Drywood termites live entirely inside dry wood, such as attic framing, window frames, furniture, trim and hardwood floors, and never need contact with soil. The telltale sign is small piles of hard, six-sided pellets (frass) pushed out of tiny holes. Treatment ranges from spot treatment for small colonies (a few hundred dollars) to heat or whole-house tenting for widespread infestations, which runs about $1 to $4 per square foot. Soil barriers and baits don’t work on drywood termites.
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What Drywood Termites Look Like
| Caste | Look |
|---|---|
| Swarmers | Light brown to reddish-brown, about 3/8 to 7/16 inch with wings; wings clear to smoky |
| Soldiers | Cream body with a large, dark reddish head; some species’ heads look like a burnt match |
| Nymphs | Cream-colored; do the work in place of a separate worker caste |
Colonies are small, up to a few thousand termites, but one house can hold many colonies. In the US they occur mainly along the coast from the Carolinas through Florida and the Gulf to Texas, in the Southwest, California and Hawaii. See what termites look like.
Signs of Drywood Termites
- Frass piles: tiny, hard, six-sided pellets like coarse sand or coffee grounds, light tan to almost black, below infested wood. See termite droppings.
- Kick-out holes: pinhead-size holes the termites use to push out pellets, often sealed afterwards.
- Swarmers and wings: swarms at dusk or night near lights; wings on sills. Timing depends on species, from spring to late fall.
- Blistered or hollow wood: galleries cut across the grain, smooth and clean inside.
Drywood Termite Damage
Damage is slower than with subterranean termites because colonies are small, but it can spread through many timbers over years. Furniture, picture frames and wooden items can carry colonies from one home to another. See termite damage.
How to Get Rid of Drywood Termites
| Treatment | Best for | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Spot treatment (liquid, foam or borate injected into galleries) | Small, known, reachable colonies | About $250 to $1,200 |
| Heat treatment | Moderate infestations; no chemicals | About $1 to $3 per sq ft |
| Fumigation (tenting) | Widespread or hidden colonies | About $1 to $4 per sq ft |
| Wood replacement | Badly damaged, accessible pieces | Varies |
| Borate treatment of bare wood | Prevention in attics and crawl spaces | DIY products or add-on |
Ranges from HomeGuide and Angi 2026 cost guides.
Tenting is the only method that reaches every piece of wood at once. Spot treatment is cheaper but works only if every colony is found. See termite tenting cost and prep and termite treatment cost.
How to Prevent Drywood Termites
- Keep exterior wood painted or sealed; termites enter through cracks and bare wood.
- Screen attic and foundation vents with fine mesh.
- Seal cracks and joints in siding, trim and eaves.
- Inspect second-hand wooden furniture for pellets and holes before bringing it inside.
- Treat bare attic and crawl space framing with borate.
- Get an annual inspection in coastal and southern areas.
Drywood termite DIY products
- Termite foam for injecting small galleries
- Orange oil treatment for small, reachable spots
- Borate wood treatment for bare wood
Widespread drywood termites need professional heat or tenting.
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FAQs
Drywood termites are termites that live and feed entirely inside dry wood, such as framing, furniture and trim, without needing contact with soil.
Drywood termite droppings are tiny, hard, six-sided pellets, light tan to almost black, found in small piles below infested wood.
Spot treatment for small drywood colonies usually costs about $250 to $1,200. Heat treatment costs about $1 to $3 per square foot and tenting about $1 to $4 per square foot.
Small, reachable colonies can sometimes be treated with injected foam, orange oil or borates. Hidden or widespread infestations need professional heat or fumigation.
In the US, drywood termites live mainly along the southern and Gulf coasts, in Florida, the Southwest, California and Hawaii.
Sources
- UF/IFAS Extension: Drywood and dampwood termites
- National Pest Management Association: Drywood termites
- HomeGuide: Termite treatment cost (2026)
Facts in this guide are checked against the sources above and reviewed when they change. See how we research in our editorial policy.
Related guides
- What Causes & Attracts Termites?
- Termite Colony-Queen, Soldier, Worker & King
- Do Termites Bite Humans? Pictures & Remedies
- Signs of Termites: 10 Ways to Tell If You Have Them
- Flying Termites (Swarmers): Pictures, What They Mean & What to Do
- Best Termite Sprays-Orange Oil (DIY), Boric Acid & Spectracide Reviews