Evidence signature
Uniform hard pellets in small piles directly below tiny wood openings, often recurring after cleanup.
The strongest identification comes from several independent observations that agree: the physical sign, its exact scale, where it accumulates and a companion clue. One isolated mark is rarely enough.
Most useful evidence
Frass and pellets, Wings and swarmers, Holes and openings, Damage and gnawing.
Typical locations
Wood and furniture, Attic and roofline, Walls and ceilings.
Common timing
Seasonal, Any.
Supporting context
Wood, Attic.
What supports this identification
- Uniform pellet size and shape
- Pile directly below a kick-out hole
- Fresh pellets return after cleanup
- Swarmers or detached equal-length wings
What points away from it
- Mixed fibrous carpenter-ant shavings
- Powder-like floury beetle frass
- Mud tubes from soil
Clean one documented pile and recheck the exact point for fresh pellets without probing the wood.
A safe first response
Avoid drilling, spraying or breaking structural wood.
Preserve a clear photograph with scale before cleaning when that can be done safely. Avoid broad pesticide applications until the target and exposure route are understood; an indiscriminate treatment can scatter activity, contaminate surfaces or obscure the evidence.
When to bring in a professional
Prompt professional inspection is appropriate for fresh pellets, swarmers or structural wood activity.
Common lookalikes
Subterranean termite
Rhinotermitidae
Mud shelter tubes, soft or hollow wood and equal-length swarmer wings near soil-connected routes.
Carpenter ant
Camponotus spp.
Coarse mixed wood shavings below a slit or crack, often with large ants and moisture-damaged wood nearby.
Powderpost beetle
Lyctinae and related groups
Tiny round holes with flour-like powder accumulating below unfinished or stored wood.
Direct comparisons
Side-by-side decision
Termite frass vs. carpenter-ant debris
Drywood termite pellets are uniform and hard; carpenter-ant debris is mixed and fibrous, often with insect fragments.
Open comparison
Side-by-side decision
Drywood vs. subterranean termite signs
Drywood termites push pellets from wood; subterranean termites preserve humidity with soil-connected shelter tubes.
Open comparison
Side-by-side decision
Termite pellets vs. powderpost beetle dust
Termite frass remains distinct pellets; powderpost frass behaves like fine flour around tiny round exits.
Open comparison