Signs Of Termites

Termites are a silent threat to Metro Atlanta homes and buildings, often causing costly damage long before you realize they're there. If you’re a property owner in the area, knowing the signs of termites can help you identify an infestation before it gets out of hand. Here’s what to watch for around your home or business.

Before we jump into the signs of termites, let’s take a moment to discuss why it’s hard to detect termite activity – at least, right away. Termites are experts at staying hidden, so spotting signs of them can be tricky. Their behavior is driven by a need for darkness and moisture, which help them survive. Termite workers dehydrate quickly, so they avoid exposure to open air by staying underground, inside the wood, or within shelter tubes they build from the soil. These tubes let them travel safely between the ground and structures without drying out or being exposed to light. In fact, worker termites are so averse to light that they avoid it entirely—even moonlight. Because of this, signs of termites are often tucked away in hidden places like crawl spaces, under decks, or behind walls.

Shelter tubes

Termite shelter tubes often appear as thin, muddy lines running up foundation walls, along basement walls, or inside crawl spaces. You might notice one while trimming bushes, moving storage bins, or working around your home’s exterior. Subterranean termites build these tubes to travel between their underground nest and the wood in your home—shielding them from air and light. If you know what to look for, you might spot them, but many people either miss them entirely or don’t realize they're a clear sign of termite activity.

Swarmers & discarded wings

Swarmers are winged reproductive termites that leave the colony to start new ones—usually during the spring, especially after rain. While the swarm might be brief, it’s a big red flag for termite activity, especially if it’s happening indoors. You may spot swarmers near windows, doors, or light fixtures as they’re attracted to light. Once they land and shed their wings, you’ll often find piles of these delicate, transparent wings on windowsills, in basements, or around entry points. Even if you don’t see the swarm itself, the presence of discarded wings is a strong sign that a termite colony is nearby.

Termite damage

Termites cause damage by hollowing out wood from the inside, leaving the outer surface mostly intact. Over time, this hidden activity can lead to various visible issues around your home. One common sign is blistering or bubbling paint, which may look like water damage but is actually caused by moisture buildup from termite activity beneath the surface. As structural wood weakens, you might also notice that doors and windows become harder to open or close—warped frames are a frequent side effect of internal termite damage. In some cases, you may tap on a wall or piece of trim and hear a hollow sound, another indication that termites have been busy behind the scenes. While these changes can seem minor initially, they’re often a sign of a much larger issue within the structure.

Live termites (not swarmers)

Spotting live termites, not swarmers, is one of the clearest yet least spotted signs of an infestation. As mentioned above, they are very good at avoiding detection because they remain hidden in the soil or work inside the wood. Property owners may uncover worker termites, which are pale and soft-bodied, during renovations or in areas prone to termite activity. If you see creamy white insects (often called white ants) with straight antennae and no obvious waist, it’s a strong indicator that a colony is nearby.

If you notice signs of termites in or around your home or business, it’s crucial to act quickly to prevent further damage. Termites will not go away; if left untreated, an infestation can result in serious structural issues that will only worsen over time. The best course of action is to contact Got Bugs? for expert termite control in Atlanta. 

Our team specializes in thorough termite inspection and customized treatment plans to target subterranean termites. Whether we install an eco-friendly termite baiting system around the perimeter of your home or structure or eliminate the infestation by performing a liquid termite treatment, you can count on us to exterminate termites for good! 

Don’t wait for termite damage to happen—contact got bugs? Termite & Pest Solutions today to schedule your termite inspection!