Below grade / reading the evidence
Signs of Termites, and the False Alarms
Subterranean termites hide well, but they leave fingerprints. These are the ones we find in Hampton Roads homes, ranked by how much they should worry you.
Ranked, worst first
Mud tubes, then swarmers and shed wings, then wood that fails the tap test.
Only the first one has no alternate explanation, which is why inspectors trust it over everything else.
Why the surface looks fine
Eastern subterranean termites eat wood from the inside out, so the surface of a damaged board often looks fine until a screwdriver goes through it. The signs below are how infestations actually get discovered around here, usually in that order.
A board that looks perfect can be a shell. The evidence is never on the surface.
Grade level
Three of the four signs are found down here, on a pier, a sill, or a foundation wall.
Finding 01
Mud tubes
The most reliable sign there is. Termites build pencil width tunnels of soil and saliva to travel between the ground and your framing while staying moist and hidden. Look on foundation walls, crawl space piers, and where plumbing enters the slab. An empty tube means they were here; break a small section and check back in a few days, because rebuilt tube means they still are. Either way, that discovery is worth a professional inspection.
Finding 02
Swarmers and shed wings
In spring, mature colonies release winged reproductives. Outdoors, a swarm near your foundation means a colony lives close. Indoors, a swarm or a pile of identical shed wings on a window sill is close to proof of an active infestation in the structure, because swarmers emerging inside came from inside. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, equal wings, and thick waists; flying ants have elbowed antennae, unequal wings, and pinched waists. Our termite season guide covers the timing.
Finding 03
Wood that fails the tap test
Framing that sounds hollow, baseboards that crackle like paper when pressed, doors and windows that suddenly stick as damaged framing shifts, and blistered paint over honeycombed wood. By the time these appear, the colony has usually been feeding for a while.
1 Tube on the pier 2 Sill plate - 1 Tube on the pier
- 2 Sill plate
- Tube width
- About a pencil
- Rebuild check
- A few days
Frass confusion, cleared up
Piles of tiny pellets under wood usually point to drywood termites, which are rare in coastal Virginia, or to powderpost beetles, whose powder is flour fine. Subterranean termites, our local problem, do not leave pellet piles; they leave mud. This single fact sorts out half the worried photos we receive.
What to do with a maybe
Photograph it, do not demolish it, and call 757-583-4444. Tearing out damaged wood before an inspector sees it destroys the evidence that tells us where the colony travels. If you are a homeowner who suspects a problem, we come look for free, and if it turns out to be old damage or a look-alike, you will hear that too.
End of the descent
Seeing one of these signs?
Same-day appointments are often available across Hampton Roads. Call or send the form and we will confirm your time window.
Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Licensed and insured in Virginia.