Most of Alabama deals with one economically serious termite: the native Eastern subterranean. Mobile deals with three — and one of them is the most destructive termite species in North America.

Formosan subterranean termites came through the Gulf ports decades ago and found a permanent home in Mobile’s warm, wet climate. The numbers are what make them different: a mature native colony might hold a few hundred thousand termites, while a mature Formosan colony can run into the millions. They build carton nests that hold moisture inside walls, which means they don’t always need to return to soil — and they can do in two years the structural damage a native colony does in eight. Old-growth neighborhoods like Midtown, Oakleigh, and Old Dauphin Way, with their mature oaks and older framing, carry some of the heaviest pressure in the city.

Native Eastern subterranean termites are still everywhere on the Gulf Coast — they’re the ones behind most of the mud tubes homeowners find on slab edges and pier foundations in spring.

Drywood termites skip the soil entirely and live inside the wood itself — window frames, furniture, attic framing — which is why their treatment conversation (spot treatment vs. fumigation) is completely different from the soil-treatment conversation.

Species drives everything: the treatment method, the product class, the monitoring plan, and the price. Which is why the first question worth asking any operator is the one in the next section.

• Liquid soil treatments (e.g., Termidor-class termiticides). A treated zone around and under the foundation. Non-repellent chemistry lets foragers carry it back into the colony. The workhorse for native subterranean pressure on slab homes.
• Bait systems (e.g., Sentricon-class). In-ground stations the colony feeds on, with growth-regulator baits that collapse it over time. Often favored for Formosan pressure, pier-and-beam homes, and properties where trenching is impractical — and they double as ongoing monitoring.
• Spot & wood treatments. For localized drywood galleries — borate applications, injected foams, or targeted removal. Widespread drywood activity turns into a fumigation conversation.
• Annual bonds & monitoring. Many Gulf Coast operators offer a renewable termite bond — an annual inspection plus retreatment terms if activity returns. In Formosan country, the monitoring cadence is honestly the product. Ask exactly what the bond covers: retreat-only or repair coverage.

Which one fits your house depends on construction, soil, moisture, and species — that’s the operator’s call to make on site, and their quote to give. If you want to compare two operators’ recommendations, that’s a reasonable thing to do and no one on this line will pressure you out of it.

• “Which species did you confirm, and how?” Formosan vs. native vs. drywood changes method and budget. A quote with no species behind it is a guess with a price tag.
• “Liquid, bait, or both — and why for my house?” The right answer references your foundation type, soil contact, and moisture — not a one-size package.
• “What’s your ADAI license number?” Verify it with the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries Pesticide Management Section at (334) 240-7240 before work begins. Legitimate operators expect this.
• “What does the bond cover — retreat only, or repairs?” The difference matters enormously in Formosan country. Get the renewal price and transferability in writing.
• “What did you find in the crawlspace and attic?” If nobody went under the house or above the ceiling, the inspection isn’t finished — especially on pier-and-beam homes in the historic districts.