Termites

Recognize the signs

Winged ant versus termite

Termite swarmers have a broad waist, straighter antennae and roughly equal-sized wings. Ants have a narrow waist, elbowed antennae and smaller hindwings. Keep a specimen where safely possible.

Activity versus historical evidence

Live termites confirm activity; old galleries, holes and tubes may remain. Drywood pellets can fall because of vibration, so a new pile is not by itself proof of a live colony or its extent.

Hidden damage

Much activity occurs inside timber, soil or inaccessible voids. Surface appearance cannot establish structural soundness. Do not probe compromised load-bearing material yourself.

Look more closely

Compare the labeled examples and their limits. Images are independently enlarged, not shown at a common scale.

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Differences that change the decision

A similar-looking organism can need a different response. Compare the evidence and what it changes.

Compare every column. On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways.

What else could it be?

Carpenter ants

Ants excavate rather than consume wood and may leave coarse fibrous debris.

Compare carpenter ants ↗

Wood-boring beetles

Round or oval emergence holes and powder differ from termite pellets, but expert debris examination may be needed.

Compare wood boring beetles ↗

Decay or other damage

Soft or hollow wood is a reason for assessment, not a termite identification.

Inspect the right places

1. Capture evidence without erasing the route

   Photograph tubes, holes or pellets with scale and a wider view of the location. Label a safely collected specimen. Keep a dated record for the inspector.

2. Request a written inspection

   Ask which areas were accessible, what evidence supports the species and current activity, and where uncertainty remains. An inaccessible void should be recorded as a limit, not described as pest-free.

3. Check conditions and history

   Provide previous treatment records, leaks, repairs and recent wood deliveries. Point out drainage, stored timber and wood-to-soil contact without entering hazardous crawlspaces.

Choose a proportionate response

For pesticides, the local product label determines the allowed pest, site, precautions and timing. Check safety and regional guidance.

1. Choose treatment after identification

   For structural infestations, use a properly licensed provider. Ask why the proposed method fits the termite group and construction, what it reaches, and what it cannot reach.

2. Compare the full contract

   Compare inspected scope, preparation, ongoing inspections, renewal costs, retreatment terms and whether damage repair is covered. A warranty to retreat is not necessarily a warranty to repair timber.

3. Correct conducive conditions

   Repair leaks, maintain drainage and ventilation, and remove stored wood and debris against the building. Preserve required inspection access and comply with local building details.

4. Separate pest control from repair

   Have damaged structural members assessed and repaired by qualified people. Fumigation or baiting does not restore lost strength, and treatment does not prevent every future introduction.

Avoid these mistakes

• Do not drill, trench, inject or fumigate a building yourself.
• Do not buy a product that merely kills exposed termites and assume it provides structural protection.
• Do not accept a definitive activity or damage estimate from pellets or one photograph.
• Do not move suspect infested wood to another property.

Check whether it is working

Prevent a return

• Maintain drainage and repair plumbing or roof leaks.
• Keep vents and inspection zones accessible.
• Inspect incoming wood and avoid unnecessary wood-to-soil contact.
• Retain records when renewing service or buying a property.

Common questions