MEMPHIS, TN  - Terminix released its annual ranking of the most termite-infested cities in the country. California and Texas dominated the list, earning six of the top 10 spots.  

"Termites thrive in warm, moist environments, making southern states like California, Texas and Florida the perfect environment for their destructive behavior," said Doug Webb, Terminix expert on wood-destroying insects. "But living elsewhere doesn't mean you're safe." In fact, says Webb, termites are active in all 50 states - except Alaska, naturally.

This list was created by compiling termite-specific calls to more than 300 Terminix branches across the country. The rankings represent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with the highest volume of leads throughout 2014. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas-Forth Worth and Houston all moved up the list this year, previously holding spots two, eight, five and nine, respectively. San Diego, the previous leader, dropped three spots.

According to a recent study from Harris Interactive, the average damage caused by termite infestations is $8,184, and is generally not covered by homeowners insurance.

Signs of infestation include discarded wings near doors or windowsills, mud tubes, or wood that sounds hollow when tapped. There are more than 2,000 termite species and they cause $5 billion in damage annually, says Terminix.