Termites

Termite profiles

Eastern Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes spp. (shown: R. flavipes) Subterranean termites live in the soil and travel into buildings through earthen shelter tubes; they are the most destructive termites in most of the United States and usually warrant a professional. Formosan Subterranean Termite Coptotermes formosanus The Formosan subterranean termite is an invasive species from East Asia and one of the most aggressive and economically damaging termites in the world; its colonies are much larger than those of native subterranean termites. EPA lists it among the less common termites in the U.S., behind the native subterranean termite. Western Drywood Termite Incisitermes minor Drywood termites live entirely inside wood without needing soil contact; the western drywood termite is California's second most important termite pest after subterranean termites. Clemson Extension says drywood termites get the moisture they need from humid air and are most common along humid coastal areas of South Carolina. No photo yet Cuban Subterranean Termite Prorhinotermes simplex The Cuban subterranean termite, Prorhinotermes simplex, lives in moist logs in swampy areas of southern Florida. The USDA Forest Service's eastern forest insect manual says it has been known to attack the woodwork of buildings, but extremely rarely. Florida Dampwood Termites Neotermes castaneus, N. jouteli and N. luykxi Florida dampwood termites are Neotermes termites of southern Florida and the Keys. They live in moist, mostly dead wood in trees, logs and stumps, and one species occasionally turns up in damp foundation timbers of buildings. No photo yet Florida Darkwinged Subterranean Termite Amitermes floridensis The Florida darkwinged subterranean termite is a small subterranean termite found in central Florida. Since 2022 it has been classed as Amitermes wheeleri, Wheeler's termite, a species of arid lands in the Southwest that is not a serious structural pest. Asian Subterranean Termite Coptotermes gestroi The Asian subterranean termite is a very destructive tropical termite, considered second only to its relative the Formosan subterranean termite. In the U.S. both invasive Coptotermes species are established in Florida, and the Asian species has spread beyond South Florida, where it was first confined. Western Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes hesperus The western subterranean termite lives in soil and travels through mud tubes to feed on wood, including the lumber in houses. Its genus, Reticulitermes, holds the most destructive termites found in California and ranks among the most economically important wood-destroying pests in the western United States. Arid-land subterranean termite Reticulitermes tibialis Where the Sonoran desert gives way to higher, cooler country, the subterranean termite in the walls is usually this one. The arid-land subterranean termite ranges across the semi-arid prairies, steppes and deserts of the Great Basin and the Rocky Mountains, east as far as Indiana and west into California, and in Arizona it is found throughout the state and is the most common termite pest around Flagstaff. It belongs to Reticulitermes, the most widespread and destructive termite genus in the United States, though it is less persistent at tubing up into buildings than its relatives and prefers wood that is already damp. Desert Subterranean Termite Heterotermes aureus The desert subterranean termite is the most common and by far the most destructive termite in Arizona, and researchers call it the most economically important termite pest there. It lives in the soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood, from cactus ribs and fence posts to the timbers of houses. Desert termites Gnathamitermes Find a dead shrub, a fence post or a patch of dried grass in the Sonoran Desert plastered with thin sheets of sand and soil, and you have found desert termites at work. Gnathamitermes perplexus is extremely common there, feeding on dead grasses, weeds, small shrubs and even cow chips under the cover of its tubes, and the University of Arizona's termite guide rates it a nuisance at most: it will not cause structural damage to a home, and any feeding on the weathered outer layer of wood is cosmetic. Texas A&M says the same of the desert termite of western Texas, which does not damage structures and rarely harms rangeland, crops or turf. No photo yet Wheeler's desert termite Amitermes wheeleri Wheeler's desert termite is the other 'desert termite' of the Southwest, a cousin of the mud-sheet builder Gnathamitermes that lives near washes and dry streambeds and shows itself as dark carton on a dead cholla stump, the base of a mesquite or a fence post. It eats deeper into wood than Gnathamitermes does, but the University of Arizona still ranks it a nuisance at most: it will not cause structural damage to a home, and treatment is unnecessary unless it turns up in a structure. Southeastern Drywood Termite Incisitermes snyderi The southeastern drywood termite is the most common drywood termite in Florida and in Texas. It lives inside dry, sound wood in dead trees and in buildings, and its pale swarmers fly toward lights at night. West Indian Drywood Termite Cryptotermes brevis The West Indian drywood termite lives its whole life inside dry wood and never needs soil. Extension entomologists describe it as almost never found in natural settings, only in the wood of buildings, furniture and picture frames, and it travels mostly when people move infested wood. Light western drywood termite Marginitermes hubbardi Arizona has two drywood termites that matter, and the light western drywood termite is the one built for the low desert. It tolerates and prefers conditions much drier than the dark western drywood termite, lives below about 4,000 feet from Phoenix to Tucson and along the Colorado River, and in the southern part of its range it is now found more often in wooden buildings than in the saguaro skeletons and streambed cottonwoods it evolved on. The University of Arizona calls its damage there extensive enough to threaten a building's structural integrity. Dampwood Termites Zootermopsis angusticollis Dampwood termites live and feed in wet or rotting wood and don't nest in dry, sound lumber. Finding them in a building points to a leak, wood touching soil, or another moisture problem that needs fixing. Conehead Termite Nasutitermes corniger The conehead termite is an invasive tropical termite that builds nests in trees and travels in tunnels over the surface. Florida is working to eradicate it from the two areas of Broward County where it has been found. Unlike most U.S. termites, it builds dark, bumpy nests in plain sight and runs covered tunnels across the ground, up trees and over walls.

Which kind of termite?

EPA says the native subterranean termite is the most common termite in most of the United States; drywood termites and the invasive Formosan termite are less common. NPIC groups termites as drywood, subterranean and dampwood and says each type needs its own control measures, so identify the species before you choose a treatment.^[8][9]

Subterranean termites live and breed in the soil, sometimes many feet down. Drywood termites live deep inside wood, don't need contact with soil and are hard to detect. Dampwood termites live in moist wood.^[1][2]

Termite or ant?

Termites have straight antennae, a uniformly thick waist and wings of equal size. Ants have elbowed antennae, a pinched waist and front wings longer than the hind wings. Both often swarm in spring.^[3][8][9]

If you can't tell, NC State suggests showing the insects to a pest management professional or taking specimens to a county Cooperative Extension office.^[10]

Signs of termites

EPA notes that termites rarely come out of the soil, mud tubes or the wood they're feeding in, so most people don't know they have termites until they see a swarm or find damage during construction. NC State adds that without periodic inspection, activity can go unnoticed for years.^[8][10]

• Pencil-wide mud tubes on foundations, piers, sill plates or joists. Break one open: creamy-white workers mean it is active. NC State adds that an empty tube doesn't prove the termites are gone; they may have just abandoned that tunnel, and they often rebuild broken tubes.^{[3][4][1][10]}
• Swarmers or piles of shed wings on windowsills and along floors.^[4][3][10]
• Where you see swarmers matters. NC State says swarmers outdoors near stumps or landscape timbers don't mean your house is infested, but swarming indoors usually does.^[10][3]
• Wood hollowed out along the grain with mud or soil in the galleries (subterranean termites).^[3][4]
• Small piles of six-sided fecal pellets below kickout holes in wood (drywood termites).^[2]
• Darkened or blistered wood that is thin at the surface and easy to puncture. EPA suggests probing exposed wood for hollow spots with a flathead screwdriver.^[1][8]

How termites are treated

EPA registers termiticides only after they show they can protect a structure. Approved treatments include liquid soil-applied termiticides, termite baits, building materials impregnated with termiticides and wood treatments, and EPA says that in most cases termiticides can only be applied properly by a trained pest management professional.^[8]

• Liquid soil termiticides: applied around and under the foundation. Non-repellent products such as fipronil, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole kill termites that tunnel through treated soil. UKY says all liquid termiticides are supposed to control termites for at least five years when applied according to label directions, though how long it lasts on a given home varies with the product, how thoroughly it was applied and local conditions.^[1][3][8]
• Baits: cellulose bait with a slow-acting active ingredient in stations around the house. Termites share it and the colony declines over weeks or months.^[1][3][8]
• Fumigation and heat: used for drywood termites, which live in the wood. They do not work on subterranean termites, whose colonies are in the soil. UC IPM describes heat as a nonchemical whole-structure option that heats all wood to at least 120°F and holds it for at least 33 minutes, and it separates whole-structure treatments from localized spot treatments of a board or a few boards.^[1][2]
• Formosan termites usually enter a building from the ground, just as native subterranean termites do, so Mississippi State says soil treatments and in-ground baits are the primary preventive treatments. Above-ground carton nests aren't controlled by either and need targeted foam or other above-ground treatments.^[5]
• Non-chemical options: EPA says physical barriers such as steel mesh and sands of certain sizes, usually put in during construction, have performed well. Borates are commonly sprayed on wood during new construction.^[8]

Protecting your home

• Keep wood siding and door and window frames at least six inches above the soil, and support posts and steps on concrete.^[4]
• Divert water with gutters and downspouts, fix leaks, and grade soil to drain away from the foundation.^[4][8][9]
• Ventilate crawl spaces and consider plastic sheeting over most of the crawl space soil.^[4][9]
• Don't store firewood or debris against the foundation, and use mulch sparingly next to the house. NPIC suggests storing firewood several feet from buildings and off the ground and keeping mulch several inches below wooden parts of the home.^[4][9]
• Fill cracks in the foundation and gaps where utilities pass through walls with cement, grout or caulk, keep vents clear of plants, and don't let shrubs grow against exposed wood.^[8][9]
• Where termites are common, a preventive treatment by a professional firm is a prudent investment; if the home has a warranty, keep it renewed.^[4]

Choosing a termite company

The company must be licensed by your state. Ask to see the license, and if you have concerns call your state pesticide regulatory agency. Get inspections and estimates from more than one company, ask about warranties, and avoid firms that pressure you with specials or scare tactics.^[3][7][8][9]

Spot treatments are usually a gamble; most reputable firms won't warrant them.^[3]

EPA suggests asking the company for a copy of the product label and making sure the applicator tells you when you can go back into the house. To report a misapplication, contact your state pesticide regulatory agency; NPIC also answers pesticide questions at 1-800-858-7378.^[8]

Dampwood termites

Dampwood termites infest decayed wood kept moist by soil contact or a leak; in California they are most common in cool, humid coastal areas. Their presence signals a moisture or decay problem.^[1]

NPIC's general advice when you find termite nests is to remove the damaged wood and eliminate the excess moisture.^[9]

Common questions

Do I need to call someone today?

No. Termites damage wood slowly, so the damage from taking days or weeks to choose a company is generally inconsequential.^[3][9]

Are hybrid termites a new threat?

Hybrid Formosan and Asian subterranean termites have been found in southeast Florida, but they are rare and UF/IFAS says control recommendations are unchanged.^[6]

Can I treat termites myself?

For an infested house, extension and NPIC advise against it. UKY calls termite treatment a job for professionals, with a possible exception for a small wooden object not attached to the house, such as a mailbox post, and NPIC says some termiticides can only be used by trained, licensed professionals.^[3][9]

Does tenting work on subterranean termites?

No. UC IPM says fumigation, heat and similar drywood methods don't reach subterranean colonies, which nest near or below ground. NC State says structural fumigation is rarely used for subterranean termites in North Carolina; most home fumigations there are for drywood termites or wood-boring beetles.^[1][10]

Every termite guide

Identification, inspection, treatment, tenting, warranties and buying a home.

• Hybrid termites: what the research shows
• Termite swarmers: what they mean
• Termite swarmers vs flying ants
• Signs of termite damage
• How to check your home for termites
• How to protect your home from termites
• Termite treatments compared
• What pest control costs depend on
• Choosing a company and warranty
• Types of termites and how to tell them apart
• How to read a termite inspection report
• Termite treatment options and comparing bids
• What to expect from a liquid termite treatment
• Tenting for termites: how to prepare
• Termite reports when buying or selling a home

Sources

1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Subterranean and Other Termites, Publication 7415 (May 2014).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pntermites.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
2. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Drywood Termites, Publication 7440 (August 2014).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pndrywoodtermites.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
3. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-604: Termite Control: Answers for Homeowners (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef604 (accessed 2026-11-10)
4. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-605: Protecting your Home Against Termites (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef605 (accessed 2026-11-10)
5. Mississippi State University Extension, “Species of Termites in Mississippi.” extension.msstate.edu/insects/termites/species-termites-mississippi (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. University of Florida IFAS, “Here's what homeowners need to know about hybrid termites in Florida (June 8, 2026).” blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2026/06/08/heres-what-homeowners-need-to-know-about-hybrid-termites-in-florida/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. National Pesticide Information Center, “Selecting a Pest Control Company.” www.npic.orst.edu/pest/selectpco.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Termites: How to Identify and Control Them.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/termites-how-identify-and-control-them (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. National Pesticide Information Center, “Termites.” npic.orst.edu/pest/termite.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
10. NC State Extension, “Termites - Biology and Control.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/termites-biology-and-control (accessed 2026-11-10)