Pompano Beach is one of the only U.S. cities where three different subterranean termite species coexist on the same block: native Eastern subterranean, the Formosan super-termite that arrived from Hallandale in the early 1980s, and the Asian subterranean (Coptotermes gestroi) that established along the Broward coast a decade later. Each one builds mud tubes. Each one needs a different treatment. Visit Pompano Termite Control for the company background.
Reticulitermes flavipes. Florida’s baseline subterranean species — the “normal” termite Pompano homeowners have dealt with for a century. Colonies number 60,000 to 1,000,000 workers. Pencil-thin mud tubes on foundation walls. Swarms in early spring, light orange-brown alates.
Treatment: Termidor® HE liquid barrier or Sentricon® Always Active baiting. Either method consistently collapses the colony when applied to spec.
Coptotermes formosanus. Arrived in Hallandale in the early 1980s; now established in most of Broward. Colonies of 5–10 million workers. Builds carton nests inside wall voids — secondary colonies above ground.
Treatment: Combination protocol — Sentricon® + Termidor® together.
Coptotermes gestroi. Established later than Formosan along the Broward coast. UF/IFAS researchers found a Formosan × Asian hybrid colony tunneling a Fort Lauderdale tree in 2015 — more aggressive than either parent.
Treatment: Combination protocol, with Trelona® ATBS sometimes substituted when uptake matrix favors it.
Subterranean termites live in soil. They are vulnerable to desiccation the instant they leave it — so to reach wood above ground, they construct enclosed mud tubes that maintain colony humidity. The shape and size of those tubes is the first clue to the species.
Do not break the tubes open with a garden hose. The workers scatter into nearby galleries and the colony reroutes around the disturbance — making identification harder and our work more expensive.
Non-repellent fipronil applied to a continuous trench around the slab perimeter. Termites cannot detect it — they walk through, carry the active ingredient back to the colony, and pass it through trophallaxis. A correctly applied Termidor® HE barrier protects a Pompano slab for ten years or more. Best when the foundation perimeter has open soil access.
Liquid barrier detailsIn-ground stations at ten-foot intervals around the structure, loaded with noviflumuron — an insect growth regulator that prevents molting. Workers feed, share, fail to molt, colony collapses. Best when hardscape, patios, or landscape features block trenching.
Sentricon® detailsSentricon® + Termidor® deployed together. Used for Formosan and Asian subterranean colonies, where single-method treatment is unreliable. The liquid barrier kills the perimeter foragers while the bait collapses the queen-bearing primary colony.
Formosan combinationEPA reduced-risk classification chlorantraniliprole — used when pets, koi, pollinator gardens, or chickens are on the property and a homeowner prefers low-tox chemistry.
Foundation line walked and measured. AC pads, irrigation lines, planters, hardscape — anything that breaks the trench gets flagged for a drill-and-treat workaround.
Continuous 6-inch trench against the foundation. Hardscape penetrations get pilot-drilled at 12-inch intervals.
4 gallons per 10 linear feet at 0.06% finished concentration. Mixed on-site, applied with a soil-applicator nozzle, soaked in.
Soil replaced, photos taken, GPS-tagged for warranty. 12-month inspection scheduled.
| Treatment | Unit price | Typical home cost | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Termidor® HE liquid barrier | $7 – $12 / linear ft | $1,400 – $2,800 | 5–10 yr retreatment |
| Sentricon® Always Active | $8 – $12 / linear ft + monitoring | $1,200 – $3,800 + $280/yr | Lifetime w/ contract |
| Combination (Formosan) | By quote | $2,500 – $4,500 | 10 yr + lifetime bait |
| Altriset® reduced-risk | $9 – $14 / linear ft | $1,800 – $3,200 | 5 yr retreatment |
Hardscape penetration drills, AC-pad workarounds, and re-trenching of disturbed soil all priced into the quote. No add-ons appear after the contract is signed.
Subterranean activity correlates with soil moisture — irrigated golf communities, canal-front properties, and mature landscape produce the highest call volume.
Pencil-thick mud tubes climbing the foundation, slab edge, pier blocks, weep holes, or interior walls. Native Eastern subterraneans build small tubes; Formosan colonies build thicker carton material. Spring swarms of dark-bodied alates around lamps and pool screens are the other early indicator. Subterraneans do not leave frass — they pack galleries with mud.
For native subterraneans, either Termidor® HE liquid barrier or Sentricon® Always Active baiting. Choice depends on slab access. For Formosan or Asian subterraneans, combination protocol — Sentricon® plus Termidor® together — because single-method treatment is unreliable against millions-of-workers colonies.
Termidor® HE averages $7–$12 per linear foot ($1,400–$2,800 for an average home). Sentricon® Always Active installation $1,200–$3,800 + ~$280/year. Combination protocols $2,500–$4,500 plus monitoring.
Yes. Formosan and Asian subterraneans both need soil moisture and build mud carton chambers. They differ in colony size (millions vs hundreds of thousands), aggression, and the ability to establish secondary colonies above ground inside walls with persistent moisture.
A Termidor® HE perimeter trench is typically 4–6 hours for an average single-family home. Sentricon® installation is 2–3 hours. Combination protocols take a full day. None require you to leave the property.
Both Termidor® HE and Sentricon® are EPA-registered and applied below grade — pets and gardens are not exposed in normal use. If you have koi, chickens, or extensive pollinator plantings adjacent to the trench, we substitute Altriset® (EPA reduced-risk classification) for a slower but lower-tox approach.
We need them intact to identify the species. Free inspection identifies the genus — native, Formosan, Asian subterranean, or hybrid — then we pick the matching treatment.