Termite season in Texas runs primarily from March through June, with activity extending into October depending on the species. The most visible sign of the season is swarming, when winged termites leave their colonies to mate and start new ones. But termites feed on wood year-round in Texas’s warm climate. The “season” really refers to when you’re most likely to notice them.
Peak Swarming Months by Species
Texas is home to three main termite types, and each one swarms on a different schedule. Subterranean termites, the most common and destructive, swarm in spring between March and May. These are the ones most Texas homeowners encounter first, often after a warm rain.
Formosan termites swarm later, from April through June, with peak activity in late May and early June. They swarm at night and are strongly attracted to lights, so you may find them clustered around porch lights or street lamps on warm, humid evenings. Formosan colonies are massive compared to other subterranean species, sometimes containing millions of individuals, which makes them especially damaging.
Drywood termites round out the season by swarming in late summer and early fall, between August and October. Like Formosan termites, drywood swarmers fly at night toward artificial lights. Unlike subterranean species, drywood termites don’t need contact with soil. They can infest wood furniture, attic framing, and other above-ground wood directly.
Why Texas Has Extended Termite Activity
Texas sits in one of the highest termite risk zones in the country. The combination of warm temperatures, high humidity (especially along the Gulf Coast and in East Texas), and clay-heavy soils creates ideal conditions for subterranean colonies. While swarming is seasonal, feeding never stops. A colony that’s been quietly eating through your home’s framing in January will still be there in July. The swarms just make them visible.
Southern and eastern parts of the state see the heaviest pressure. Cities like Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin all fall within heavy termite activity zones. West Texas is drier and sees less subterranean termite pressure, but drywood termites can thrive anywhere they find exposed wood.
Swarmers vs. Flying Ants
Spring swarms often trigger a moment of panic, but not every winged insect near your home is a termite. Flying ants swarm around the same time, and the two look similar at a glance. A few details separate them clearly.
- Antennae: Termite swarmers have straight antennae. Ant swarmers have antennae that bend at a sharp 90-degree angle.
- Waist: Termites have a thick, broadly joined midsection with no visible pinch between the thorax and abdomen. Ants have a narrow, pinched waist.
- Wings: Termite wings are roughly equal in size, with many visible veins. Ant wings have a larger front pair and a smaller back pair, with fewer veins.
After landing, termites shed their wings. You may find small piles of translucent wings on windowsills, near light fixtures, or along the foundation. If the wings are gone, look at where they were attached: termites leave behind small stubs called scales on the body, while ants leave no trace of the wing attachment point. Finding shed wings indoors, even without seeing the insects themselves, is a strong indicator of an active colony nearby.
Signs of an Active Infestation
Swarmers are the most dramatic sign, but they’re not the only one. Subterranean termites build mud tubes, pencil-width tunnels made of soil and saliva, along foundations, walls, and piers to travel between their underground colony and the wood they’re eating. Check your foundation walls, especially in crawl spaces, for these tubes. Breaking one open and finding live termites inside confirms activity.
Other signs include wood that sounds hollow when tapped, bubbling or uneven paint on wood surfaces, and small piles of what looks like sawdust near wooden structures (this is actually drywood termite droppings, called frass). Doors and windows that suddenly stick or won’t close properly can also point to termite damage warping the frames.
Conditions That Attract Termites
The Texas Department of Agriculture identifies several conditions around a home that make termite infestation more likely. Any place where wood directly contacts soil gives subterranean termites an easy path inside. Firewood stacked against the foundation, wood debris left in crawl spaces, and wood mulch placed within three feet of the foundation all increase risk.
Moisture is the other major factor. Poor drainage that allows water to pool near the foundation, insufficient ventilation in crawl spaces, and faulty grading that directs water toward the house rather than away from it all create the damp conditions termites need. Addressing these issues before swarming season starts in March is the most effective prevention step you can take.
Timing an Inspection
The best time to schedule a professional termite inspection in Texas is late winter, ideally in February, before subterranean swarms begin in March. This gives you time to address any findings before peak season. That said, an inspection is worthwhile any time of year, especially if you’ve noticed swarmers, mud tubes, or damaged wood.
Annual inspections are the standard recommendation for Texas homes, particularly for properties with previous termite history, older construction, or heavy tree cover near the foundation. Termite damage accumulates slowly and silently. Colonies can feed for years before producing swarmers large enough to notice, so waiting for visible signs means the damage is already well underway.