Drywood Termites

Drywood Termites in South Texas

Drywood termites are different from the subterranean termites most people are familiar with. They don’t need soil contact and they don’t need moisture to survive. They move directly into the wood itself — furniture, window frames, door frames, attic beams, hardwood floors — and they can go undetected for years while the damage quietly adds up inside.

In South Texas, the warm climate makes drywood termite activity possible year-round. By the time most homeowners notice signs of an infestation, the colony has usually been established for a while. That’s why knowing what to look for and getting a professional inspection early makes a significant difference.

At Del Valle Pest Control, we treat drywood termite infestations in homes and commercial properties throughout the Rio Grande Valley and across Texas. Our technicians are licensed, insured, and trained to identify the extent of an infestation and recommend the right treatment approach for your specific situation.

How Drywood Termites Are Different From Subterranean Termites

Understanding the difference matters because the two types require completely different treatment methods.
Subterranean termites live underground and build mud tubes to travel between the soil and the wood they’re feeding on. They need moisture and soil contact to survive.
Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood they’re eating. There are no mud tubes, no soil contact, and no moisture required. A colony can be completely contained within a single piece of wood — a door frame, a window sill, a roof rafter — and give very little outward sign of its presence.
This also means subterranean termite treatments like soil liquid barriers won’t address a drywood termite infestation. Drywood termites require their own treatment approach based on the location, size, and accessibility of the infestation.

Signs you May Have Drywood Termites

Because drywood termites live inside the wood, they’re often hard to detect until the infestation has grown. Here’s what to watch for:

• Frass — drywood termites push their fecal pellets out of small kick-out holes in the wood. These pellets are tiny, hard, and hexagonal in shape, and they often accumulate in small piles that look like sawdust or coffee grounds near window sills, door frames, or on the floor beneath wooden furniture
• Hollow-sounding wood — tap on a wooden beam, door frame, or piece of furniture and listen for a hollow sound where it should be solid
• Blistering or bubbling paint — not always caused by termites, but it can indicate activity just beneath a painted wood surface
• Discarded wings — when drywood termites swarm to start new colonies, the reproductives shed their wings. Finding small piles of wings near windows or light fixtures is a warning sign
• Visible galleries — in more advanced infestations, damaged wood may show smooth, clean tunnels running with the grain

If you notice any of these signs, don’t wait. The longer a drywood termite colony goes untreated, the more structural wood it damages.

Drywood Termite Treatment Options

There is no single treatment that works best in every situation. The right approach depends on where the infestation is located, how widespread it is, and what type of structure is involved. We assess all of this during the inspection before recommending anything.

Spot Treatments
When an infestation is localized — confined to one area, one piece of wood, or one room — spot treatment is often the most practical and least disruptive option. This involves drilling small holes directly into the infested wood and injecting a termiticide into the galleries where the termites are active. The holes are then sealed.
Spot treatment works well for early-stage infestations or situations where the infestation is clearly defined and accessible.

Bora-Care
Bora-Care is a borate-based wood treatment we use for both drywood termite control and prevention. It penetrates deep into the wood and works by affecting the termites’ ability to digest cellulose, which is fatal to them.
Bora-Care is effective against drywood termites, subterranean termites, and wood-destroying beetles, and it also serves as a long-term preventive barrier. It’s a good option for exposed wood in attics, crawl spaces, new construction, and renovation projects where wood is accessible.

Tim-Bor
Tim-Bor is another borate-based product we use for wood treatment. Like Bora-Care, it works on contact and through ingestion and is effective against drywood termites and other wood-destroying insects. It’s applied as a solution directly to wood surfaces and is commonly used in attic treatments and on exposed framing.
Both Bora-Care and Tim-Bor are EPA-registered and have a favorable safety profile for use in homes.

Tent Fumigation
When a drywood termite infestation is widespread — affecting multiple areas of the structure, spread through walls and roof framing, or in locations that aren’t accessible for spot treatment — tent fumigation is often the most thorough solution.
Fumigation involves enclosing the entire structure under a sealed tent and introducing a gas fumigant that penetrates all the wood throughout the building, reaching termites in areas that would be impossible to treat any other way.

What the fumigation process involves:
The process takes approximately 24 to 48 hours from start to re-entry. Here’s what to expect:

• The structure is enclosed with large tarps sealed at ground level
• A warning agent (chloropicrin) is released first — it has a strong odor and causes eye and throat irritation, which ensures the structure is clear of people and pets before the fumigant is introduced
• The fumigant is then introduced through the structure and penetrates all wood throughout the building
• After the required exposure period, the tarps are removed and the structure is aerated
• A certified technician clears the structure for re-entry using specialized detection equipment to confirm fumigant levels are safe

All fumigation work is performed in coordination with a properly licensed fumigation partner, as required by Texas law.

What you need to do before fumigation:
The day before:

• Water the soil up to 18 inches from the outer walls to protect roots of nearby plants and shrubs
• Cut back landscaping at least 18 inches from the structure to allow room for the tarps
• The fumigant is then introduced through the structure and penetrates all wood throughout the building
• Arrange overnight accommodations for yourself, your family, and any pets — you will not be able to re-enter for 24 to 48 hours
• Note that fumigation may need to be rescheduled in the event of high winds or heavy rain, which can compromise the integrity of the tent

The day of:

• Remove all plants from inside the home and from outdoor patios under the tent area
• All people and pets must be evacuated before the process begins
• The fumigant is then introduced through the structure and penetrates all wood throughout the building
• Remove any food, medication, or consumables your technician specifies — items in original manufacturer-sealed glass, metal, or plastic containers typically do not need to be removed, but anything that will be ingested should be discussed with your technician
• Remove mattresses that are fully enclosed in non-breathable plastic covers, such as waterproof baby mattresses, or remove the covers themselves

After fumigation:

• Your home will be cleared for re-entry by a certified technician once fumigant levels are confirmed safe
• There is no residual chemical left behind after fumigation — it dissipates completely
• A follow-up inspection is recommended to confirm the treatment was effective

What About Powderpost Beetles?

Tent fumigation is also used for powderpost beetle infestations. Powderpost beetles are the second most destructive wood-destroying insect after termites. The adult beetles lay eggs in cracks and pores in wood, and the larvae bore through the wood for months or even years, leaving behind a fine powder-like dust and small round exit holes on the surface.
They commonly attack hardwood floors, antique furniture, wood crates, and structural hardwood. If you’re seeing small round holes in wood surfaces with fine powder accumulating beneath them, that’s a strong indicator of powderpost beetle activity. The same treatment options that apply to drywood termites — spot treatment, borate treatments, or fumigation depending on severity — apply to powderpost beetles as well.

Inspection First, Always

We don’t recommend a treatment method until we’ve inspected the property. The inspection determines:

• Which species is present (drywood termites, subterranean termites, powderpost beetles, or a combination)
• How widespread the infestation is
• Which areas of the structure are affected
• Whether the infestation is accessible for spot treatment or requires fumigation
• The condition of any structural wood that may have already been damaged

We offer free inspections, and in many cases we can perform the service the same day.

Warranties

We provide a one-year warranty on drywood termite treatments with the option to extend coverage for longer periods. If termite activity returns through treated areas within the warranty period, we come back and retreat at no additional charge. We’ll walk you through the specific warranty terms for your treatment at the time of service.

Serving the Rio Grande Valley and All of Texas

We treat drywood termite infestations throughout the RGV including McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Harlingen, Brownsville, and surrounding areas, as well as across Texas including Laredo, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas.
Our technicians are licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and we carry general liability insurance and worker’s compensation coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule a Free Inspection

If you’re seeing frass, hollow wood, discarded wings, or anything else that has you concerned, give us a call. We’ll come out, inspect the property, and give you an honest assessment of what’s going on and what the options are — before you commit to anything.
Phone: (956) 433-3348.
We’re available 24/7 for emergency service needs.