Mud tubes: the classic sign
Thin brown tunnels about pencil-width, running up foundation walls, piers, or along baseboards. Subterranean termites build them to travel between soil and wood while staying moist. Break a small section open — if you see tiny cream-colored workers inside, the colony is active. Even empty tubes mean termites were there, which means an inspection is overdue.
Discarded wings after a swarm
After spring swarmers take flight, they shed their wings. Piles of small translucent wings on windowsills, near doors, or on patios — with no bodies nearby — are a hallmark termite sign. People often sweep them up without realizing what they were. Next swarm season, look before you sweep.
Wood that sounds wrong
Tap baseboards, door frames, and windowsills. Wood that sounds hollow or papery, paint that blisters like water damage, or wood that crumbles under light pressure can all mean termites eating from the inside out. Subterranean termites leave a thin veneer; drywood termites leave smooth galleries.
The pellet piles people mistake for sawdust
Drywood termites push tiny hexagonal pellets — frass — out of their tunnels. Small piles under wooden furniture, beams, or attic wood that look like sawdust or coffee grounds are worth a closer look. Sawdust from construction is random; frass piles appear under specific kick-out holes.
Doors and windows that suddenly stick
Termite damage and the moisture they introduce can warp wood frames, making doors and windows stick for no obvious reason. It is easy to blame humidity — and sometimes it is just humidity. But combined with any sign above, it is worth checking.
Spot a sign? Do not spray them.
Household insecticide scatters the colony and makes professional treatment harder. Send us the form with a photo for a free termite inspection.