Termites That Do Not Need the Soil
Most termite articles focus on subterranean termites, which build mud tubes and travel up from the ground. Drywood termites are different. They live entirely inside dry, sound wood and do not need contact with soil or moisture to survive. A colony can start in a piece of furniture, a door frame, a timber beam or a wooden fixture, and it can stay hidden for a long time.
Because they do not build mud tubes, many homeowners never connect the damage to termites. The first clue is often a small pile of pellets on the floor or a neat round hole in a wooden surface.
This guide explains how drywood termites differ from subterranean termites, how to spot their signs, where they hide, why DIY methods rarely work, and what a professional inspection and treatment involves.
Drywood Termites vs Subterranean Termites
Knowing which type you are dealing with changes how the problem is found and treated. The differences below are useful for a first check.
Drywood Termites:
- Moisture needs: Live in dry wood and do not need contact with the soil
- Visible sign: Hard, six-sided pellets (frass) that fall from holes in the wood
- Mud tubes: Not built
- Typical locations: Furniture, wooden fixtures, door frames, beams, skirting and wooden panels
- Colony size: Usually smaller and more localised than subterranean colonies
Subterranean Termites (for comparison):
- Moisture needs: Need contact with soil or moisture to survive
- Visible sign: Mud tubes along walls, pillars and floor edges
- Typical locations: Structural timber connected to the ground, often reached through soil
Signs of Drywood Termites at Home
Frass Pellets:
Drywood termites push their waste out of the wood through small openings. The waste is made of hard pellets with six flat sides. They often collect in small piles on the floor, on window sills, or under furniture. Finding pellets is one of the most reliable signs of an active colony.
Kick-Out Holes:
Small, round holes in wood surfaces are where pellets are pushed out. They are usually clean and about the size of a pinhead. Look for them on the underside of furniture, along the edges of door frames, and on the back of wooden panels.
Hollow or Damaged Wood:
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Surfaces that flake, blister or look thin on the inside
- Drawers or doors that stick because the wood has weakened
- Sagging shelves or furniture legs
Winged Termites:
Drywood termites can produce winged swarmers that emerge from wood, especially in warm weather. Finding discarded wings near windows or light fittings can point to a colony nearby. For more on telling swarmers apart from flying ants, see our swarmers guide.
Where Drywood Termites Hide
Because drywood termites live inside dry wood, they often spread through the wooden items in a home rather than through the ground. Anything made of solid or engineered timber can be affected.
Common Hiding Places:
- Furniture: Wardrobes, bed frames, chairs, tables and cabinets, especially the underside and back panels
- Door and window frames: The inside edges and corners where wood is joined
- Skirting boards and wall panels: Particularly behind cabinets and along the back of wardrobes
- Ceiling beams and roof timbers: Often hidden above ceilings or in roof spaces
- Wooden fixtures and decorative items: Picture frames, shelves and carved pieces
Why DIY Methods Rarely Work
Surface sprays and wood polishes do little against drywood termites. Because the colony lives deep inside the wood, a spray on the surface rarely reaches the insects, and it does not treat the sections of wood they are feeding on. Painting or varnishing over the damage hides the symptoms while the colony continues to feed.
Removing pellets is good for cleaning up, but it does not stop the colony. Without treating the wood and the colony inside it, new pellets will keep appearing. Cutting out one piece of furniture may also miss the colony if it has already spread into adjacent wood.
- Inspecting furniture, door frames, beams and wooden fixtures for kick-out holes, frass and hollow wood
- Locating the extent of the colony, including areas not visible from the surface
- Applying targeted treatments to the infested wood and surrounding areas
- Advising on repair or replacement of severely damaged timber
- Follow-up inspections to confirm the colony is no longer active
- Guidance on keeping wood dry and checking new furniture before it enters the home
What You Can Do Between Visits
- Sweep up pellets and note where they appear, as this helps the inspector find the colony
- Check furniture undersides and back panels for kick-out holes
- Look inside wardrobes and cabinets, especially in corners and behind drawers
- Avoid painting or sealing over suspected damage before an inspection
- Keep wooden items off damp floors and away from leaks, which can attract other pests
- Inspect any secondhand wooden furniture before placing it in the home
When to Call a Professional
- You find pellets with six flat sides on floors, sills or under furniture
- You see small round holes in wooden furniture or door frames
- Wooden surfaces sound hollow, flake or sag
- Winged termites appear near windows or light fittings
- Damage is found in more than one piece of wooden furniture or structure
- You have recently bought secondhand wooden furniture and then notice pellets or holes
Found Termite Pellets at Home?
Speak to GreenCare about a professional inspection and a clear treatment plan for your wooden furniture and structures.
Complete termite assessment and a clear plan for your property.
