In South Florida, termites are a year-round threat—but not all termites are the same. Two of the most destructive species you might encounter are drywood termites and subterranean termites, and while both can cause serious damage to homes and buildings, they behave very differently.
Knowing which species you’re dealing with is critical because the treatments, prevention methods, and potential damage they cause are not the same. At TORO Pest, we help homeowners identify which type of termite has invaded so we can apply the right solution and protect your property effectively.
What Are Drywood Termites?
Drywood termites live inside dry, undecayed wood—like the beams, rafters, furniture, and trim inside your home. Unlike subterranean termites, they don’t require soil contact or moisture from the ground. Instead, they get all the water they need from the wood they consume.
Key characteristics:
• Build small colonies (few thousand members)
• Live inside the wood they eat
• Produce pellet-like droppings (frass) pushed out of tiny holes
• Don’t require soil or mud tubes
Because they live entirely within wood, they can go unnoticed for years, causing slow but steady internal damage to wooden structures.
What Are Subterranean Termites?
Subterranean termites live underground in large colonies, often with hundreds of thousands to millions of individuals. They build mud tubes to travel from the soil to the wood of a structure, requiring constant contact with moisture.
Key characteristics:
• Build massive colonies underground
• Construct mud tubes on walls and foundations
• Cause rapid, large-scale damage
• Require soil moisture for survival
Because they attack from below, they can compromise foundations, support beams, and structural wood—sometimes causing significant damage in just months.
Why Knowing the Difference Matters
Treating drywood termites and subterranean termites requires completely different approaches:
1. Inspection Techniques
• Drywood termite infestations are located by identifying frass piles, small exit holes, or hollow-sounding wood.
• Subterranean termite infestations are detected by finding mud tubes, damaged wood near the ground, or live activity in the soil.
If you don’t know what to look for, you may miss early warning signs and allow the infestation to spread unchecked.
2. Treatment Methods
• Drywood termites often require whole-structure fumigation or targeted wood treatments because they live entirely within the wood.
• Subterranean termites require soil treatments, baiting systems, or barrier applications that stop the colony underground and prevent them from accessing your home.
Using the wrong method wastes time and money—and allows termites to continue destroying your property.
3. Long-Term Prevention
• Drywood termites can reinfest if untreated wood is left exposed or if infested furniture is moved into the home.
• Subterranean termites require ongoing monitoring, especially around foundations and in areas with high moisture.
Each species has its own vulnerabilities, and a prevention plan must be customized accordingly.
The Cost of Misdiagnosis
Misidentifying termite species can be a costly mistake. For example:
• Using soil treatments for drywood termites won’t reach the colony inside your walls or furniture.
• Spot-treating a few pieces of wood for subterranean termites ignores the massive underground colony that keeps sending in reinforcements.
Without professional inspection, it’s easy to apply the wrong fix—leaving your home unprotected and at risk for escalating damage.
How TORO Pest Helps
At TORO Pest, we specialize in termite identification and treatment tailored to your specific infestation. Our services include:
✅ Free expert inspections to determine whether you have drywood or subterranean termites
✅ Customized treatment plans using the most effective methods for the species present
✅ Long-term monitoring and prevention to stop reinfestations
✅ Professional advice on how to protect your property and furniture from future attacks
We know South Florida termite problems inside and out—and we’re here to help you stay ahead of them.
Schedule Your Free Termite Inspection Today
Not sure what type of termite you’re dealing with? Don’t guess—call TORO Pest today for a free professional inspection and let us diagnose and solve the problem before it leads to costly repairs.
Your home deserves expert protection. Let’s make sure you get it.
