Updated November 2, 2026 · Reviewed by a licensed Uniform pest control operator before publication. Product labels and your technician's written instructions always come first.
Signs to watch for
| Sign | What it can mean |
|---|---|
| Swarmers or discarded wings near windows and doors | A mature colony nearby, possibly in the structure |
| Mud tubes on foundations, walls or slab edges | Subterranean termites traveling from the soil |
| Small piles of pellets (frass) | Drywood termites pushing waste out of wood |
| Wood that sounds hollow or blisters under paint | Possible internal damage |
| Sticking doors and windows | Sometimes moisture, sometimes termite damage |
Drywood vs. subterranean
Subterranean termites nest in soil and need moisture, building mud tubes to reach wood. Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood they infest and don't need soil contact. Different species call for different treatment options. See UF/IFAS Extension publications for extension publications on wood-destroying organisms.
Don't probe or treat it yourself
Please don't break open walls or tubes to look. It can scatter activity and makes inspection harder. A licensed inspector can check accessible areas and tell you what the evidence shows. Visual inspections have limits, and nobody can see inside every wall.