Termites in Mulch

Pine nuggets are the worse kind of mulch you can have, however, all wood mulches can be conducive to
termites, including cypress mulch, which has the soft springwood from the tree. The biggest mistake I find
with home owners who use mulch, is they continually pile on new mulch over the old. This compacts the
wood, making a viable food sourse for termites. One of the most asked about questions of me has been, "Do
hurricanes create termites?". The answer to this question is yes, and no. Although wind storms don't create
termites, they do create an abundance of food for termites. All this food creates two problems. It greatly
enhances the success of termite swarmers, and it can feed termite colonies so they can reach monsterous
sizes. In either case, whether you find termites in mulch, landscape timbers, or that old wood pile left over
from the hurricanes, you must realize that most of the time, termites do not live in the wood, termites live
under the ground. If you remove the wood without treating your home, the only thing your accomplishing is
taking away the termites food sources. This will likely put your home in an even greater threat for termite
invasion, as the termite colony must eat in order to survive and now your home is the only thing left on the
menu. The bottom line is finding termites around your home is a clear indication that you need to get it
treated. A home infestation is almost inevitable at this point. The longer you wait, the more damage and
expense you'll have to pay for later.