‘Super Termite’ cases becoming more common in Avoyelles

The saga of “Super Termite” may not be coming to a theater near you -- but then, again, it just might.

No, it isn’t the latest live action superhero blockbuster movie. It is a tiny, destructive pest that arrived from Southeast Asia in the 1960s.

The Formosan termite is believed to have hitched a ride on cross-ocean cargo ships coming from Asia to the Port of New Orleans during the Vietnam War era.

The invasive species was first found in this area in 2004, but the termites are now becoming a problem.

They earned the nickname “super termites” because they are bigger than the local species and attack their targets more aggressively.

Blake Roy of Hessmer said the termites have been found in Marksville, Effie, Simmesport and Plaucheville, but he believes the wood-eating pest is everywhere.

Roy is the Alexandria branch manager of J&J Exterminating.

He said there were only sporadic calls of Formosan termite cases over the past 14 years, but “here we are in 2018 and we've had probably six or seven swarm calls just out of our branch that turned into Formosans.”

The number of cases is increasing daily.

Ben Norris of Bayou Mosquito & Pest Management said in the past he treated cases of Formosans mostly in Plaucheville, Moreauville and Simmesport, “but this year there are more in the Marksville area. We have had several cases in Marksville. I would have to say they are firmly established in Avoyelles now.”

Norris said he theorizes the “super termite” came to Avoyelles 40 or 50 years ago in wood shipped from New Orleans to Avoyelles. They were not determined to be a problem to homeowners until much later and are now making their presence known in most areas of the parish.

He said he has not received any calls of Formosans in Hessmer and Bunkie, “but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”

“Another factor to consider is that there are a lot of pecan and oak trees in Avoyelles,” Norris continued. “Scientific studies show that their preferred food source is pecan wood.”

SWARM IN APRIL-JUNE

The Formosan colonies don’t swarm until they mature , which takes about three or four years. Swarms move from April to June, so it’s showtime for the area’s exterminators.

Roy said a mature Formosan colony can consume a pound of wood a day and contain millions of the bugs.

“They don’t have to have ground contact,” Roy said. “They're not necessarily going to be subterranean. They can live in aerial infestations. They can build their colonies above ground.”

Roy said a Formosan termite colony can be 10 times that of native termites.

Norris agreed, noting that even though exterminators treat an infestation of Formosans with the same chemicals as they do a native termite infestation, “the Formosan has larger colonies and are more aggressive. Larger colonies demand larger food supplies. They do more damage quicker.”

Unlike other “invasive species,” the Formosan termite has not “run off the natives. They’re still here, too,” Norris added.

Homeowners who think they may be on the Formosans hit list can use some basic tips to assess their situation, Roy said.

“Anything that's there for no reason -- for example, moisture,” he said. “If there's no reason for moisture to be in a wall or a ceiling and there's no leak that you know of, chances are that there's going to be a serious situation.”

Another indicator is dirt on the walls.

“There's only one way dirt gets on your walls or in your walls -- that’s if something brings it up there. So that's another place to look.”

USES BAIT STATIONS

Roy is using bait stations inside and outside of the house to eliminate the termites in homes. The stations contain a chemical that stops the reproduction process.

“Worker termites will take this bait back to the colony,” he said. “So we're basically using nature against them. They'll eventually kill themselves off."

As she waits for the process to be completed, the homeowner said she regrets not regularly having her home checked by exterminators.

“I’m nervous about the end results,” she said, adding that she is “ready for this whole thing to be over with and to see what's actually behind the walls." Roy agreed that regular inspections should be a priority, especially in Louisiana with its climate.

“I think every homeowner should have some sort of preventative measure taken on their home for termites,” Roy said. “Most people who don't do that, find out once the damage is done.”

Roy and Norris both said most exterminating companies do not charge to inspect a home.

Roy recommends homeowners have their house inspected annually -- just in case.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Norris added.