How do termites find wood?

I pulled up a floorboard during a renovation and found it completely hollowed out. How did the termites even know the wood was there?

Good question, and it's one we hear a lot. Termites are nearly blind, yet they find wood inside walls, under floors, and deep inside structures with surprising accuracy. 

Damp wood is easier for termites to digest, so moisture is their first signal. Their antennae pick up humidity gradients, which is why leaky pipes, poor drainage, and wood in direct contact with soil are such common entry points. 

Once a worker finds food, pheromones do the rest, creating invisible trails that can lead a colony to the food source. Subterranean termites will even build mud tubes along the route to protect themselves from the open air as they travel between the food source and the colony.

How fast can termites eat wood?

This depends on the species, but faster than you'd hope, and probably less quickly than you fear. Termites are slow and steady. That sounds manageable, but the problem is they're working 24 hours a day, and you likely won't see any of it until the damage is already done. 

How can you tell if termites are in wood?

Termites do most of their damage out of sight, so the signs are easy to miss. Here's what to watch for:

• Hollow-sounding wood: Tap on beams, floors, or walls. A papery or hollow sound can mean termites have eaten through the inside
• Mud tubes: Thin, pencil-width tubes along your foundation or walls are a telltale sign of subterranean termite activity
• Frass: Small piles of pellet-like droppings near wood can be a sign of drywood termites feeding nearby
• Warped doors or windows: Termite damage can cause wood to warp, making doors and windows harder to open or close
• Blistering paint: If the paint on wood looks bubbled or uneven without an obvious cause, termites feeding beneath the surface could be the reason

Catching activity early can make a real difference in limiting potential damage. If you’re seeing signs, book a free inspection with our termite control experts today.