Pest control questions for North Charleston homeowners

A technician checks the structure for subterranean termites and wood damage, starting at the sub-floor where the house has one. Drywood termites live inside timber with no soil contact, so a soil barrier does not reach them.

It is an unofficial name. For some South Carolinians it means the American cockroach, and along the coast it often means the smokybrown, which is dark mahogany, shiny, and a strong flier drawn to lights. Read the palmetto bug guide.

Native subterranean termites swarm in early spring, usually in the afternoon. Formosan swarmers come later, from mid-May to July, usually in the evening and drawn to lights. Sources differ on when Formosan swarms start, so see the swarm season guide.

They are small and tan with two dark stripes behind the head. The female carries her egg case until the eggs are nearly ready to hatch. They keep to kitchens and bathrooms and do not fly, despite having wings.

The coast is warm and humid most of the year, with no winter freeze deep enough to stop breeding. Humid air entering a vented crawl space can condense on cold ducts and joists, and sustained damp feeds wood-decay fungi.

Charleston County treats larvae in standing water from the air and adults by ground spraying. It chooses where to spray using surveillance and reports from the public. Read the county mosquito guide.

Yes. The Asian tiger mosquito, the most common daytime biter in the Carolinas, breeds in standing water in gutters, bird baths, flower pots, tires and tarps. Draining those containers matters more than night fogging, which often does not control it.

Old raised frame houses downtown have exposed framing and deep porches. Mid-century homes in West Ashley, Hanahan and older North Charleston usually sit on vented crawl spaces, while post-1995 homes in areas like Cane Bay are often slab-on-grade.