Unlike other pests who make their presence known, like ants crawling across the counter or squirrels ruckusing in your attic, termites are sneaky invaders. Whether you are dealing with drywood termites or any other type of termite, these pests can do a lot of damage to your home, before you may even know that they are in it. Unfortunately, finding drywood termite droppings is cause for concern, and should mean a call to your local termite extermination expert, like the Eliminate ‘Em team. Find out more about this termite’s poop and other frequently asked questions about drywood termite frass.
How to Identify Drywood Termite Droppings
Drywood termite droppings are one of the more visible signs of termites. However, each dropping is very tiny, so this sign is typically only perceptible when enough waste has accumulated into a pile. Even then, these droppings may look like other potential materials that may be in your home like sand or coffee. In more unfortunate news for waste identification, a termite colony usually needs to be more established prior to creating enough fecal matter to convey their presence.
If you see or suspect that an unusual pile of minuscule droppings may be the result of termites, here are some identification features of drywood termite droppings:
- In shape, the urban entomology specialists at Texas A&M note that the surface may be dimpled and that one end may be more pointed and the other more rounded. However, these details may be challenging to discern without a magnifying glass, so it may be easier to look for a more general oval pellet shape. In contrast, subterranean termites tend to use their poop to create mud tubes instead of removing it.
- Consider whether or not the color of the poop is similar to the wood nearby. Typically, drywood termite droppings echo the shade of the wood that they are consuming, so it may be a lighter beige or a darker brown color. Their droppings are also typically dry, but handling termite frass as an identification method is best left to the professionals. To clean and sanitize the area, seek professional guidance and employ the appropriate safety measures or simply utilize expert sanitation and deodorizing services in conjunction with your necessary termite evaluation.
- Drywood termites are also known for their use of kick-out holes, essentially poop ejection shoots. To get rid of their droppings, this type of termite creates almost invisible holes in wood that allow these pests to stay out of sight but still get rid of their waste.
Not interested in playing detective when it comes to pests or their droppings? Want to be sure that any infestation can be remedied as soon as possible? Contact professional pest control services now. Simply cleaning up what may be drywood termite droppings and trying to ignore the potential problem may only lead to even more severe consequences for your property and more significant elimination and repair expenses.
Other Frequently Asked Questions about Drywood Termite Droppings
Do drywood termite droppings make you sick?
While not toxic or recognized as a problematic disease carrier, it’s best to let the professional pest control specialist handle and remove termite frass as well as effectively clean and sanitize the area.
Can I find drywood termite droppings but no termites?
Especially in the case of drywood termite droppings, finding a pile often indicates the presence of these pests. Since these termites are hidden in the wood that they have taken over, they may not be seen, even if their poop is. In some cases, particularly in less accessible or frequented locations, accumulations of termite frass may be from a former infestation that has been eliminated, but it’s also possible that the termites just went to another spot in your home.
Are there any steps to help prevent drywood termites, their droppings and other damage?
Yearly inspections in addition to preventative measures help reduce the chances of a termite problem in your home, as well as any other unwanted pests or wildlife intruders. For example, Eliminate ‘Em offers exclusion and abatement services which are designed to block entry points into the home. We also offer basement cleanouts which may uncover food and water sources that may attract termites.
While it may be tempting to blame those months spent at the beach or your love of coffee for the weird piles along floorboards or windowsills, these accumulations may also be drywood termite droppings. Instead of hoping for the best, contact the pest control company near you for an immediate evaluation. While the fortunate few may be free of termites now, the majority of homeowners will appreciate expedient solutions to the termite problem that finding droppings often indicates. For immediate service upon finding drywood termite droppings, in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts or Rhode Island, contact us for any other pest control or prevention.
