How are drywood termites different from subterranean termites?
Drywood termites live inside dry above-ground wood, need no soil contact and leave hexagonal pellets. Subterranean termites, California's most important termite pest, need contact with soil. A technician identifies which you have, since the treatment, the likely locations and the cost differ.
That difference drives where the technician looks. Drywood evidence turns up in attics, roof framing, fascia and trim; subterranean activity is more often at or near the foundation. A house can have both, and the inspection should say what was found of each.
Our guide to drywood versus subterranean termites in Los Angeles compares the two in more detail.
When do drywood termites swarm in Southern California?
Drywood termite swarmers typically fly in the daytime during summer and fall, tending toward late summer or early fall in coastal and southern regions, according to UC IPM. Finding discarded wings or a swarm indoors suggests an active colony, though many infestations are discovered by pellets without any swarm.
In Los Angeles that means August through October is when homeowners most often notice wings on a window sill or winged insects around a light. Western subterranean termites swarm on a different schedule, on calm sunny days right after the first autumn rains and sometimes in spring, so the timing is a clue but not proof of species.
If you see swarmers, catch a few in a jar or on tape and show them to the technician. Do not spray them: a spray kills the flyers but does nothing for the colony.
Can drywood termites be treated without fumigation?
Sometimes. UC IPM says limited infestations can be handled by replacing the wood, while extensive ones typically call for chemical treatment of the whole structure. Whether local treatment is enough depends on how many colonies there are and whether the evidence is in wood the technician can reach.
A technician is looking for two things: how widely the evidence is spread, and how much of the structure is hidden behind finished surfaces. If pellets appear in several rooms or roof sections, one colony is less likely than several.
A company that recommends fumigation should explain what it saw that led to that decision, and one that recommends local treatment should explain what could still be undiscovered. Ask for both options to be priced if the evidence is borderline.
What happens if I do nothing?
Drywood termites eat wood slowly, so damage develops over years rather than days, but a colony in structural framing does not stop on its own. Delay can turn a limited, replace-the-wood job into an extensive one, and an open report finding can complicate a home sale.
Wood Destroying Pests and Organisms reports are used in California real-estate sales, and drywood findings often appear on them. Treating before listing keeps the work in your hands. See termite inspection for how those reports work.
