Peak drywood termite swarming season is nearly over, but don’t let your guard down just yet. Drywood termites don’t follow the calendar—these destructive pests stay active year-round, even in winter, hiding deep inside your home’s wood structures and quietly causing damage.
Clark Pest Control, your trusted local pest experts, warns that these pests don’t go dormant just because it’s getting colder. Drywood termites can overwinter in areas where you rarely look—like attics, eaves, and rooflines. Now is the time to act and ensure your home is safe.
Why You Need a Termite Inspection Now
Drywood termite inspections are essential because termites can cause extensive, often hidden damage to the structural wood in homes before homeowners even realize there’s a problem. If left untreated, termite infestations can compromise the structural integrity of a structure, leading to costly repairs.
Regular inspections conducted by trained, licensed pest control professionals can help catch infestations early, preventing widespread damage and costly and inconvenient repair and remediation solutions. A professional inspection identifies signs of termites that are difficult to spot, like mud tubes, wood damage patterns, and frass (termite droppings), giving homeowners peace of mind and a proactive way to protect their investment.
- Hard to Spot, Constantly Active: Drywood termites are nearly invisible since they live deep inside wood, emerging only when swarming or when home repairs disturb them.
- Destructive Colonies: Although drywood termite colonies are small (under 1,000 termites), they can take years to mature—and the damage can be extensive if left unchecked.
- Clark’s Expert Inspection Process: Our trained inspectors will look for tell-tale signs—shed wings, fecal pellets, kick-out holes—and assess your home for any signs of termite presence and damage.
Signs of a Drywood Termite Infestation
Drywood termites, like their subterranean relatives, are cryptic insects. Their presence can go undetected for years before they or the damage they cause is noticed. Signs of drywood termites can include the following:
- Swarmers or discarded wings
- Small piles of sawdust-like frass (termite feces)
- Bubbling or peeling paint, or hollow sounds in wood
Where Drywood Termites Hide
Drywood termites are most found along California’s coast and into the Central Valley, drywood termites colonize in attics, around wood siding, roof shingles, and framing around doors and windows. The drywood termite will colonize attics where temperatures may exceed 131 F. There, they locate their colonies in wood with more favorable temperatures, such as ceiling joists that have bottom sides cooled by the air conditioner below.
Termite Control from Clark Pest Control
For maximum protection against termites, homeowners should schedule a no-obligation home wellness check that includes a complete termite inspection. Homeowners can also ask for more information on Clark Pest Control’s exclusive Termite Infestation Program (T.I.P.) which protects your home from future infestations and damage caused by all species of termites.
Call California’s trusted, friendly termite control expert at 800/WE-NEED-YOU or send an e-mail at clarkcares@clarkpest.com to schedule your home wellness check and defuse the drywood termite threat.
Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for help keeping unwanted pests out of your home and yard.