Wood Termites: Are They in Your Home?

When it comes to pests, few strike fear into a homeowner’s heart quite like termites. Ants climbing your walls are annoying. Flies around the kitchen table are a nuisance. But wood termites? They’re the silent destroyers…the pests that can quietly eat away at your biggest investment until the damage is impossible to ignore.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your house might be hiding these wood-munching intruders, you’re not alone. They find solace in the darkness, behind walls, and lurking in basements. By the time a homeowner sees them, it could be too late. This isn’t to frighten you, but to help you know what signs to look for so that it doesn’t happen to you.

The term wood termites is simply a common phrase people use to refer to termites because of the way they actively infest and consume wood in homes, furniture, and other wooden structures. While there are thousands of termite species worldwide, the ones that matter most to homeowners in the U.S. are divided into two main groups:

Subterranean termites: Live in soil but tunnel into wood for food.

Drywood termites: Live entirely inside the wood they’re feeding on.

Both are destructive, but they behave differently, and each deserves your attention if you want to keep your home safe.

Whether you live on the Jersey Shore, in Hackensack, Atlantic City, Trenton, or anywhere in between, termites are a serious issue. Two types are prominent in the Garden State and a significant threat.

The Eastern subterranean species is the most common and economically destructive termite in New Jersey (and across the eastern United States). They nest underground and construct mud tubes to access wood above ground. These termites are known for quietly hollowing out structural timbers over long periods, often leaving only a thin surface layer intact, and their colonies can contain millions of workers; this means a single infestation can inflict serious and widespread damage.

The Dark Southeastern subterranean termite is the second most notable termite species in New Jersey. It behaves similarly to the Eastern species, building mud tubes and infesting wood structures. Swarming typically occurs a bit later in Spring compared to the Eastern termites which start in early Spring.

How do you know if you have one of these wood-loving pests in your home? Unfortunately, people often don’t know what’s eating away at their house until it’s too late. Termites prefer to stay hidden, so your chances of coming across them are slim. But there are some obvious signs that an infestation exists if you know what to look for.

So frass is just a fancy word used to describe the droppings left behind by these pests. As the termite burrows deep into the wood, lots of sawdust is left from their chewing.

So, the best thing for them to do is push it out of the tunnels so they can continue working. Frass is a mixture of sawdust and excrement. If you see any of these piles that resemble sawdust, it means you probably have a colony nearby. Try knocking on wood near the piles; you will likely find some hollowed-out places from eagerly working insects.

Termite droppings or excrement are small little pellets. They’re about the size of a grain of salt. The color can be light to very dark, and it may even be black. It all depends on the type of wood the termite eats. People often don’t notice these piles of frass because they’re in inconspicuous places. If the termites are burrowing into the studs behind your walls, they can go unseen for a long time. Here are the areas that you should pay special attention to when looking for termites:

• Windowsills
• Door frames
• Bannisters on your staircases
• Porches
• Basement, attics, and crawl spaces
• Wood beams
• Corners of any rooms, especially ones for storage

“Swarmers” are termites that have reached full maturity and developed wings. These delicate wings allow them to leave their colony, take flight, and mate which is the critical step in starting new colonies. Once their job is complete and they land in a new location, swarmers shed their wings, leaving behind a big clue that they are nearby.

These discarded wings are tiny, translucent, and easily overlooked. They often fall in pairs. Common spots to find termite wings include windowsills, floors, or even caught in spider webs near light sources.

While ants also swarm during their mating phase and also drop their wings, if you discover both wings and frass (termite droppings) around your home, it’s worth investigating further. A simple test is to tap suspicious wood with the handle of a screwdriver. If the wood sounds hollow, it may be infested. Compare the sound to nearby solid wood to get a sense of the difference. This quick check can provide valuable confirmation before calling in a professional.

Wood floors don’t stay silent when termites move in. One of the first signs is blistering. Imagine the surface puffing up in spots, almost like skin with a blister. Now, not every wavy or sagging floor screams termites. Houses settle over time, and that alone can shift things around and cause squeaking floors. But subterranean termites are notorious for attacking from below (hence their name). They chew through the inside of wood flooring, leaving only the thin outer shell to keep up appearances. Eventually, that disguise gives way, and you’re left with warped planks, odd discoloration, or wave-like ridges that make the floor look like it’s rippling.

Another little twist? Termites are picky eaters. They’ll go for soft woods like pine before they ever bother with sturdier varieties like oak. But just because oak isn’t their favorite doesn’t mean it’s safe. If they’re hungry, they’ll take what they can get. The worst part is that their work is slow and quiet. By the time the buckling shows up, they’ve already been tunneling away for months, if not years.

Mud tubes are pencil-thin highways made of soil, saliva, and termite droppings, snaking up walls, along foundations, or tucked behind baseboards. To a termite, these tubes are both protection and passageways; they keep their soft bodies safe from dry air and predators while they commute between the soil and your home. These are one of the clearest warnings that a colony is active. Unlike water stains or cracks, mud tubes have a texture and purpose that set them apart. Break one open, and you may even catch a glimpse of workers scurrying back to safety. If you spot these earthy trails, it’s time to give us a call.

Sometimes to see the signs, all you have to do is look up. Dipping ceilings can appear when termites weaken the wooden beams that hold everything in place. What was once straight and sturdy starts to sag, creating a ceiling that seems to droop like it’s tired of holding itself up.

Add to that bubbling or peeling paint, and you’ve got another classic sign. At first glance, the paint might look like water damage, but termites are often the hidden culprits. As they tunnel through wood, they change how moisture moves through your walls and ceilings. That trapped moisture causes paint to blister and bubble, creating a warped, uneven surface.

Termites are fascinating insects when you can look beyond the damage they ensue. Their social network is vast, and they can live for decades. Their network includes the queen, workers, reproductive insects, and soldiers. While one worker can live a long time, the colony can remain there indefinitely.

Please don’t attempt to treat this problem by going to your local hardware store. When the structural integrity of your home is at stake, you need our professionals on the job. If you see any of these signs listed above or want a free inspection for your peace of mind, give us a call. Our technicians are trained experts who know what to look for and how to manage any pest issue that might be present on your property.

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