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PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE / PEST FAMILY

Signs of termites in a house

Termites can stay hidden within wood or behind walls. Drywood and subterranean termites often leave different visible evidence. Use these guides to document what you found, then get a licensed inspection if a structure may be affected.

Explore 6 guides Record an observation
A pile of drywood termite fecal pellets on wood below a small opening
From the guide: Termite droppings: what to look forPhoto: Sanjay Acharya / Wikimedia Commons. Resized for web. · CC BY-SA 3.0
OBSERVE THE SIGNCOMPARE THE POSSIBILITIESDOCUMENT WHAT CHANGES

THE RELEVANT EVIDENCE

Guides in this collection

06 / GUIDES
WOOD CLUES

Termite droppings: what to look for

Compare drywood termite droppings with sawdust and other wood-pest debris. See the clues that warrant a professional inspection.

Read guide WOOD CLUES

Termite mud tubes: how to recognize them

Learn what subterranean termite shelter tubes can look like on foundations and walls, and what a sighting can and cannot establish.

Read guide WOOD CLUES

What termite damage can look like

Compare possible termite damage in wood with other causes and learn why visible marks rarely show the full extent.

Read guide WINGED INSECTS

Termite swarmers and shed wings

Learn what a termite swarm or pile of wings may mean and how to document it before an inspection.

Read guide COMPARISONS

Termite or flying ant? Three clues to compare

Compare the three visible features that can help distinguish winged termites from winged ants.

Read guide EGGS & LARVAE

Termite eggs and young: what household clues can show

Understand the limits of identifying suspected termite eggs or immature termites from household photos.

Read guide

FROM THE JOURNAL

Go a step further.

All articles
01Working with professionalsQuestions to ask a pest professional before agreeing to treatmentUse the evidence record to discuss identification, scope, alternatives, and follow-up with a pest-control provider.02Room checklistsDead bugs in light fixtures: what the collection can tell youInterpret a collection of dead insects without assuming it identifies the source or current activity.03Wood and structureDiscarded wings on a windowsill: what to record firstDocument a wing finding without treating loose wings as proof of termites or an indoor colony.04Field methodsA household pest observation checklist you can reuseSeparate direct sightings from assumptions and build a concise record for an inspector or extension office.