Summary: People are naturally scared of the unknown. What could be more terrifying than termites lurking unseen and unheard within the walls of your own home. Learn about the signs of termites.
If your house has become infested with termites you might not know it. You need to know how to look for signs of termites before it is too late. You need to know what termite damage and other termite evidence looks like.
Subterranean termites live underground and search randomly for food sources by building hundreds of tunnels leading away from their nest. Eventually, they find a good food source and lead other termites to it.
Subterranean termites will stay underground until it is time for them to

Winged Reproductives
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reproduce. Then specific types of termites known as alates, or reproductives, will burst from the soil in a swarming mass. The flying insects swarm above ground for a short time, try to find a mate, and then die or return underground to start a new colony. This normally happens in the spring, but can also occur a second time in the fall.
If they happen to swarm out of their tunnels and find themselves inside your house they will probably fly towards windows because they are attracted to light and want to be outside. Luckily, they will die within a few hours indoors and are not dangerous. However, the swarm is Mother Nature's way of saying, “Call an exterminator, dear!”

Termite Mud Tubes
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Subterranean termites need moisture to survive, so they build mud tubes to travel across surfaces that they cannot burrow through. These tubes are brown, about the diameter of a pencil, and can be found on exterior walls, support beams or in crawl spaces. If you find tubes like this it is sure evidence you have a termite problem and a termite treatment is required.
Termites usually have one king and a queen that lays the eggs. Worker termites gather food, which is cellulose material like decaying wood or paper, and bring it back to the other termites in the colony. They use the tubes to protect themselves from predators and to keep them moisturized.
Termites usually stay below the surface of wood, so they can be very difficult to find, even for an expert. Darkened or blistering wood is another indication of an infestation. If wood is very thin and can be easily poked through or it seems hollow if you tap on it, it may have been damaged by termites. Sometimes ripples or indentations can be seen in the wood. Look for fecal

Termite Damage
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pellets which are small and granular, usually white or black, or any small holes in wooden walls, baseboards or beams. These small holes might have a little sawdust around them where particles of wood have been pushed through.
Rotting wood is attractive to termites, so any wood that has been exposed to moisture should be checked first. Any siding like stucco, wood or even brick veneer coming in contact with the ground may promote termite activity. Termites can attack the siding materials without building exposed mud tubes and would not be detected with a visual inspection.
Keep attics and foundation areas dry by having good ventilation systems in place and seal any cracks in the foundation. Check utility and service boxes for mud tubes. Remove untreated fence posts, tree stumps and any other scrap wood from around your property. Any adjoining structures like sheds or garages should also be inspected to identify an insect infestation.
Comments
Dyann
25 Jul 2009, 22:42
We have a 50 plus year old log cabin. This year we have had a problem with
wood pecker(s) taking chunks out of the logs all around the cabin. In past
years, we have seen a family of pleated woodpeckers. We have a "bugman"
come every month during the srping/summer to spray for carpenter ants. Is
there anything else we can do?
Ask the Exterminator
26 Jul 2009, 19:22
For the carpenter ants you need to resolve an existing moisture problem.
The carpenter ants are attracted to wood that is water saturated. I cannot
imagine why your exterminator has not explained that to you. While the
woodpeckers may be attracted to the carpenter ants I can almost guarantee
you that is not the only reason they are present. At various times
woodpeckers drum to find mates or warn away other males. Of course, they
also create holes in their search for insects, too. Read about woodpecker
deterents in my "Bird" category.
Debbie
26 Jul 2009, 19:34
Last night about dusk I noticed swarms of insects coming out of the ground
around a large old tree in my yard, in looking at photos on line they
appear to be swarming termites. The were coming out of the ground in more
than 15 places. Looking at the area closer it looks like they could have
been coming out of the roots of the tree. Do you think that means the tree
is dying and should I be worried about my house?
Ask the Exterminator
26 Jul 2009, 19:36
The termites could, in fact, be emerging from the tree roots and that means
the tree is in serious decline. Termites only attack dead wood.
Termites are in the soil all around us. I would only be concerned if you
are seeing signs of termites like mud tubes, swarmers or damages to wooden
structures in or on your house.
Jean
28 Jul 2009, 12:53
There is a swagged light fixture hanging over our dining room table. Twice
recently I have noticed a small amount of "debris" on the table right under
where the fixture is attached to the joists. Looking with a magnifying
glass today, I noticed what appears to be two larvae, each no more than
3/16 of an inch long, with two hairy-like appendages coming from their
heads. The rest of the debris appears to be mostly white (against our dark
table) with a smattering of darker debris. What are we looking at here,
and what do you suggest is our easiest solution?
Chris
28 Jul 2009, 14:03
Recently I have noticed small piles of dark colored like sawdust around 2
spots on my exterior, concrete patio and one in my garage. We live in AZ
where it is very dry. There are no drainage issues, no moisture at all,
it's very dry, I have gone looking for the tubes discussed of termites and
see nothing, but a few days after I sweep there will be another pile in the
same place. There have been no swarms, no unusual ants, any ideas?
Thanks,
Ask the Exterminator
28 Jul 2009, 14:42
It sounds like ants, but without a specimen I'm shooting in the dark.
Jean
29 Jul 2009, 13:30
Was your response about ants for me or for Chris from AZ? We live in N.
IL, and have seen no signs of ants, unless the "debris" is from some.
Several years ago we had bees in the bedroom directly above the dining room
where we're now seeing debris on the table. After the season ended, we
were advised by an exterminator to close up the spot where they had
entered, which we did, and have never been bothered with them again. Could
bees have left anything behind that would attract ants?
Ask the Exterminator
29 Jul 2009, 13:33
Both. Please ask your questions using the "Ask the Exterminator a Question"
button at the top of the page. Then, the answers will come directly to you
instead of via the comments page.
Tina
31 Jul 2009, 10:23
A good friend of mine has found mud tubes coming out of the wall in her
daughters bedroom. The landlord had everything sprayed around the
foundation roughly 6 weeks ago. They have a crawl space under this duplex.
With these now coming through the walls is the integrity of the house
compromised?
Ask the Exterminator
31 Jul 2009, 10:25
If a complete sub-soil termite treatment was done it should control the
infesting termites. If the treatment was just a surface spray of the soil,
nothing has been controlled.
Elaine
01 Aug 2009, 15:23
I have noticed what appears to be debris of some kind that crumbles up
popping out from my ceiling. I cleaned it off only to have it grow out of
my ceiling again. When I took a paper towel to remove it, again this
crumbling dirt like debris and now I have 2 tiny holes in my ceiling. What
is causing this, is it termites?
Ask the Exterminator
01 Aug 2009, 17:48
Sounds like termites to me. Each tme you wipe off the debris it gets
rebuilt by the termites in the ceiling. That is a sign of an active
infestation. Call in a professional.
mary
19 Aug 2009, 15:41
so the family i live with and i just noticed yesturday that there were
small white bugs on the cups we had set to dry the night before. we washed
down the board we set them on with bleach water as well as the cups
themselves. today we noticed more of them but smaller than yesturdays bugs?
could they possibly be larvae? what can we do to prevent futher damage
without bombing our house?
LYNNE
30 Aug 2009, 20:14
Three weeks ago, i noticed a small amount of gravel-like material at the
base of my house. I cleaned it away & poured a thick line of borax
(white). It took 3 weeks but I now have about a tablespoonful of material
on the borax.
Do I have termites eating my walls? If so, is there a way I can take care
of the problem myself?
Lance
08 Sep 2009, 14:47
I noticed some pellets on the ground outside my house but they are dirt
colored, not white or black. What could this be? I did not see any right up
against the house.