Termites on Dead Plant Roots: Not the Cause of Death—Check Water and Nutrients

The insects on the roots of your dying rosemary and pomegranate are termites—but they're scavenging dead tissue, not killing live plants. Termites eat cellulose (dead wood, roots, mulch); they don't attack healthy, living roots.

The Real Problem

Multiple unrelated plants dying suggests a site-wide issue:

• Irrigation: Too much (root rot) or too little (desiccation). Check soil moisture at root depth.
• Nutrients: Deficiency or toxicity. Soil test (pH, N-P-K, micros).
• Drainage: Standing water suffocates roots.
• Soil pathogens: Phytophthora, Armillaria—test if others fail.

Action

1. Dig a test hole: check soil moisture, smell (sour = anaerobic), root color (white = healthy, brown/black = dead).
2. Adjust watering: deep, infrequent for woody plants.
3. Soil test via local Extension.
4. Ignore the termites—they're cleanup crew, not the culprit.

Fix the cultural conditions; the termites will disappear when there's no dead wood.