Termite Treatment in the Lehigh Valley, PA
Eastern subterranean termites are active throughout Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton — and the Lehigh Valley's older wood-frame homes are especially vulnerable. Learn the signs of termite activity, spring swarming season, and the difference between liquid barrier and bait systems.
Termite Treatment in the Lehigh Valley, PA
The Lehigh Valley — encompassing Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and the surrounding communities of Lehigh and Northampton counties — is active termite territory. Eastern subterranean termites (*Reticulitermes flavipes*) are present throughout both counties, and the region's stock of older wood-frame housing provides the conditions these pests need to cause significant structural damage. L&L Pest Control treats termite infestations throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties — here's what Lehigh Valley homeowners need to know.
Why the Lehigh Valley Has Termite Risk
Eastern subterranean termites require three things: moisture, warmth, and cellulose (wood). The Lehigh Valley's climate and housing stock deliver all three.
Lehigh and Northampton counties receive 40–50 inches of precipitation annually — enough to maintain the soil moisture levels that subterranean termite colonies depend on. The Lehigh River and its tributary stream network maintain elevated groundwater and soil moisture throughout the valley floor. Many of the region's most densely populated neighborhoods — South Side Bethlehem, Old Allentown, downtown Easton — are built on this historically moist, low-lying terrain.
The housing stock adds risk. Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton all have extensive inventories of pre-WWII wood-frame construction — row homes, Victorian-era houses, and early 20th-century multi-unit buildings with original dimensional lumber framing, basement or crawl space construction, and decades of accumulated moisture damage at foundation level. Wood-to-soil contact points — porch steps, deck posts, stair stringers, basement window frames — are the entry points termites exploit.
Swarming Season in Lehigh and Northampton Counties
Spring termite swarmers are among the most alarming pest events Lehigh Valley homeowners encounter. Eastern subterranean termites swarm on warm, humid days from late March through May — typically the first day with temperatures above 70°F following a rain. Swarmers emerge from the ground or from inside wall voids in large numbers, shed their wings, and attempt to pair and establish new colonies.
Finding swarmers indoors — emerging from a gap near a baseboard, around a window frame, or from the floor near an exterior wall — is a serious indicator of an established interior colony. Outdoors, seeing swarmers emerge from mulch beds, soil near the foundation, or from a wood pile adjacent to the house indicates soil-based colonies near the structure.
Termite swarmers are frequently confused with flying ants. The key distinction: termite swarmers have straight, bead-like antennae; equal-length front and back wings much longer than the body; and no pinched waist. Flying ants have elbowed antennae, unequal wings, and a clearly pinched waist.
Slab vs. Basement Construction in the Lehigh Valley
Termite treatment approaches differ between the Lehigh Valley's two primary foundation types.
Basement construction — common in Allentown's historic row homes and Bethlehem's South Side — provides access to the foundation perimeter for thorough liquid termiticide application. The basement also provides visual access to foundation walls, sill plates, and floor joists for inspection. Treatment of basement-construction homes involves trenching and treating the soil around the exterior perimeter plus drilling and treating through the basement floor adjacent to the interior foundation wall.
Slab-on-grade construction — more common in post-WWII development throughout Whitehall, Salisbury Township, Hanover Township, and newer residential developments in Northampton and Lehigh counties — requires a different treatment protocol. Subterranean termites can enter slab structures through expansion joints, utility penetrations, and any crack in the concrete. Treatment involves trenching and treating the exterior perimeter and drilling and treating through the slab at regular intervals along interior walls. Slab treatments require more drilling than basement treatments and are generally more complex to perform correctly.
Liquid Barrier vs. Bait Systems: Which Is Right for Your Property?
Both liquid termiticide barrier treatments and bait station systems are effective — but they work differently and suit different property types.
Liquid termiticide barrier (soil treatment): A non-repellent liquid termiticide is applied to the soil around and under the structure, creating a continuous treated zone. Termites that pass through the treated soil pick up a lethal dose and carry it back to the colony. Modern non-repellent termiticides (like Termidor) are highly effective and provide long-lasting residual protection — typically 5–10 years. Liquid treatment is the preferred first-line option for active infestations in Lehigh Valley homes and for high-risk properties with extensive wood-to-soil contact.
Bait station systems (e.g., Sentricon): Monitoring stations are installed in the soil around the perimeter. When termite activity is detected at a station, a slow-acting bait is introduced that worker termites consume and share with the colony. Bait systems are appropriate for ongoing monitoring after liquid treatment, for environmentally sensitive locations, and for slab-construction properties where liquid treatment is more complex to apply uniformly.
For most Lehigh Valley properties with active infestations or high structural risk, L&L recommends liquid treatment as the primary intervention, with annual bait station monitoring for continued protection.
When to Schedule an Inspection
Annual termite inspections are recommended for Lehigh Valley homeowners — particularly those with pre-1960 wood-frame construction, basement or crawl space foundations, wood-to-soil contact points, or properties adjacent to wooded areas or stream corridors. Call immediately if you observe mud tubes on foundation walls, swarmers emerging from inside the home, or hollow-sounding structural wood.
L&L Pest Control offers professional termite inspections and treatment throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties. Call (570) 992-3487 for a free estimate. Serving Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton counties.