Drywood Termite

Drywood termites (family Kalotermitidae) live entirely within the wood they consume — they require no soil contact and no external moisture source. This makes them fundamentally different from subterranean termites (which live underground and need soil moisture) and from Formosan termites (which also require soil but can build aerial nests). Drywood termites infest furniture, structural framing, window and door frames, hardwood floors, wooden fixtures, and any other dry wood inside or outside your home. They are not detected by the same mud tube signs used to identify subterranean species.

Drywood termites enter primarily through alate (swarmer) flights during their mating season. Swarmers fly into structures through gaps around windows, doors, vents, utility penetrations, and any exposed unfinished wood. Once inside, the male and female pair shed their wings, excavate a small gallery in a wood surface (often unpainted wood, window frames, or furniture), seal themselves inside, and begin founding a new colony. Infested furniture, lumber, and wooden items can also introduce drywood termites into a home that was previously uninfested.

Frass is the primary diagnostic sign of drywood termites — and the key difference from subterranean species that leave no frass. Drywood termites excavate wood into galleries and push their fecal pellets out through small 'kick-out holes' in the wood surface. These pellets accumulate in small piles on surfaces below the infested wood — on window sills, floor surfaces, in cabinets, or on furniture. The pellets are typically hexagonal in shape, roughly 1mm long, and range in color from light tan to dark brown depending on the wood species being consumed. Finding a pile of these pellets is a reliable indicator of active drywood termite activity.

In South Florida, the two primary drywood termite species swarm at different times. The West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis) typically swarms in late summer, often August through November, often in the evening. The southeastern drywood termite (Incisitermes snyderi) typically swarms in spring and early summer. Swarms in South Florida can occur after rain, during humid evenings, or when temperature conditions trigger emergence. Swarmers are attracted to light and will often appear near windows, light fixtures, and lamps.

Spot treatments with over-the-counter products (foam injected into termite galleries through holes drilled in the wood) can provide temporary relief for small, localized infestations. However, drywood termite colonies can establish multiple separate infestations throughout a structure that are not connected, meaning a spot treatment that eliminates one colony may miss several others. Whole-structure fumigation (tenting) is the only treatment method that guarantees elimination of all drywood termite colonies throughout a structure simultaneously. This requires professional licensing and is not available to homeowners.

Structural fumigation (commonly called 'tenting') involves covering the entire structure with a tarpaulin system and introducing a gaseous fumigant (typically sulfuryl fluoride, sold as Vikane) throughout. The gas penetrates all wood throughout the structure and eliminates all drywood termite colonies. The process requires 24–72 hours of exposure followed by a clearance period. Residents, pets, plants, and all food items must leave the structure. The process eliminates all drywood termites throughout the structure but provides no residual protection against future infestation — follow-up preventive treatments are recommended.