Formosan Subterranean Termite

The Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is an invasive termite from Taiwan and southern China that has spread through South Florida since it was first found in Hallandale in the 1980s. Its colonies can reach several million termites, nest inside walls, trees and even high-rise buildings, and cannot be controlled with tenting.

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What Are Formosan Subterranean Termites?

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, is one of the most destructive termites in the world. It is native to Taiwan (once called Formosa) and southern China and has been carried by people to Hawaii, the southeastern United States and other warm regions. In Florida it was first reported in the early 1980s in Hallandale, in Broward County, and it was probably introduced a few years earlier. It then spread through urban southeast Florida, from North Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale, and on to cities across the state. UF/IFAS notes that once it becomes established in an area, it has never been eradicated.

Like other subterranean termites, Formosan termites need moisture and usually nest in the soil, sending workers out through tunnels and mud tubes to feed on wood. South Florida suits them well. The soil stays warm all year, irrigation, lakes and canals keep it moist, and the rainy season from May to October adds more water. Plumbing leaks, air conditioning condensate and flat roofs give them moisture inside buildings too.

The threat keeps growing. A 2026 UF/IFAS study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology found that Formosan termites are now established in most of Florida’s coastal counties and large urban centers and are highly likely to be detected throughout the state before 2050. In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, where it was first found living alongside the Asian subterranean termite, researchers project that about half of all structures could be at risk from one or both species by around 2040. For an overview of every termite in the region, see our guide to termites in South Florida.

How to Identify Formosan Subterranean Termites

You will rarely see workers, which are small, creamy white and hidden in wood or tubes. Swarmers and soldiers are the castes that identify this species.

• Swarmers (alates): about 12 to 15 mm (1/2 to 5/8 inch) long with wings. They are orange or light amber-brown, darker than the rest of the colony, with four wings of equal size. Their bodies and wings are covered in tiny hairs, a feature you can see with a magnifying glass.
• Soldiers: about 4 to 5 mm long, with a white body, an orange-brown teardrop-shaped head and dark curved mandibles. When disturbed, they release a white, glue-like droplet from an opening on the front of the head.
• Many soldiers: soldiers make up about 10 to 15% of a Formosan colony, compared with 1 to 2% in native Reticulitermes colonies, so a crowd of soldiers at a break in a mud tube is a strong clue.

Formosan vs. Asian subterranean termites

The two invasive Coptotermes species look very similar. Asian subterranean swarmers are slightly smaller and darker brown, with two light spots on the face, and they usually fly earlier in the year, from about February to April. Formosan swarmers are lighter yellow-brown to orange-brown and fly from April to June. Their soldiers can only be separated reliably under a microscope.

Formosan termites vs. flying ants

Termite swarmers have straight, bead-like antennae, a thick waist and four wings of the same length that extend well past the body. Flying ants have elbowed antennae, a pinched waist and shorter hind wings.

Life Cycle and Behavior

A Formosan colony starts when a pair of swarmers lands, sheds its wings and finds a moist spot with wood nearby. The new king and queen raise the first workers and soldiers, and over the years the colony grows into a mature colony of several million termites. UF/IFAS researchers note that a colony can live up to 20 years.

Workers forage through underground galleries that have been measured up to about 100 meters (over 300 feet) from the nest in the field. They feed on the softer spring wood and follow the grain, packing the galleries with soil. Inside buildings, Formosan termites build carton nests, a blend of soil, chewed wood, saliva and feces that fills wall voids, spaces under sinks and hollowed trees. Carton lets a colony hold moisture away from the ground.

That ability leads to one of the Formosan termite’s most important traits in South Florida: aerial colonies. Some colonies have no connection to the soil at all. They start when swarmers land on a building that already has a steady moisture source, such as a roof leak, a flat roof that pools rainwater or a leaking pipe. UF researchers have reported that more than a quarter of the Formosan infestations they found in urban southeast Florida were caused by aerial colonies, which is why condos, high-rises and commercial buildings with flat roofs need inspections on upper floors, not only at ground level.

Swarming happens once a colony is mature. In Florida, flights run from early April to late June, peaking in May. They start shortly after sunset on calm, humid evenings, and a single flight can release tens of thousands of swarmers that head straight for lights. Swarms can also break out indoors when a colony is inside the building.

In South Florida, Formosan and Asian subterranean termites swarm in overlapping seasons and mate with each other. UF/IFAS confirmed in 2025 that hybrid colonies are now established in South Florida, after finding one in a tree in a Fort Lauderdale park. A 2026 UF/IFAS update stresses that hybrids are rare, behave like the parent species and respond to the same professional treatments.

Signs of a Formosan Termite Problem

• A large evening swarm of orange-brown winged termites around lights in April, May or June.
• Piles of shed wings on windowsills, balconies, pool enclosures or light fixtures.
• Mud tubes on foundations, slab edges, walls, plumbing or tree trunks.
• Soil packed into galleries in damaged wood.
• Brown, crusty carton material inside walls, cabinets or hollow trees.
• Wood surfaces that look blistered or peeled, or wood hollowed out to a paper-thin shell.
• Termite activity on upper floors or roofs of multistory buildings, a possible sign of an aerial colony.

Why Formosan Termites Are a Problem

The main danger is the size of the colony. Several million termites feeding at once, over a large foraging area, can do serious damage to structural wood before anyone notices. Because the colony nests in soil, trees or wall voids, the damage you find is usually only a small part of the infestation. Formosan termites also attack many living plants, and hollowed-out trees become more likely to collapse in hurricane winds.

The cost is significant. A 2025 UF/IFAS study cited estimates that Formosan subterranean termites alone cause roughly $20 to $30 billion in damage worldwide.

Where Formosan Termites Hide in South Florida Homes and Businesses

• Soil along the foundation, slab edges and under patios and driveways.
• Wall voids and cabinets near plumbing, especially under sinks and around water heaters.
• Flat roofs, roof decks and upper floors where water pools or leaks, including condos and high-rises.
• Door frames, baseboards and any wood touching the soil.
• Large living trees, stumps, wood fences and landscape timbers.
• Boats and docks: UF/IFAS research shows infested boats can release swarmers near shore.

When Formosan Termites Are Most Active in South Florida

How to Prevent Formosan Termites

• Repair plumbing leaks, roof leaks and air conditioning condensate drains.
• Keep flat roofs and balconies draining properly so water does not pool.
• Keep wood siding, fences and stored lumber off the soil.
• Leave a gap between mulch or plants and the foundation so mud tubes are easy to spot.
• Turn off outdoor lights during swarm evenings when security allows.
• Ask for termite protection before building: UF/IFAS lists moisture control, pressure-treated wood and soil treatment before the slab is poured as pre-construction measures.
• Have large trees near the home inspected for termites.
• If you live in a condo or high-rise, report swarmers on upper floors to building management.

How Toro Gets Rid of Formosan Termites

1. InspectionWe inspect the foundation, slab edges, walls, plumbing areas, roofs, upper floors and nearby trees for mud tubes, carton, damage and swarm evidence.
2. IdentificationWe confirm the species from soldiers or swarmers and look for the moisture sources that feed the colony, including possible aerial colonies.
3. Colony treatmentDepending on the property, we use termite baiting, which workers carry back to the colony, or soil treatment around the structure. Tenting is not used, because it does not reach the colony outside the building.
4. Monitoring and follow-upWe monitor bait stations and treated areas over time. Our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee means that if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.

Toro Pest Management has protected homes and businesses across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys since 1969. Our team trains at the TORO Institute at our Miami headquarters with on-staff entomologists, and we respond within 24 hours, guaranteed. See our termite control service or call 305-594-4767 for a free inspection and $25 off your first service. Hablamos Español.

Formosan subterranean termite: Frequently Asked Questions

Related Pests

• Termites in South Florida
• Asian Subterranean Termite
• Eastern Subterranean Termite
• Drywood Termites
• Ants

Pest Control Across South Florida

Toro treats formosan subterranean termite in homes and businesses throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including:

• Miami
• Hialeah
• Doral
• Miami Beach
• Coral Gables
• Homestead
• Fort Lauderdale
• Hollywood
• Pembroke Pines
• Miramar
• Boca Raton
• West Palm Beach

Last updated: October 29, 2026