What are termite droppings?

Contributed by: Doug Webb

Updated on: May 3, 2024

Drywood termites can cause significant damage for many homeowners. Unlike their subterranean counterparts, drywood termites don't nest in the soil. Instead, they fly into your home and start new colonies, nesting in the wood in your home, including furniture. 

One sign that you might have drywood termites in your house is finding termite droppings or frass (also commonly referred to as “termite poop" or fecal pellets). Since drywood termites live inside of wood, they have to find a place to deposit their droppings. To “flush" these droppings away, drywood termites chew ‘kick-out’ holes so they have an opening to push out their frass. 

 

What do termite droppings look like?

Wherever there's a termite nest, termite frass won't be far behind. Drywood termite droppings can often be found on the floor outside of kick-out holes. Some of the most common places to find termite kick-out holes are along wooden floorboards, on carpeting, on wooden porches, and on window sills. You may also want to inspect corners of rooms for termite frass, your attic floor, and any crawlspaces.

Termite droppings are tiny. Each piece of termite frass is just a fraction of an inch, a little larger than a grain of sand– making identifying termite droppings tricky. While you'd likely need a magnifying glass to see an individual termite dropping, you can, however, spot piles of frass collected outside of their kick-out holes.

Below is a list to help in identifying termite droppings. Termite droppings are: 

Are termite droppings dangerous?

Termite droppings are not dangerous; however, seeing them in your home could indicate a much bigger problem, as they are a common sign of a termite infestation. If you see termite droppings but no termites, the termites themselves may be feasting on the structure of your home. 

What to do if you see termite droppings

There are several signs of termites that you might come across in your home, including frass or termite droppings. Depending on the type of termite you’re dealing with, their droppings may look different. Generally, these droppings are very small and can vary in color or shape depending on the wood they are eating. This makes it hard for homeowners to recognize the signs. Additionally, it is possible that termites could be nesting in your home that you cannot see — and causing destruction — for years without leaving any traces. Because of this, it's important to have a termite protection plan that includes regular inspections. Contact us today if you see any signs of termites or their droppings in your home.