Termites in Missouri: Four Native Species and How to Hire Well

University of Missouri Extension's termite guide has an unusually blunt section on how homeowners get taken advantage of. That's worth reading, because Missouri's termites are common, slow and almost always worth treating, which makes them a reliable sales opportunity. Here's what the state's termites do and how to hire someone to deal with them.

By John Updated 4 min read Termite pressure: Moderate to heavy
Sketch map of Missouri labeled with moderate to heavy termite pressure

The short version

Missouri has four native subterranean termite species, all in the genus Reticulitermes. They swarm in spring, usually on a warm, sunny day after rain. MU Extension says termite damage isn't an emergency, that no do-it-yourself method works reliably, and that you should talk to at least three licensed companies. Sale inspections must be done by a licensed, certified applicator.

Missouri at a glance

Termite pressure
Moderate to heavy
Termites to know
Eastern subterranean
Why termites like it here
Hot, humid summers and cold winters, with native subterranean termites statewide.
Inspection report for home sales
NPMA-33 Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report
On this page
  1. Four termites, one kind of problem
  2. When termites swarm in Missouri
  3. Inspecting your own house
  4. How MU says Missouri houses are treated
  5. Hiring a company
  6. Inspections for a home sale
  7. For Missouri homeowners
  8. Questions

Four termites, one kind of problem

MU Extension entomologist Richard Houseman's guide says four termite species occur naturally in Missouri. All are subterranean termites in the genus Reticulitermes, living in soil and in wood touching soil. The eastern subterranean termite is the most common house-infesting termite in the country.

Swarms come in spring, usually on a warm, sunny day after rain, and swarmers are often mistaken for ants. MU's checklist: termite swarmers have four cloudy-white wings of equal size, straight antennae and a waist as broad as the body. Ants have clear wings of unequal size, bent antennae and a narrow waist. See flying ants vs termites.

When termites swarm in Missouri

MU Extension says Missouri swarms come in spring, usually on warm, sunny days after rain.

Typical swarm months for Missouri's native 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

Inspecting your own house

MU's inspection advice is specific about where to probe. Use a sharp screwdriver on wood near the foundation or soil, concentrating on sill plates, header joists, the ends of floor joists, the bottoms of wall studs and flooring. Earthen shelter tubes on a foundation or wood, or many swarmers inside, mean an infestation.

The guide is just as clear that this isn't an emergency. A delay of a few weeks is of little consequence, it says, which gives you time to choose a treatment and a company. More in how to inspect for termites and how fast termites damage a house.

How MU says Missouri houses are treated

From MU Extension G7420, Subterranean Termites.

Termite treatment in Missouri
Item What MU says
Who treats A licensed commercial pest management professional; no do-it-yourself measure effectively gets the job done
Slab houses A trench about 6 inches deep and wide, plus half-inch holes drilled at 1-foot intervals
Soil termiticide life About 5 to 8 years of soil residual under normal conditions
Bait systems Stations usually checked monthly; long-term protection requires continued monitoring, so baiting costs more on average
Siding Keep it 4 to 6 inches above the soil so mud tubes stay visible
Sill plates Use treated lumber for sill plates and mudsills

Treatment details differ for slab, crawlspace and basement houses. The comparison is in termite treatment options.

Hiring a company

MU's process is simple and worth following exactly. Talk to at least three companies, check references, and call the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Pesticide Control at 573-751-9198 for a background check. From each company, get a written inspection, a description of the work, a list of the chemicals, the guarantee details and a cost estimate. The department licenses, trains and monitors commercial pest control businesses, and lists certified applicators online. See questions to ask a termite company.

Inspections for a home sale

Missouri law sets who may do a termite inspection when a buyer, seller or lender requests one in a real estate transaction. Under section 281.116, the inspector must hold a certified commercial applicator's license, or be a licensed pesticide technician working under a certified applicator's direct supervision, or hold one of the other certified licenses the statute lists. Most sale reports use the national NPMA-33 form, and VA loans require a termite report statewide in Missouri. See WDI inspection.

For Missouri homeowners

Do

  • Probe sill plates, joist ends and stud bottoms with a screwdriver
  • Talk to at least three licensed companies
  • Call the Bureau of Pesticide Control for a background check
  • Keep siding 4 to 6 inches above the soil

Don't

  • Sign with a company that showed up uninvited
  • Accept a price quoted by the gallon
  • Rush; a few weeks won't change the outcome
  • Try to treat an infestation yourself

Questions people ask

When do termites swarm in Missouri?

In spring, usually on a warm, sunny day after rain, according to University of Missouri Extension.

How many kinds of termites live in Missouri?

Four, all subterranean termites in the genus Reticulitermes. The eastern subterranean termite is the most common house-infesting species.

How long does termite treatment last in Missouri?

MU Extension says commonly registered soil termiticides last about 5 to 8 years under normal conditions. Bait systems protect as long as they're monitored.

Who can do a termite inspection for a Missouri home sale?

Under Missouri law, a person with a certified commercial applicator's license, or a licensed technician working under one's direct supervision, among the other certified licenses the statute lists.

Sources