Drywood Termite
Wood Destroyers

Drywood Termite

Incisitermes spp. / Cryptotermes spp.

Quick ID Markers

1Hard, six-sided fecal pellets (frass) — key ID sign
2Small kick-out holes (1/16"–1/8") in wood surface
3No mud tubes — no soil contact needed
4Galleries running across the wood grain
5Swarmers with reddish-brown head, clear wings

Habits & Biology

Infests dry, seasoned wood with no soil contact. Lives entirely within the wood it infests. Small colonies (a few hundred to a few thousand). Damage is slow but persistent. Common in coastal areas, California, Florida, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii.

Typical Hiding Areas

Structural framing, window frames, door frames, furniture, hardwood floors, and any dry, accessible wood.

Signs of Activity

Piles of hard, six-sided fecal pellets below infested wood
Small kick-out holes in wood surface
Swarmers (winged termites) emerging from wood
Hollow galleries when wood is probed
Blistered or papery wood surface

🗓️ Seasonality

Year-round activity. Swarmers emerge in late summer through fall, often after rain.

⚠️ Mistaken Identity

Subterranean Termite (builds mud tubes, needs soil)Powderpost Beetle (fine powdery frass, not hard pellets)Carpenter Ant (coarse frass, no pellets)

🧪 Treatment Plan

Drywood termites are more DIY-manageable than subterranean termites for localized, accessible infestations. Widespread structural infestations require professional fumigation.

Professional structural fumigation (tenting) is the only complete solution for whole-structure drywood termite infestation. Call a pro for anything beyond a very small, accessible localized area.

Find all kick-out holes and frass accumulations. Probe wood to detect hollow galleries. Mark all locations before treating.

Check window frames, door frames, attic framing, and furniture
Multiple kick-out holes indicate an established colony

Prevention After Treatment

  • •Paint or seal all exposed wood surfaces
  • •Screen all attic vents with fine mesh
  • •Inspect for kick-out holes and frass annually
  • •Apply preventive borate to bare wood during renovations
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⚠️ AI-assisted identification reviewed by a licensed applicator. Always verify critical information before acting.