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When you encounter termite droppings for the first time you may not recognize them, but their presence reveals a potential termite infestation. When you suspect you’ve spotted termite droppings you should contact a professional immediately. Termite droppings usually resemble sand or excrement from other pests.
What Do Termite Droppings Look Like?
& Are They a Sign of an Infestation?
It is alarming to find out you have termites in your New Jersey home, but it’s always better to have it looked at by a professional. The reason is that untreated termites can cause damage to your home. Many don’t realize they have a termite infestation until it is too late, but staying on top of the signs can decrease the damage done. One of the most common signs of an issue is termite droppings.
Frass is known as termite droppings and a sure sign of trouble. Termite droppings are a cause for alarm, as there could be an active nest within your walls. It can be deceiving to some people because they may think the termite droppings are old and nothing to worry about, but the frass doesn’t change the way it looks over time
If you see piles of what looks like sawdust or sand, it’s almost impossible to know how long it’s been there. These piles are a signal for you to get help immediately.
Frass or termite droppings are tiny, and many people miss it or think it’s something else. To further complicate things, termite droppings vary depending on the species of termites that are in your home.
Since they feast on the cellulose of wood, it’s only natural that the excrement is the same color. Each piece is .04 inches in length, so it’s easy to see why you could miss just one pellet. However, they usually drop them in piles, making it easier to identify the stools.
Facts About Termite Droppings
By learning some frass or termite dropping facts, you can quickly identify an infestation. While most think frass indicates a termite infestation, the answer is tricky. Sure, you can have active termites, or they may come from an infestation before you buy the home.
Consequently, you must know that termites won’t go away on their own unless they’ve run out of food, which isn’t likely to happen. They’re in your home in the first place because there’s nourishment. Since your home is made of wood and has wooden elements, the chances of them leaving are slim to none. Here are some facts for you to consider.
Finding Termite Droppings Near Their Nest
You must know that termite droppings will be close to their nest, as it’s the path most traveled. They’re not much for venturing all over your home like ants and roaches. They like to stay in a dedicated area. Remember, some species, like the subterranean, don’t sleep in your home, and their colony isn’t there, either.
They only come to your abode to eat. They use mud tubes to travel back and forth from their underground nest to your place. So, they will use the restroom in their frequently traveled pathways.
Termites Are Very Clean Insects
If there’s such a thing as a clean insect, the termite would fit this classification. They don’t like to have their termite droppings in their living or workspaces, so you see these piles on your windowsills, baseboards, or other areas in the home. They usually try to keep their living quartersvv free of poop, making it easier for you to find the
Kick Out, or Exit Holes Doesn’t Mean the Infestation is Gone
If you stumble upon a kick-out hole in your home, you might think that the infestation has moved on to greener pastures. However, don’t fall for this common fallacy. The kick-out holes are exits only, and they don’t use these holes as entrances. What’s likely happened is that the termites have moved to another area of your home.
For instance, if they’ve done all the damage around your living room windows they can do, they will move on to the basement or crawlspace. They can even move onto another wall in the living room, as they might not need to travel so far. The point is if you see these signs, it gives you an indication that you need to act quickly. Because they’re moving and traveling around, you could have a whole house full of damage.
The Species Dictates Whether They’ll Be Termite Dropping
Drywood termites make it easy to spot, as they leave the biggest piles of frass around the home. However, it’s the subterranean species that makes things challenging. These industrious insects use their excrement to construct mud tubes. In New Jersey, we mainly deal with the eastern subterranean termites, so it’s likely you won’t see much frass, which more than complicates your job of finding an infestation.
Drywood Termites Burrow Deep and Don’t Like to Leave
Have you ever had company that wouldn’t leave? No matter how hard you tried, they wouldn’t take a hint. Well, dry wood termites tend to be like these unwanted guests because they stay put once they get comfortable inside the home.
These termites find a place to feast, seal off the entrance to make sure they’re unnoticed, and they begin the arduous task of burrowing. Unless they leave behind droppings or knock-out holes to show they’ve moved to another area, you may never know they’re there.
Termite Droppings Resemble Grains of Sand
There are many terms to describe frass, and some people get pretty creative with their terminology. We’ve heard them called pepper, sand, sawdust, poop, etc. You should know that the frass has six sides and is concave, making it unique. If the termite is eating cherry wood, you might notice that its poop takes on a red hue, whereas it will be lighter and more yellow if they’re eating pine.
Common Places to Find Termite Droppings
Now that you know what termite droppings looks like, you want to know where you will find these piles. The good news for exterminators and homeowners is that these are creatures of habit. You will typically find these piles in the same places without fail; here are where we often discover them:
If you see a small mound, you might think it’s nothing. Other folks mistake them for an ant hill, but the truth is that the best way to get to the bottom of it is to become a detective. Get a magnifying glass and get up close and personal with the frass. Since termite pellets have distinct characteristics, you can get a better picture up close.
Another telltale sign that you’re dealing with termites is wings discarded in and around the location of the frass. Swarmers are out and about during the mating season, and when they’re done with the nuptial flight, they shed their wings. They also leave to start another colony, which means there’s still an active one in your home.
This is nothing more than an indication that things are growing and expanding, which means more damage. Lucky for you, the worst of the two termites are subterranean, which we mainly deal with in New Jersey. With these species, you’re more apt to see the wings since they don’t leave frass, and you can visibly identify damage to wood when it gets too severe.
Since the subterranean doesn’t leave frass like the dry wood varieties, you must look for the mud tubes. If you do some investigation, you’ll find the mud tubes. They mix these tubes using saliva, frass, and dirt.
Calling a Pest Control Professional
If you even suspect that you could have a termite issue, it’s best to call for an inspection. The technician will come to your home and look for signs of an infestation. Once they determine live activity, they will analyze the damage and identify whether it’s dry wood or subterranean species.
From there, the technician will create a plan to treat your home. Depending on the damage done and how extensive it is, there are several options. You may need to replace floor joists or redo footers on your porch. It all depends on the severity of the issues.
Termite inspections are mandatory in most areas before purchasing a home. These inspections protect your investment and ensure that your house is as solid as it appears. The cost of treatment and inspections is worth your peace of mind. It’s better to spend the money and err on caution than to have an active infestation and let it go.
The more these insects eat and reproduce, the more damage they will do to your home and wallet. Call us today for an inspection.