Termites in Georgia: Swarm Season, Formosans and State Rules

Georgia's termite rules are some of the most hands-on in the country. The state sets minimum treatment standards, sends inspectors to check termite jobs, and can make a company redo work that falls short. Here's how that protects you, and what Georgia's termites actually do.

By John Updated 7 min read Termite pressure: Very heavy
Sketch map of Georgia labeled with very heavy termite pressure

The short version

Georgia's native subterranean termites swarm in daylight in February and March and live statewide. Formosan termites are rare but present, swarming at night in late May and early June. The state requires the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report for home sales, sets minimum treatment standards, and inspects termite jobs.

Georgia at a glance

Termite pressure
Very heavy
Termites to know
Eastern subterranean, Formosan subterranean
Why termites like it here
Long, hot, humid summers and mild winters, with native subterranean termites statewide and scattered Formosan colonies, mostly in metro Atlanta and on the coast.
Inspection report for home sales
Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report
On this page
  1. Natives everywhere, Formosans in pockets
  2. Georgia's two subterranean termites
  3. When termites swarm in Georgia
  4. Who regulates termite work
  5. What Georgia's rules require
  6. The Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report
  7. Crawlspaces, fungus and Georgia's standards
  8. Older houses, newer risks
  9. Questions

Natives everywhere, Formosans in pockets

Georgia's everyday termite is the native subterranean termite, living in the soil statewide. UGA Extension says natives swarm in February or March, during the day, and their swarmers are black and about three-eighths of an inch long. They aren't drawn to lights.

The Formosan subterranean termite is the exception, not the rule. UGA Extension entomologist Dan Suiter's guide says Formosans have been documented at a number of Georgia sites since the early 1990s but remain rare in the state. They swarm at night in late May and early June, fly toward lights, and their swarmers are caramel to brownish-yellow and about half an inch long.

When Georgia ran a state-funded Formosan initiative in the early 2000s, UGA researchers located and destroyed 16 confirmed colonies, most in metro Atlanta, three in Savannah and one in an apartment complex in Cairo. UGA's DNA research traced Georgia's Formosans back to New Orleans, which they're believed to have left in railroad crossties used as landscape timbers. Suiter is careful to add that crossties in a yard don't by themselves mean you have Formosans. The species profile is in Formosan termites.

Georgia's two subterranean termites

From UGA Extension Circular 868, Identifying the Formosan Subterranean Termite.

Native and Formosan termites in Georgia
Native subterranean Formosan subterranean
Swarm time Daytime, not drawn to lights Night, toward lights
Swarm months February or March Late May and early June
Swarmer About 3/8 inch, black About 1/2 inch, caramel to brownish-yellow
Soldiers in a colony 1 to 3% 15 to 20%
Soldier defense No white secretion Releases a white, glue-like drop
How common in Georgia Statewide Rare; scattered sites

UGA suggests a sticky card beside the porch light in late May and early June to catch Formosan swarmers, and checking windowsills, spider webs and light covers for dead swarmers. Suspected Formosans can be sent to UGA's entomology department on the Griffin campus in a vial of rubbing alcohol.

When termites swarm in Georgia

Natives swarm in late winter and spring in daylight, and UGA entomologist Brian Forschler has said native swarms can run into early June. Formosans follow at night in late spring.

Typical swarm months for Georgia's subterranean termites
Termite J F M A M J J A S O N D
Eastern subterranean Daytime, often after a warm rain some swarms peak peak common some swarms
Formosan subterranean Dusk, in big clouds around lights some swarms peak peak some swarms

Who regulates termite work

Termite work in Georgia is regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Section, under rules set by the Structural Pest Control Commission. The department keeps a searchable list of licensed structural pest control companies, and its Structural Pest Control Division can be reached at 404-656-3641.

What sets Georgia apart is that the state checks the work. The department's inspectors review termite contracts, the monthly job reports companies file, Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Reports, pesticide records and, on a complaint, whether the treatment met the state's minimum standards. When an inspector finds a deviation, the company gets an Inspection and WDO Corrective Action Report and has 30 days to fix the treatment and return the signed report. Serious cases can go to an administrative order with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

What Georgia's rules require

From Georgia's wood destroying organism rules (Chapter 620-6) and the department's 2014 rule-change summary.

Georgia termite rules a homeowner can use
Rule What it means for you
Minimum treatment standards Subterranean termite treatments must meet the state's minimum adequate treatment standards
Official Waiver If part of the standard can't be met, each unmet item must be explained in detail with a graph of untreated areas, and you get a copy when you sign
Corrections window The state may require retreatment if, within five years of the first treatment, a soil treatment didn't meet the standards in effect at the time
Repeat infestations Three or more separate active subterranean termite areas within five years trigger a complete retreatment
Warranty-only contracts Allowed only for one- and two-family homes and townhomes, and they can't replace a pre-construction treatment
Contract box The contract carries a boxed statement in letters at least 1/8 inch tall describing inspection, future treatment and damage repair within the contract's limits
Annual inspection Warranty-only contracts include a yearly inspection

Crawlspace work under the rules calls for at least 18 inches of clearance between wood and soil and a vapor barrier over at least 70 percent of exposed soil for fungus and beetle treatments. Read the contract's limits before you assume repair coverage; see termite warranty: repair vs retreatment.

The Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report

For a home sale, Georgia uses its own form, the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report, under rule 620-6-.03. Only a pest control operator certified in wood destroying organisms may issue it.

The report covers five things: subterranean termites, drywood termites, powderpost beetles, wood-boring beetles such as the old house borer, and wood-decaying fungi. The fungus coverage is limited to white rot, brown rot and water-conducting fungi below the first floor, and molds and mildews aren't included.

Three details buyers should know:

  • The 90-day guarantee. If an infestation of a covered organism turns up within 90 days, the company must treat it free.
  • The records check. The inspector checks company records for treatments or renewal contracts in the past two years, and any current Official Waiver for the house must be attached.
  • What it isn't. The rule says the report isn't a structural report and isn't a warranty that the house is free of wood destroying organisms. Only readily accessible areas are inspected.

Copies go to the buyer, the lender, the real estate agents and the seller. The national picture is in WDI inspection.

Crawlspaces, fungus and Georgia's standards

Georgia's rules treat the crawlspace as part of the termite job. For wood-boring beetle and wood-decay fungus treatments, the minimum standards call for a water-impervious vapor barrier covering at least 70 percent of the exposed soil and ventilation that meets the residential building code. For water-conducting fungi, a decay fungus that pipes moisture up into dry wood, the standards add more: cut the fungal strands, scrape visible growth off the foundation walls, remove wood-to-soil contact and keep at least 18 inches between wood and soil.

That matters if you're buying an older house on a crawlspace. A sale report that lists fungus below the first floor points to work defined by state standards, not just a recommendation, and it's worth getting a quote for it before closing. How to tell decay from insect damage is in termite damage vs water damage.

Older houses, newer risks

UGA entomologist Brian Forschler made a point about Georgia housing that still holds: older homes were built off the ground with termite-resistant wood, while modern materials and designs can be more attractive to termites. His other advice is just as practical. There are no silver bullets in termite control, so combine methods: wood treatments, soil treatments, baits and moisture control. Get bids from several companies, read what the warranty covers, and try to lock in the renewal rate. Prevention basics are in how to prevent termites.

Questions people ask

When is termite season in Georgia?

Native subterranean termites usually start swarming in February or March, during the day, and can continue into spring. Formosan termites swarm at night in late May and early June and fly toward lights.

Are there Formosan termites in Georgia?

Yes, but they're rare. UGA Extension says they've been found at a number of sites since the early 1990s, mostly in metro Atlanta, with a few in Savannah. Georgia's Formosans have been traced to New Orleans.

What is the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report?

It's Georgia's required form for termite inspections in home sales, issued only by an operator certified in wood destroying organisms. It covers termites, certain beetles and wood-decaying fungi, and the company must treat free if a covered infestation is found within 90 days.

Does Georgia inspect termite treatments?

Yes. Georgia Department of Agriculture inspectors review termite work, and when a treatment doesn't meet minimum standards, the company must correct it and file a corrective action report within 30 days.

How do I check a pest control license in Georgia?

Use the Georgia Department of Agriculture's structural pest control search, or call the Structural Pest Control Division at 404-656-3641.

City guides in Georgia

Sources