Termites after monsoon rain in the East Valley: what to do next

Why rain brings termites into view

When people in the East Valley say termites, they almost always mean subterranean termites. They live in the soil and travel up into wood, and they need contact with soil moisture to survive. That is why a run of storms is when their signs tend to show up around a home.

After a summer monsoon storm, mature colonies send out winged swarmers to start new colonies nearby. Swarmers gather around outdoor lights, near windows and doors, and often leave a small pile of discarded wings behind once they land. A swarm at or near your home after a storm is worth a call, even if you never see one indoors.

Signs to check around your home this week

Most termite activity is found by looking in the right places, not by waiting for damage to show up inside. Take a slow walk around the outside of the house and the garage and look for:

• Mud tubes on the stem wall, block foundation, piers or under a porch. They are thin, pencil-width tunnels of dirt.
• Discarded wings near windows, doors or outdoor lights after a rain
• Wood trim, fence posts or framing that sounds hollow or feels soft when tapped
• Small mounds of mud packed into cracks in wood or along baseboards
• Sagging or bubbling paint on wood surfaces near the foundation

Termite swarmer or flying ant?

Look at the waist, the wings and the antennae. A termite swarmer has a thick waist, four wings that are all the same length and straight antennae. A flying ant has a pinched waist, wings of two different lengths and bent antennae. Ants are handled on regular pest service. Termites need a different plan, so the ID matters.

What not to do

• Do not spray a mud tube with a store-bought product. A spray aimed at the tube you can see almost never reaches the colony feeding on your home from the soil below.
• Do not knock the tube down and forget about it. Leave it in place and take a photo, so whoever inspects the home can see exactly where it is.
• Do not wait for damage indoors. Termite damage is usually gradual and hidden behind drywall or under flooring. Catching activity early through mud tubes or swarmers matters more than waiting for something you can see.

Yard fixes worth making after the storms

Subterranean termites need soil contact, so the setup of your yard matters as much as the age of your house. A few things worth a second look:

• Pull wood mulch back from the stucco or siding line
• Move firewood, lumber or stacked pallets away from the house and garage
• Check wood fence posts, arbors and landscape edging that sit directly in soil
• Note any stucco or siding that runs below grade, since it hides the foundation line where a tube would otherwise be visible
• Clear old tree stumps or buried wood scraps left from construction

None of these mean termites are present. They are the conditions termites are drawn to, and pointing them out is part of what a proper inspection covers.

What happens when you call Peterson

Termite work at Peterson starts with an inspection of the property, inside and out, looking for mud tubes, swarmers, damaged wood and anything else pointing to activity. You get a straight explanation of what was found and where, in plain language, not a sales pitch. If there is an active termite issue, treatment is arranged and managed on your behalf, so you have one point of contact instead of coordinating it yourself. Once it is addressed, termite signs are folded into your regular pest service.

Not sure what you are looking at? Text a photo of the bugs, the wings or the tube to our team. You can read more on our termite control page.

Selling a home soon?

Many Arizona home sales involve a termite inspection as part of the transaction. Having a current one in hand, or getting one done before you list, avoids a surprise during escrow. Call or text our team to talk through the timing for your sale.