Signs of Termites in Your Home
Most people never see a termite. What they see is the evidence: a mud track up a pier, skirting that sounds hollow, paint that bubbles, or a pile of wings on the windowsill after rain. Here is what to look for, room by room, and what to do if you find it.
The straight answer
If you see mud tracks on slab edges, piers or walls, timber that sounds hollow or feels soft, or a scatter of small wings after a warm, humid evening, treat it as possible termite activity. Don't spray it, don't break it open, and don't disturb it. Take photos and book a termite inspection.
Signs of termites in walls
- Bubbling or blistered paint, often in a line, where termites have eaten the timber or plasterboard paper behind it.
- Fine lines or tracks in plasterboard, sometimes with a trace of soil.
- Doors and windows that suddenly stick. Termites bring moisture into timber, which can make frames swell.
- Mud packed into cracks in cornices, architraves or around power points.
Signs of termites in wood
- Timber that sounds hollow or papery when tapped, especially skirting boards, door frames and window frames.
- A screwdriver pushes in easily. The outer skin can look perfect while the inside is gone.
- Soil or mud inside the timber when it is broken open. Subterranean termites carry soil with them to keep the damp in.
Signs of termites in the roof and subfloor
- Mud leads (shelter tubes) running up stumps, piers, brickwork or pipes. They are about the width of a pencil and are how termites travel out of the ground unseen.
- Damage in the roof timbers near leaking flashings or hot water systems, where moisture collects.
Signs of termites around the house and yard
- Mud leads on the slab edge, especially behind garden beds, pavers or anything built up against the house.
- Damaged fence posts, sleepers, stumps and old trees. A nest in the yard is often within foraging distance of the house.
Termites or flying ants?
| What to look at | Termite (alate) | Flying ant |
|---|---|---|
| Antennae | Straight, like a string of beads | Bent at an elbow |
| Waist | Thick, no pinch | Narrow, pinched |
| Wings | Two pairs the same length, shed easily | Front pair longer than the back |
In south-east Queensland termites swarm roughly October to March, usually on warm, humid evenings after rain. Piles of shed wings on windowsills or near lights are a common first sign.
What not to do
- Don't spray them. Surface spray kills the termites you can see and sends the rest elsewhere in the house, which makes them harder to treat.
- Don't break open the mud leads or damaged timber. Leave it as found so the inspection can trace where they're coming from.
- Don't pull out timber or start repairs until the activity has been treated.
What you can do yourself, every month
- Keep the slab edge visible. Garden beds, soil, mulch and pavers built up against the house hide mud leads.
- Fix leaking taps, hot water overflows and air-conditioner drains that keep soil wet against the house.
- Remove timber touching the ground near the house: old sleepers, stacked wood, formwork and offcuts.
- Book a professional inspection at least every 12 months, as AS 3660.2 recommends.
Frequently asked
Can you hear termites in the walls?
Sometimes. Soldier termites make a faint clicking or ticking sound when disturbed, which can be heard in a quiet room with an ear to the wall. Silence does not mean there are no termites, so it is not a reliable test on its own.
Do termites leave droppings?
The subterranean termites that cause most damage in south-east Queensland usually do not leave visible droppings; they use their waste to build mud. Small, hard pellets are more typical of drywood termites, which are less common here.
Are termites active in winter in Brisbane and the Gold Coast?
Yes. Termites work all year round in south-east Queensland. The swarming season is roughly October to March, but feeding and damage continue through winter.
I found termites. How urgent is it?
Serious enough to act this week, not tonight. Leave everything as it is, take photos, and book an inspection. The inspection finds the extent and the entry point so treatment is aimed at the source.
Found something? Get it checked before it spreads.
Straight answer on the phone, fixed price in writing, and a technician who shows you what he found.