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If you want to protect your Southern California home, learning the warning signs of termites is essential. Termites are often called “silent destroyers” because they can secretly consume your biggest investment from the inside out. Whether you’re worried about termites in your house, curious about what termite damage looks like, or searching for signs of termites in your yard or baseboards, this guide covers everything you need to know—including when to call in The Termite Guy for professional help.
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What Does a Termite Infestation Look Like?
Before you start searching for termite evidence, it helps to know what termites look like to the human eye. While most termites are small and pale, their caste system includes different forms you might see—even if rarely. Understanding their appearance will help you recognize a problem early and distinguish termites from harmless pests.
How Do Termites Look? (Workers, Soldiers, and Swarmers)
Termite workers are creamy white or translucent, about the size of a grain of rice, and usually hidden inside wood. Soldiers look similar but have larger, dark heads with powerful jaws. Reproductive swarmers, seen during swarming season, are black or brown with long, equal-length wings. Many people mistake them for flying ants, but close examination reveals their straight antennae and broad waists.
What Do Baby Termites Look Like?
Baby termites, also called termite larvae, are tiny, pale, and soft-bodied. They resemble miniature worker termites and are rarely seen outside the colony. If you do see them, it usually means a heavy infestation or that you’ve disturbed a nest.
How Small Are Termites?
Workers and soldiers average 1/8 inch long, while swarmers are slightly larger, up to 3/8 inch with wings. Their eggs and larvae are much smaller, almost pinhead-sized and white or translucent.
15 Warning Signs of Termites in and Around Your Home
1. Mud Tubes Along Walls, Foundation, or Baseboards
Pencil-width mud tubes are one of the most visible signs of subterranean termites in house or yard. Termites build these tubes from soil and saliva to travel protected from sunlight and predators. Look for mud tubes climbing concrete, brick, or drywall—especially in basements, crawlspaces, garages, and along baseboards. Signs of termites in baseboards or concrete often start with these tubes.
2. Termite Holes in Drywall, Wood, or Sheetrock
What do termite holes look like? Unlike carpenter ants, termites rarely make large open holes; instead, you may spot small exit holes or plugged holes in drywall, wood trim, furniture, or even sheetrock. Signs of termites in drywall, window sills, or baseboard wood may include pinhead-sized perforations or a pitted surface. In rare cases, severe infestations may even involve termites in concrete or damage to sheetrock tape and joints.
3. Discarded Wings Near Windowsills and Doors
If you find piles of delicate, equal-length wings on window sills, door frames, or under light fixtures, you are likely seeing evidence of a termite swarm. Termite reproductives shed their wings after a mating flight, so these signs may indicate an active colony in the house or close by.
4. Termite Poop: What Does Termite Droppings Look Like?
Termite droppings—or frass—appear as tiny, hard, pellet-shaped grains. If you’re wondering, “what does termite poop look like?” or “what do termite droppings look like?” check for small piles beneath damaged wood, behind baseboards, or in window sills. Frass often looks like sawdust or coffee grounds. Drywood termites push their droppings out of tiny holes, while subterranean termites use droppings inside their tunnels, so less frass is seen with subs.
5. Damaged or Hollow-Sounding Wood
What does termite damage look like? Tap on wood beams, floors, or sills; termite-infested wood often sounds hollow or papery. This happens because termites devour wood from the inside, leaving only a thin outer shell. You may find buckling, soft spots, or visible layering when you probe suspect areas—a sure sign of termites inside house framing, fences, or even trees.
6. Bubbling or Peeling Paint as a Sign of Termites
Termites in walls can allow moisture to seep between wood and paint, causing blistering, bubbling, or peeling. If your paint appears water-damaged with no history of leaks, you may be seeing early signs of termites in drywall, walls, or behind trim. This visual clue is especially important on exterior siding and in humid climates.
7. Blistered, Sagging, or Uneven Floors
Termites sometimes eat subflooring, making floors feel spongy or causing visible warping or dips. Signs of termites include changes to the contour or firmness of wood or laminate floors, as well as persistent squeaks in newly affected areas.
8. Tight-Fitting Doors and Windows
If windows or doors that used to open freely now stick or seem slightly off-kilter, it may not be humidity alone. Termite damage inside frames can distort the wood just enough to affect operation, signaling it’s time for a closer look at these potential signs of termites.
9. Piles of Dead Termites or Swarmers Inside the House
After a swarm, you may find dead termites across window sills, floors, or near lights. Dead termites are soft, pale, and slightly larger than ants, often found together with piles of wings. Spotting dead termites inside house or garage is never normal—this is a clear sign of an active, nearby colony.
10. Termite Nest on Wall or Termite Nest in House
While many termites nest underground, sometimes you’ll find an above-ground nest (carton nest) in a wall void or attic in heavy infestations. Signs of termites in wall cavities include mysterious bulges, mud-packed holes, or dark, spongy masses behind drywall. If you see a termite nest on wall surfaces, this is an urgent call for professional inspection.
11. Signs of Termites in Yard, Trees, or Mulch
Your yard may show termite warning signs before your home is invaded. Inspect wooden fences, stumps, mulch, and trees for mud tubes or galleries under the bark. Termites in yard can also attack living trees—signs of termites in trees include galleries under the bark and sap runs. These outdoor infestations serve as a critical early warning.
Do Termites Eat Live Trees?
Yes, some species target living trees, especially if they are stressed or damaged. Watch for hollow sounds, holes, or mud tubes at the base of trunks or in exposed roots.
12. Quiet Clicking or Tapping Noises in Walls
Termite soldiers sometimes bang their heads or shake to signal danger. You may hear clicking, tapping, or a faint rustling inside walls when infestations are severe, especially at night when everything else is quiet.
13. What Do Termite Eggs, Babies, and Larvae Look Like?
Termite Eggs on Wall or Nest
Termite eggs are tiny, white, and oval and are usually hidden deep inside nests or gallery systems. Finding clusters of “popcorn kernel”-like eggs on walls or inside mud nests is rare and a definite sign you’ve exposed a colony.
Termite Babies (Larvae)
Baby termites, or larvae, look like miniature workers—small, whitish, and soft-bodied, often seen clinging to eggs or in heavily infested wood.
14. Termite Tunnels: What Do Termite Tunnels Look Like?
Termite tunnels, or galleries, are maze-like channels inside wood beams, furniture, or trees. What does a termite tunnel look like? Unlike ant tunnels (which are smooth and clean), termite tunnels appear rough, filled with frass and soil, and often lack symmetry.
What Does a Termite Nest Look Like?
Large, carton-like masses or mud-packed areas inside walls, floors, or trees where multiple tunnels converge often signal the heart of a colony.
15. Are Termites Active? Signs They Have Returned
It’s common to wonder how to tell if termites are gone after treatment. Look for reappearance of mud tubes, fresh frass, new termite holes, or live termites. New construction damage, ongoing wood hollowing, and tight doors or windows after prior repair are all signs termites may still be active or have returned.
What Should You Do If You Notice Signs of Termites?
If you recognize any of these warning signs of termites—or are even unsure—take these important steps right away. Do not disturb possible nests, tunnels, or visible damage more than necessary, as this can send termites deeper into hiding. Professionals can gather the best evidence if the scene is left untouched. Document what you find (photos, locations), collect a sample if possible, and reach out for a thorough inspection as soon as possible.
How The Termite Guy Can Help If You Notice Signs of Termite Activity
Spotting even a single sign of termites means it’s time to involve a professional termite control expert. The Termite Guy is Southern California’s go-to team for reliable termite inspections, pest identification, and eco-friendly treatments. Our technicians inspect every possible hiding place—inside, outside, crawlspaces, attics, and even in hard-to-reach wall cavities. We use advanced detection tools to uncover hidden nests, pinpoint the exact species, and ensure a targeted, effective approach.
We also handle repairs, wood replacements, and can help with moisture management and ongoing protection. With hundreds of five-star reviews and a strong local reputation, The Termite Guy guarantees your satisfaction and peace of mind.
Service Areas and Response
The Termite Guy serves Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. We offer free inspections in most service areas and provide same-day and next-day availability for urgent termite problems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Signs of Termites
How do I find out if I have termites?
Catching termites early often means spotting mud tubes, frass, hollow wood, or discarded wings. If you see one or more warning signs, schedule a professional inspection—The Termite Guy uses technology and expertise for the most accurate assessment.
What do termite droppings look like?
Termite droppings (frass) look like tiny, hard, sand-like pellets in concentrated piles, usually tan or brown in color.
Can termites eat drywall or sheetrock?
Yes, termites can chew through paper coverings on drywall and even attack underlying sheetrock, causing bubbling or holes.
How do I know if termites are gone after treatment?
Regular professional inspections, lack of new mud tubes/frass, and no new signs of damage mean your treatment was successful. The Termite Guy offers follow-up and ongoing monitoring to keep your home termite-free.
Schedule a Termite Inspection with The Termite Guy
If you see any signs of termites in your house, yard, or walls, don’t wait. Early action saves you hundreds or thousands in repairs. Call 1-877-TERMITE or schedule an inspection online with The Termite Guy. Let our certified experts assess, treat, and protect your home—backed by a friendly guarantee and years of local trust.
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