temperature swings, as reported by WTVT.
What’s happening?
The termite swarms have been reported in Spring Hill, Lakeland, and Tampa, and Edward Henry, a service coordinator with Truly Nolen, told Fox 13 that the termites think it’s springtime, when they usually emerge, because of the back-and-forth winter weather.
The station reported that pest professionals are urging homeowners who see swarms to schedule inspections as soon as possible. While the Fox report attributed the swarms to recent humidity and temperature shifts, NASA’s data shows that unusual warmth is becoming more common overall.
Why are termite swarms a concern?
Untimely termite swarms are concerning because termites can cause a lot of costly damage, especially when people cannot proactively treat them.
“Termites cause thousands and thousands of dollars in damage,” Henry said, per Fox…