Evidence signature
Mud shelter tubes, soft or hollow wood and equal-length swarmer wings near soil-connected routes.
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
Wings and swarmers, Holes and openings, Damage and gnawing, Frass and pellets.
Typical locations
Basement and crawlspace, Walls and ceilings, Wood and furniture.
Common timing
Seasonal, Warm Humid.
Supporting context
Wood, Moisture.
What supports this identification
- Mud tubes on foundation or structural surfaces
- Wood sounds hollow or appears blistered
- Equal-length detached wings
- Moisture or soil connection
What points away from it
- Dry uniform pellet piles
- Mixed ant shavings with insect parts
- Round beetle exit holes with powder
Photograph the entire tube route and its soil or moisture connection without breaking it.
A safe first response
Do not disturb active tubes or load-bearing wood before inspection.
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
Fresh tubes, swarmers or structural damage warrant prompt licensed termite inspection.
Common lookalikes
Drywood termite
Kalotermitidae
Uniform hard pellets in small piles directly below tiny wood openings, often recurring after cleanup.
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
Drywood vs. subterranean termite signs
Drywood termites push pellets from wood; subterranean termites preserve humidity with soil-connected shelter tubes.
Open comparison