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How to Get Rid of Drywood Termites

If you’ve found termite droppings around your window sills or noticed strange pinholes in furniture, you might be dealing with drywood termites.

Unlike subterranean or dampwood termites, drywood termites live entirely within the wood they infest and don’t need moisture or soil contact. That makes them especially difficult to detect and more destructive over time.

In this article, you’ll learn how to get rid of drywood termites, recognize signs of infestation, and understand why professional drywood termite control is the most reliable way to protect your home.

Key Takeaways

  • Drywood termites live inside wood and don’t need soil or moisture to survive.
     
  • Signs include frass (termite droppings), discarded wings, and hollow-sounding wood.
     
  • Tent fumigation and localized termite treatment are the most effective removal methods.
     
  • Sealing crevices and scheduling regular inspections helps prevent new colonies from forming.
     

Know the Signs of Drywood Termites

Drywood termites don’t build mud tubes like subterranean termites, but they do leave other clues. The most noticeable is frass, dry, pellet-like termite droppings pushed out of the wood. You might find these under furniture, near baseboards, or in window sills.

Another common sign is discarded wings from termite swarmers. These reproductive termites, also called alates, leave the colony to start new colonies and often shed their wings near windows or light fixtures. Swarmers usually show up during warm, humid months and are an early warning sign that you have active drywood termite colonies.

Keep an eye out for small holes in walls, wooden trim, or ceilings. Tap on exposed studs or beams and listen for a hollow sound. That usually means drywood termites have eaten through the inside of the wood, leaving just the outer shell behind. If you’ve noticed these signs, it’s time to deal with your termite problem before it worsens.

Skip the DIY, Here’s Why It Doesn’t Work

DIY termite control often falls short, especially when it comes to drywood termites. These pests burrow deep inside wood, far beyond the reach of surface sprays. You might eliminate a few termites near the surface, but the heart of the colony keeps feeding.

If you’re serious about learning how to get rid of drywood termites, it starts with a full termite inspection. A licensed pest control company can detect termite activity in hidden areas, including attics, crawl spaces, and wall voids.

Home remedies like orange oil or borate can be helpful in some cases, but they rarely work on their own. These products need direct contact with the colony, which is nearly impossible without drilling into the infested wood. Even if you drill holes and apply product, you risk missing satellite colonies or reproductives elsewhere in the structure.

Some homeowners try a termiticide they find online, but most over-the-counter solutions don’t have the strength or precision of a professionally applied treatment. You may end up wasting time while the termites continue causing damage to your home’s wooden structures.

Tent Fumigation: Best for Widespread Infestations

Tent fumigation is one of the most effective drywood termite treatments for full-home infestations. It’s especially useful when you’re seeing termite droppings in multiple rooms, hearing hollow wood in walls, or finding signs of damage in furniture, ceilings, or studs.

During tent termite fumigation, professionals seal your home with a tarp and release a fumigant that penetrates every crevice, including deep inside wall voids, roof beams, and even closed-off crawl spaces. The gas eliminates drywood termite colonies, including reproductives and eggs, throughout the structure.

Unlike contact-based insecticides, fumigation doesn’t rely on drilling or guessing. It treats the entire home at once, making it the most reliable method when the infestation is widespread. If you’re unsure which treatment methods are best, a termite inspection will help guide the decision.

A certified exterminator will also inspect your property beforehand to assess what type of termite you’re dealing with. Knowing the exact termite species helps them choose the safest and most effective solution for your home.

Spot Treatments: Effective When Caught Early

If the infestation is localized, spot treatment offers a less disruptive solution. This type of drywood termite treatment targets small sections of infested wood using dusts, foams, or liquid formulations. Professionals may drill holes into the wood to inject the material directly into termite galleries.

Spot treatments are ideal when termite activity is limited to one piece of wood, such as window trim, a doorframe, or a small section of the attic. They’re also commonly used for treating drywood termites in furniture.

Pest control companies often use borate-based products like Bora-Care to penetrate wood and repel termites long-term. These solutions are especially effective in spot treatments where precision matters. You’ll still need follow-up inspections to confirm that the infestation hasn’t spread elsewhere in your home.

Spot treatment works best when a termite inspection catches the infestation early and shows no signs of drywood termites elsewhere in the house. If you wait too long, the infestation can expand, making localized options less effective.

Prevent Termites From Coming Back

After treatment, preventing new colonies from forming should be your top priority. Start by sealing off access points like vents, eaves, and roofline crevices. Drywood termite swarmers are small and can slip through gaps that are easy to overlook.

If you have exposed or untreated wood outside your home, consider applying a borate treatment like Bora-Care. This product soaks into the wood and prevents wood termites from feeding or establishing new colonies. It’s especially helpful for attic framing, crawl spaces, and siding.

Trim back tree limbs that touch your home and avoid stacking wood or storing furniture along exterior walls. Drywood termites can travel into the home from infested outdoor wood or secondhand furniture.

Routine termite inspections and preventive applications of Bora-Care are some of the most dependable long-term strategies for drywood termite control. Partnering with a pest control company ensures your home stays protected.

Call a Pro Before the Damage Gets Worse

Drywood termites can live undetected in your home for years, causing significant structural damage. Left untreated, they’ll continue chewing through studs, support beams, ceilings, and wooden trim. Even if the damage looks minor from the outside, the internal destruction can be severe.

A licensed pest control company can evaluate your home with a detailed termite inspection. They’ll identify active colonies, locate entry points, and recommend the best termite treatment based on the scope of the infestation.

Whether you need heat treatments for a small area, spot treatments in furniture, or full tent fumigation, professionals know how to kill drywood termites efficiently and safely. They may use termiticides or products like Bora-Care depending on what areas are affected and how advanced the infestation is.

If you're seeing signs of termite damage or suspect a termite problem, don’t wait. Contact an exterminator specializing in the control of wood termites and drywood termites. Early treatment limits damage and protects your investment.

At Native Pest Management, we’ve helped thousands of South Florida homeowners stop termite infestations before they get worse. We offer solutions tailored to the construction and materials in your home, so you can get peace of mind knowing it’s handled right.

Conclusion

Drywood termites cause serious damage when left unchecked. Because they live inside wood and require no contact with soil or moisture, they often go unnoticed until the damage is done.

Knowing how to eliminate drywood termites involves recognizing the signs, understanding treatment options, and relying on a professional for effective control. Whether you're facing an active infestation or want to prevent one, a trusted pest control company will offer a plan that works.

If you live in South Florida and need help, reach out to Native Pest Management. Our local termite experts will inspect, treat, and protect your home, so you know your termite problem has been solved.
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