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Drywood Termites (Cryptotermes brevis, Incisitermes species)
Identification guide for South Florida homeowners.
What Are Drywood Termites?
Drywood termites are social insects that live their whole lives inside a single piece of dry wood. Unlike subterranean termites, they don't need contact with soil or moisture from the ground. They get the water they need from the wood itself. Colonies are relatively small compared with subterranean termites, but a single structure can contain several colonies in different pieces of wood.
In South Florida, the West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis) is a well-known structural pest, and it's also found in furniture. Native drywood termites in the genus Incisitermes also occur in Florida. Because drywood termites can live in furniture, frames and other wooden items, they can be moved from place to place in household goods.
How to Recognize Drywood Termite Activity
The most common clue is frass: tiny, hard pellets that look like coarse sand, sawdust or ground pepper, often in a small cone-shaped pile. Under magnification, the pellets have six concave sides. Termites push these pellets out of small "kick-out" holes in the wood surface, so piles show up on window sills, floors, under furniture, inside cabinets and in the attic.
Other signs include:
- Discarded wings near windows, doors and light fixtures after a swarm
- Small round holes in wood surfaces, sometimes sealed with a brownish plug
- Blistered or bubbled paint on wood trim
- Swarmers flying to lights at night or found dead on window sills
Drywood vs. Subterranean Termites
- Drywood: pellets (frass); no mud tubes; live inside dry wood above ground; colonies can be in furniture.
- Subterranean: mud tubes on foundations and walls; no pellets; connected to soil or another moisture source. See subterranean termites.
Swarmers vs. Flying Ants
Winged termites and winged ants are often confused, and many "termite swarms" turn out to be ants. Here's how to tell them apart:
| --- | --- | --- |
|---|---|---|
| Antennae | Straight, bead-like | Bent or "elbowed" |
| Waist | Broad, no pinch | Narrow, pinched |
| Wings | Two pairs, about equal length, much longer than the body | Front pair longer than back pair |
| Wings after flight | Shed easily, often found in piles | Usually stay attached longer |
Common flying ants in South Florida homes include Florida carpenter ants, rover ants and white-footed ants. Saving a few insects in a sealed bag or on clear tape makes identification much easier.
Life Cycle and Habits
A new colony begins when a pair of swarmers lands, sheds their wings and seals themselves into a crack or crevice in wood. The colony grows slowly over years. Nymphs do the work of the colony, and soldiers defend it. When the colony matures, it produces winged reproductives that leave to start new colonies.
Why South Florida Is Prone
Warm temperatures, long swarm seasons, older wood-frame elements in many homes and the movement of furniture and goods all contribute to drywood termite activity in the region.
What You Can Do
- Collect a sample of pellets or swarmers in a sealed bag for identification.
- Note where pellets keep reappearing after you clean them up.
- Inspect used wooden furniture before bringing it home.
- Keep exterior wood painted or sealed and repair damaged trim.
Need Help Identifying a Sample?
Not sure what you're seeing? Your UF/IFAS county Extension office can help identify a sample.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do drywood termite droppings look like?
Do drywood termites need soil?
Can drywood termites be in furniture?
Are flying insects near my windows termites?
Reviewed October 2026 by Pro-Spray's family-run team
Pests don't wait.
Protect your home today.
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