Signs of Termites in San Antonio, Texas
The clearest signs of termites in a San Antonio home are winged swarmers or their shed wings near windows and lights, mud tubes climbing the foundation, and wood that sounds hollow or has soil packed inside. Drywood termites leave a different clue: small piles of hard, six-sided pellets below tiny holes. Any one of these is worth a professional look, because termites eat from the inside out and most of the damage stays hidden.
If you have spotted one of these signs, call or text (210) 281-1064 or request a termite inspection.
What are the most reliable signs of termites? #
AgriLife's guide to subterranean termites (E-368) says the first thing most homeowners notice is the swarm itself, or the wings left behind on windowsills, in spider webs and around indoor light fixtures. Swarmers that appear indoors usually mean termites are working in the structure. A swarm outdoors means a colony lives nearby and could reach the house.
In South Texas, native subterranean termites start swarming as early as January and February, so a winter afternoon is not too early to see them. See our termite swarmers page for the full calendar.
Walk the outside of the house #
Start at the foundation and go all the way around. Look for:
- Mud tubes. Narrow earthen tunnels on the slab edge, foundation wall, crawl space piers or where pipes and wires enter. They blend in with dirt, so look closely at corners and cracks.
- High soil. Soil, mulch or a planter bed piled against brick or siding hides termite entry and lets them skip the tubes.
- Wood touching the ground. Fence boards, trellises, steps and stair stringers that rest on dirt.
- Wet spots. Dripping AC condensate lines, leaky hose bibs, overflowing gutters and sprinkler heads that soak the foundation. AgriLife notes that steady moisture lets termites stay away from the soil longer.
- Wings outdoors. After a swarm, shed wings may collect on porches, steps and window ledges near the base of the house.
Check inside, room by room #
Termites usually announce themselves indoors in a few predictable places:
- Windowsills and light fixtures: piles of shed wings or dead swarmers.
- Baseboards and door frames: tap the wood. A dull, papery sound can mean the inside has been eaten away.
- Painted walls: blisters, ripples or bubbled paint can sit over termite galleries. AgriLife lists unusual blistering as something inspectors look for.
- Bathrooms in slab homes: the opening around the tub drain, often called the bath trap, is a common hidden entry.
- Damaged wood: galleries that follow the grain and are lined with mud or a pale, spotted coating point to subterranean termites. TDA adds weak or blistered wood and soil in cracks to the list.
Drywood termite clues in attics and furniture #
Drywood termites never need soil, so they leave no mud. Instead, AgriLife's drywood termite guide (E-366) describes "kick holes" where the termites push waste out of the wood. Below them you find small piles of pellets about 1/32 inch long, six-sided, rounded at one end and pointed at the other, and the same color as the wood. Check attic framing, eaves, window frames and older wood furniture, especially pieces bought used.
Signs that turn out to be something else #
Not every clue means termites:
- Flying ants. Ants have elbowed antennae, a pinched waist and front wings longer than the back ones. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist and four equal wings.
- Carpenter ant debris. AgriLife describes cone-shaped piles of shredded wood mixed with insect parts below their openings. That fluffy sawdust looks nothing like the hard pellets drywood termites leave. See carpenter ants.
- Old damage. AgriLife says it is virtually impossible to tell how old termite damage is, so damage alone does not prove termites are still there.
You found a sign. Now what? #
TDA's advice is not to panic, because most termite damage happens slowly. Next steps:
- Save several swarmers in a sealed plastic bag for the inspector.
- Take photos of tubes and damaged wood, then leave them as they are.
- Don't spray, patch or repair anything before the inspection; TDA asks homeowners to let the inspector see the area first.
- Get more than one inspection if you want to compare.
How Pest Trappers confirms termite activity #
A Pest Trappers technician inspects the outside foundation, the plumbing areas, the trim and the attic, checks whether tubes are active and identifies which termite left the evidence. You get a clear explanation of what was found, what conditions are helping termites, and which treatment options fit the house. Termite work is performed by Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), licensed by TDA in the termite category, and every product is used as its label directs. Pricing comes after the inspection.
We serve San Antonio, Helotes and Fair Oaks Ranch, along with the rest of our Hill Country area. To understand what a sign could mean for the structure, read about termite damage, or see the termite fact sheet.