Termite Control

Termites are not the type of pest you should tolerate for any amount of time. The cost of repairing termite damage can be prohibitively expensive. Your best chance of avoiding these expensive repairs is detecting the presence of termites early on.

Signs of Termite Infestation in Indianapolis, IN

The first step to identifying an infestation is identifying the pest itself. It’s not always easy, and you may need the help of a trained pest expert before you realize termites were in your home in the first place. They’re also often confused with ants, as they look similar and swarm around the same time.

What to Look For

If you’re actually seeing these insects in or around your home, see our pest library for help identifying what type of termite you’re dealing with. And if you’re uncertain as to whether you have termites or not, here are some tips for spotting this particularly harmful pest.

Flying Termites – There is a type of flying termite called a swarmer. Swarmers leave the colony to find a mate and start a new colony. Seeing their discarded wings on or near window sills and light fixtures is one easy sign of termite presence. And seeing the insects is another obvious sign, although they look very similar to ant drones.
Noise – While they may be out of sight behind your walls, termites are noisy eaters—making little clicking, scratching noises as they dine on your home’s insides. If you’re concerned about the presence of termites, try placing your ear against the wall and listening.
Not Ants – As previously stated, termites are often confused with ants. This is particularly true with the swarmers. The difference is, termites are white in color, and the swarmers have wings which are equal in size in shape, where ant drones have large and small wings.
Hollow Wood – One of the reasons termites are so hard to detect is that they eat wood from the inside out. You can check for termite damage by knocking or tapping on wood walls and door frames while listening for a hollow sound. Also, look for signs of tunneling, should you be doing a project where you uncover pieces of timber in your home.
Feces – Subterranean termites use their frass, or feces, as a construction material; however, drywood termites dispose of it outside of entrances to their tunnels. This creates black marks and an accumulated black powder near the area they are infesting.