Rain brings out flying insects. What to know about subterranean termites

By Olivia Gonࠤález-Britt, KSBY

*This article is from KSBY.com

The post-rain sunny weather on the Central Coast has brought out hundreds of subterranean termites to some Nipomo neighborhoods.

If you've noticed these insects buzzing around your home following the weekend rain, don't be fooled by their small size — they could pose a significant threat to your property.

“There definitely is a threat, yes," said Greg Crist, president of Central Coast Termite Incorporated. "And you should have it checked out."

Over the weekend, reports flooded in on a local social media page, with residents sharing their sightings.

“Flying termites this morning after the rain,” one resident wrote in the Nipomo Neighbors Facebook group, accompanied by a picture of the insects.

Another described them as being “everywhere."

These are subterranean termites, typically emerging from the underground on hot days following a period of rain, much like the weather we experienced this weekend.

Crist anticipates a surge in calls from concerned clients this week.

He says dry wood termites often require tenting and cost thousands of dollars to exterminate. In contrast, tenting is not needed to exterminate subterranean termites. While still a substantial investment, it is less disruptive for clients.

“A typical tract home, you know, 1,500 square feet is going to be somewhere in the $1,200 to $1,500 range, something like that,” Crist said.

Exterminators like Crist use a machine to inject insecticides into areas around homes. Unlike the tenting fumigation process, residents are not required to vacate their homes.

Crist says taking action is crucial. If you’re seeing these insects around your home this week, it might be time to call pest control.

“The expensive part is the damage that they do. It can be five, six, eight, $10,000 in damage.”

And as these insects continue to buzz around, residents in Nipomo are getting a crash course on the risks they might pose.

“I have not seen anything, but I will have my daughter look. She's got the eyes of a hawk, so if they're there, she'll see them,” said Kathryn Sperry, Nipomo resident.