Do Stumps Attract Termites?

Can a tree stump attract termites?

Yes. A rotting stump is dead wood sitting in moist soil, and that's what termites eat. The University of Tennessee Extension calls subterranean termites the most destructive wood-feeding insects in Tennessee. It says they feed on cellulose, which usually comes from wood, and that they help recycle dead, fallen trees back into the soil.

Penn State Extension says the same kind of termite feeds on old roots, tree stumps, fallen limbs, and similar material. So an old stump in your yard is a food source termites will find.

Does a stump mean termites will get in my house?

Not by itself. Termites live in the soil all around us whether there's a stump or not. A stump doesn't create termites. It gives them more food close by.

Here's the part that matters, from UT Extension: termites don't easily tell the difference between a dead pine tree and pine lumber. To a termite, a dead tree and the wood in your house are both food. A stump close to the house gives a colony a reason to work that part of the yard.

NC State Extension notes that swarmers seen outdoors near stumps or landscape timbers are not a sign your house is infested. They are a reminder that termites live around us.

Which termites are we talking about in Tennessee?

Subterranean termites. They live in the ground and travel through soil to reach wood. UT Extension lists three native subterranean termites in Tennessee:

• The eastern subterranean termite
• The southeastern subterranean termite
• The light southeastern subterranean termite

UT Extension also covers the Formosan termite, which it says is less picky and will often hollow out a tree trunk or a wooden beam.

What do extension experts say to do about stumps near a house?

Remove them. Ohio State University Extension's termite control fact sheet tells homeowners to remove old tree stumps and roots around and beneath the building, and to avoid or limit wood mulch next to the foundation.

Here's a simple list to cut down on termite food around your house:

• Grind out old stumps near the house
• Grind out big surface roots near the foundation
• Keep firewood stacked off the ground and away from the house
• Keep wood mulch pulled back from the foundation and off the siding
• Don't leave scrap lumber or old landscape timbers lying around
• Fix drainage so soil next to the house doesn't stay wet

Does stump grinding get rid of termites?

Grinding gets rid of the food, not the colony. If termites are living in a stump, grinding it destroys that wood, but the colony lives in the soil and can go elsewhere. If you see signs of termites in or near your house, like mud tubes on the foundation, call a licensed pest control company first. Then deal with the stump.

If the termites are just in a stump out in the yard, grinding it is a good idea. It removes the food source and gets the dead wood out of the ground.

Our stump removal service grinds the stump below grade so there's no wood left above ground. If you want the chips gone too, ask about cleanup, topsoil and grass seed.

Are the wood chips a termite problem?

Fresh chips are wood, so treat them like mulch. Don't pile them against the house or the siding. Spread them in beds away from the foundation, or have them hauled. In the open yard, a thin layer of chips breaks down fairly fast.

What about carpenter ants and other bugs in stumps?

Rotting stumps draw other bugs too. Carpenter ants nest in soft, damp wood. Beetles and other insects move into rotting stumps. Most of these don't hurt your house, but carpenter ants can nest in wet, damaged wood in a building. Getting old stumps out of the yard removes a place for all of them to live.