Signs of termites: what to look for (and what to do next)

Termites — "white ants" in everyday Australian speech — do their damage out of sight, inside timber. By the time most people notice, the colony has usually been active for a while. The good news is that they leave telltale signs, and knowing them means you can catch a problem early. Here are the seven signs we look for on inspections, what each one means, and the one thing you should not do if you find them.

What do termites look like?

Worker termites are small, soft-bodied and creamy-white, which is exactly why they picked up the name white ants. You'll rarely see them out in the open — they stay inside timber and their mud workings, because they dry out quickly in air and light. The termites people do see are thealates (winged reproductives): dark-bodied, with two pairs of wings of equal length.

It's easy to mistake a termite for an ant, so here's the quick comparison:

What are mud tubes?

Mud tubes (or "leads") are the pencil-width earthen tunnels subterranean termites build to travel between the soil and your timber without exposing themselves to the air. Look for them onbrick piers, foundation walls, subfloor timbers and the edges of slabs, and sometimes running up internal walls. A live tube is moist inside. Mud tubes are one of the clearest signs of subterranean termite activity — the type responsible for most structural damage in Australian homes.

What do flying termites mean?

A swarm of flying termites is a colony reproducing. On warm, humid evenings in spring and early summer, established nests release winged alates to fly off and start new colonies. They're weak fliers, shed their wings quickly, and are often drawn to lights. If you see a swarm — or find discarded wings on windowsills, in spider webs or around light fittings — it means an active colony is close by, quite possibly in or under your home. OurSydney pest calendar covers when swarming season peaks.

What does termite damage look and sound like?

Because termites eat timber from the inside out, the surface can look intact while the wood behind it is hollowed. The signs:

• Hollow-sounding timber — skirting boards, door frames and architraves sound papery or drum-like when tapped.
• Blistered or rippled paint and surfaces that dent under light pressure.
• Tight-fitting doors and windows — moisture from termite activity swells the timber, so things that used to open freely start sticking.
• Sagging or spongy floors and skirtings.

What is termite frass?

Frass is termite droppings. Drywood termites push it out of small "kick-out" holes, leaving little piles of what looks like fine sawdust or coffee grounds near skirtings or window frames. Subterranean termites — the more common structural pest here — pack their workings with mud rather than ejecting frass, so with those you're more likely to see mud tubes and damaged timber than droppings.

Are termite nests always visible?

No — and this is the trap. Subterranean termites, the type most commonly found in Australia, nest below ground or hidden inside a wall or tree, and reach your home through concealed mud tubes. There's often no visible mound. CSIRO notes there are more than 350 termite species in Australia but only around 20 cause significant structural damage, and subterranean species are responsible for most of it. A clear yard doesn't mean a clear home — which is why inspection matters.

I've found termites — what do I do now?

Don't disturb them, and don't spray them. This is the single most important thing. Hitting live termites with fly spray or a surface insecticide kills the few you can see and sends the rest deeper into the timber and off to other parts of the structure — which makes proper treatment harder and can turn one manageable job into several. Instead:

• Leave the area alone — if you've opened up a tube or damaged timber, gently cover it back over.
• Don't move or clean out the workings.
• Book a professional inspection so the whole colony can be located and treated as one.

A quick note on insurance: most home insurance policies in Australia exclude termite damage, because insurers treat it as preventable and gradual rather than a sudden insured event. That's exactly why regular inspection is the cheapest protection you have.

How do I confirm it?

The only way to know what you're dealing with — and how far it's gone — is a professional inspection. CSIRO recommends termite inspections at least annually, and we recommend more often for homes backing onto bushland, as many properties in Engadine, Menai, Sutherland and Oatley do. A termite inspectionfrom Southern Pest Co covers the roof void, subfloor, interior, exterior and yard timbers, with a written report the same day, from $249. If we find active termites, we'll explain yourtreatment options and quote after the inspection.

Think you've seen one of these signs? Don't disturb them — book an inspection and we'll tell you exactly what's going on. Request a free quote.