Save Your Home From Termites by Recognizing Four Important Indicators

4 Signs of Termites in Your Home

Termites often remain concealed inside wood, walls, or soil. In many cases, homeowners notice evidence of termites long before they see the insects themselves.

Southern California homes may be affected by both drywood and subterranean termites. Because these termites behave differently and require different treatments, identifying the type of termite is an important part of any professional inspection.

Here are four signs that it may be time to have your home inspected.

1. Mud Tubes

Mud tubes, also called shelter tubes, are commonly associated with subterranean termites. These termites live in the soil and construct tubes from soil, saliva, and small pieces of material to travel between the ground and a source of wood.

Look for narrow, earth-colored tubes along:

• Foundations
• Garage walls
• Crawl spaces
• Plumbing penetrations
• Areas where wood is close to the soil

Finding a mud tube does not tell you how extensive an infestation may be. Photograph its location and arrange for a termite inspection. Breaking or removing the visible tube will not eliminate the underground colony.

2. Swarmers or Discarded Wings

Winged reproductive termites, known as swarmers or alates, leave established colonies to pair up and begin new colonies. After landing, they shed their wings.

A group of swarmers or piles of matching wings near windows, doors, baseboards, or light fixtures can be an important warning sign—especially when the insects appear indoors or seem to emerge from the structure.

Flying ants are frequently mistaken for termites. Winged termites generally have:

• Straight or beadlike antennae
• Broad waists
• Four wings of approximately equal length

Winged ants have bent antennae, narrow waists, and front wings that are longer than their rear wings.

Termites swarming outside do not necessarily mean your house is infested. However, swarmers emerging indoors should be investigated. Save a specimen or take a clear photograph to help with identification.

3. Damaged Wood

Termites consume cellulose and can create hidden galleries inside structural lumber, trim, flooring, and other wooden materials.

Possible indications of termite damage include:

• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
• Soft or easily punctured wood
• Blistering or darkening along a wooden surface
• Doors, trim, or flooring that appear distorted
• Visible tunnels or galleries inside exposed wood

These symptoms can also result from moisture, decay, or other wood-destroying organisms. Avoid opening walls or probing structural components yourself. A trained inspector can determine whether the damage is termite-related and evaluate the surrounding area safely.

4. Drywood Termite Pellets

Drywood termites live entirely within the wood they infest. They create small openings, called kick-out holes, through which they eject their fecal pellets.

The pellets are hard, dry, and relatively uniform in shape. Up close, drywood termite pellets have six flattened or ridged sides. They may collect beneath baseboards, windowsills, wooden beams, furniture, or other infested wood.

Although the pellets are sometimes described as sawdust, termites do not create ordinary piles of sawdust. Pellet color can also vary according to the wood being consumed, so color alone is not a reliable way to identify them.

Pellets confirm that drywood termites have occupied the wood at some point, but pellets alone cannot establish whether termites are currently active or reveal the full extent of an infestation. Old pellets can also fall from an opening after vibration or movement.

What Should You Do If You Find a Possible Sign?

Take photographs and note exactly where the evidence appeared. If possible, save several insects, wings, or pellets in a sealed container for identification.

Avoid spraying the area, sealing openings, or disturbing the evidence before an inspection. These actions may make it more difficult to locate the termites without solving the underlying problem.

Treatment recommendations should be based on the termite species, locations found, accessibility, and extent of the infestation. Drywood termite treatments may include localized treatment or whole-structure fumigation. Subterranean termite control typically involves soil treatments or baiting; fumigation does not eliminate a subterranean colony living in the soil.

Schedule a Termite Inspection in Southern California

If you have discovered mud tubes, swarmers, suspicious wood damage, or termite pellets, Tiger Termite Control can inspect your property and explain the appropriate options.

Tiger Termite Control has served Chino Hills and surrounding Southern California communities since 1997. Call (909) 597-6953 to request an estimate or schedule an inspection.

Updated September 2026.