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Drywood Termites – Silent Intruders Inside Your Home
Drywood termites are a particularly invasive species in Florida, capable of causing significant damage to homes without requiring contact with soil. Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termites live entirely within the wood they consume, making them harder to detect. These pests often infest furniture, structural beams, flooring, and even picture frames, quietly hollowing out wood from the inside.
Drywood termites don’t build mud tubes like their subterranean counterparts, as they don’t need soil moisture to survive. Instead, they thrive in dry, warm environments, which makes the interior wood of homes in Lakewood Ranch an ideal target. One of the most noticeable signs of a drywood termite infestation is the presence of frass, small wood-colored droppings that termites push out of their tunnels, often collecting near windowsills, door frames, or baseboards.
Another key indicator of drywood termites is the presence of discarded wings left behind after a swarm, which typically happens in the late summer or fall when reproductive termites (alates) leave the colony to form new nests. Because drywood termites can go undetected for long periods, they are particularly destructive, and fumigation or targeted termite treatments are often necessary to eliminate the infestation. Regular termite inspections and early detection are key to protecting your home from these silent intruders.
