Termites can stay hidden for months while causing damage inside your home. When they infest walls, it’s often difficult to spot them until the problem has spread. Knowing the signs of termites in walls can help you take action before the damage gets worse. Even small changes to your drywall can be an early clue of termites at work, and give you time to call the termite control experts before its too late.
Termites in walls can be easy to miss, and some of the signs listed below, when spotted in isolation, may not indicate termites. However, when symptoms appear, it’s time to contact a professional. Early signs of termites in walls to watch for include:
Look for faint cracks, bubbling or peeling paint, or small patches that look like water damage. Also, check for warping or sagging areas on walls.
When tapping on the wall, listen out for any spots that sound slightly different - a bit more hollow - than others.
Look for thin mud tubes running along walls or baseboards.
Small piles of discarded wings near windowsills can be a sign of a termite infestation.
Piles of frass, termite droppings, which may look like small pellets in a range of different colors, are found near walls.
Ceilings and attics can also show damage caused by hidden termites. Discover the signs of termite damage in ceilings and attics.
As they tunnel through, certain species of termites sometimes leave behind small openings called “kick-out holes.” These exit holes are usually tiny, round, and clean-edged. They are different from nail holes or accidental dings, since they tend to appear in groups or near the base of walls. Termite exit holes and tunnels can be key indicators of a drywood or subterranean termite infestation.
Beyond kick-out holes, drywall signs of termites can show up in subtler ways that are easy to overlook.
Pinholes are tiny, almost imperceptible openings in the drywall surface. Drywood termites create these when they push frass out of their galleries. You might notice small piles of pellet-like droppings directly below these holes. The holes themselves are often no bigger than the tip of a pencil.
Sunken or winding lines on drywall surfaces are another indicator. These appear as faint, meandering trails just beneath the paint or paper facing of the drywall. They form when termites consume the paper backing and the wood pulp inside, leaving a thin, hollow channel that causes the surface to sink slightly. Running your hand across the wall, you may feel a subtle depression or ripple where the surface has been weakened.
These early signs of termites in drywall are easy to confuse with minor cosmetic issues. If you notice one of these signs, it's worth having a professional take a look.
Termites aren't completely silent. If you know what to listen for, you may be able to hear them at work inside your walls.
Soldier termites produce a distinctive clicking or rattling sound by banging their heads against tunnel walls. This is a warning signal to the colony when they sense a threat. The sound is faint but can sometimes be heard if you press your ear close to an infested wall, particularly in a quiet room.
Worker termites produce a soft, papery rustling as they chew through wood and drywall. This is different from the scratching sounds associated with rodents, which tend to be more irregular and louder.
These sounds are most noticeable at night when the house is quiet. They're also more common in warmer months when termite colonies are most active.
If you're hearing unusual sounds in your walls and can't identify the source, a termite inspection is a sensible next step.
One of the most visible signs of a termite problem is a swarm. Flying termites, also called swarmers or alates, emerge from the colony when it's ready to expand. They're reproductive termites that leave in large numbers to find new nesting sites.
Swarmers are often the first sign homeowners notice. They tend to emerge in spring and early summer, though the timing varies by species and region. After swarming, they shed their wings, leaving behind small piles near windowsills, baseboards, and door frames.
In some cases, particularly with drywood termites, you may notice small, hardened mud-like structures near baseboards or wall junctions. These are sometimes called swarm castles or exit tubes - temporary structures that termites build to protect swarmers as they emerge. They're typically small, roughly circular, and made from the same material as mud tubes.
It's worth noting that flying termites are often confused with flying ants. The key difference is wing length: termite swarmers have two pairs of wings that are roughly equal in size, while flying ants have a larger front pair and a smaller rear pair.
Finding wings or swarmers indoors almost always means the colony is already established inside the structure. At that point, a professional assessment is the right move.
This is one of the less obvious signs of termites in walls, but it's worth knowing about, particularly for property managers and commercial building owners.
Subterranean termites build mud tubes to travel between their underground colonies and their food sources. When they're active inside wall cavities, they sometimes pack mud into electrical outlets, junction boxes, and the spaces around wiring. This is known as termite mudding.
The mud itself can cause problems. It can block outlet contacts, create moisture buildup around wiring, and in some cases contribute to short circuits or tripped breakers. Outlets that stop working without an obvious electrical cause, or that show signs of discoloration or moisture around the faceplate, may warrant a closer look.
Important: If you suspect termite activity near electrical components, do not attempt to investigate the wiring yourself. Contact a qualified electrician alongside a pest professional. Termite mudding near wiring is a sign of significant activity inside the wall cavity and should be treated as a priority.
For commercial properties, unexplained electrical faults in older buildings with timber framing are worth investigating for termite activity as part of routine termite control checks.
Termites can cause significant damage before you even see them. Because they eat from the inside out, they can weaken drywall and wooden framing without leaving many visible clues. Over time, this hidden activity can compromise the structure of your home.
Spotting the problem early means you can address it before repairs become more costly. Finding termites in your home can be stressful, and for business owners, this can lead to both reputation damage and structural damage.
Visual inspections are a good starting point, but termites spend most of their time hidden inside walls, floors, and structural timbers. That's where professional detection technology makes a real difference.
Our technicians use a range of tools to help identify termite activity that isn't visible to the naked eye.
Thermal imaging cameras detect differences in surface temperature. Active termite galleries generate heat and moisture, which shows up as a temperature variation on the camera's display. This allows our technicians to identify areas of potential activity inside walls. It's a non-invasive way to help narrow down where the problem may be concentrated.
Termites, particularly subterranean species, are drawn to moisture. They also introduce moisture into the wood and drywall they infest. A moisture meter measures the water content of building materials. Readings that are higher than expected in a specific area of a wall may indicate termite activity, even when there are no visible surface signs.
Some professional inspection tools use acoustic sensors or microwave-based motion detection to pick up the movement and vibration of termites inside wall cavities. These devices can detect the faint sounds of termite feeding and movement that are otherwise impossible to hear. They're particularly useful in thick walls or areas where thermal imaging is less effective.
Professional detection technology is one of the reasons a termite inspection from a trained technician is far more reliable than a DIY visual check. If you're concerned about termite activity in your walls, getting a professional assessment is the most effective first step.
If you think you’ve found termites in the walls, don’t ignore them. Cleaning up droppings or patching termite holes in drywall may hide the problem, but it won’t stop the infestation.
For lasting protection, it’s best to have our technicians inspect your property. We can confirm whether the damage is caused by termites and recommend the right termite control plan to help stop them.
Yes. Termites don’t feed on the drywall itself, but they can eat the paper backing, leaving holes and hollow spots behind. Over time, this can weaken the surface, making it easier to crack or crumble.
Fresh signs of termites often include new holes, soft spots, or active mud tubes. Older damage may look dry or patched. If you’re unsure, a professional inspection can help confirm whether activity is current.
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