Termites cause more property damage in the United States each year than fires, floods, and storms combined, and Los Angeles is one of the hardest-hit metro areas in the country. Some estimates suggest that 60 to 80 percent of buildings in Southern California have had or currently have some level of termite activity. The challenge is that termites work silently, often for months or years, before the damage becomes visible.
This guide will walk you through exactly what to look for, which termite species are most common in our area, and what to do if you suspect your property has a problem.
Southern California's climate is essentially perfect for termites. Unlike regions with harsh winters that freeze out insect populations, LA's mild year-round temperatures allow termite colonies to stay active in every season. The warm, dry conditions favor drywood termites, while our periodic rainstorms create the moisture that subterranean termites need to thrive underground.
Older neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, places like Pasadena, South Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and East LA, have building stock that's particularly at risk. Many of these structures were built with untreated lumber, and decades of exposure have given termite colonies plenty of time to establish themselves. But newer buildings aren't immune either, especially if builders didn't install proper soil treatments during construction.
Western subterranean termites are the most common and most destructive species in Southern California. They live in large underground colonies that can contain hundreds of thousands of individuals. These termites need constant contact with moisture, so they build distinctive mud tubes, pencil-thin tunnels made of soil and saliva, to travel between their underground nests and the wood they feed on above ground.
Subterranean termite swarming season in Los Angeles runs from March through May, typically triggered by warm weather following rain. If you see small winged insects emerging from the soil near the foundation or from cracks in concrete, that's a strong indicator of an established colony nearby.
Key fact: A mature subterranean termite colony can consume about one foot of a 2x4 board per year. That may sound slow, but most infestations go undetected for three to five years, by which time structural damage can be severe and expensive to repair.
Drywood termites are the other major species in the LA area. Unlike subterranean termites, they don't need contact with soil at all. Instead, they live entirely inside the wood they infest: framing lumber, hardwood floors, furniture, even picture frames. Their colonies are smaller (typically a few thousand individuals), but a single building can harbor multiple separate colonies in different locations.
Drywood termites swarm later in the year, usually from August through October. They're especially common in coastal and foothill communities like Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Monterey Park, where warm evening temperatures coincide with their swarming behavior.
These are the calling card of subterranean termites. Mud tubes are narrow tunnels, roughly the diameter of a pencil, that typically run vertically along foundation walls, piers, or the inside surfaces of crawl spaces. They're made of soil, wood particles, and termite saliva, and they allow termites to travel safely between the ground and the building's wood framing. Check the foundation regularly, especially after spring rains. Fresh mud tubes will appear damp and dark brown.
Drywood termites push their droppings out of tiny kick-out holes in the wood they infest. The result is small piles of pellets that look like coarse sand or sawdust, usually found on windowsills, along baseboards, or beneath wooden furniture. The pellets are distinctive: elongated, about one millimeter long, with six concave sides. If you find these near any wooden element of the building, drywood termites are actively feeding inside.
Don't confuse frass with sawdust. Termite frass has a uniform shape with visible ridges. Sawdust from carpenter ants or woodworking is irregular and powdery. If you're not sure, collect a sample in a plastic bag and show it to a pest professional. They can identify the source in seconds.
When termites swarm, the reproductive adults fly out, find a mate, shed their wings, and begin a new colony. Finding small, translucent wings scattered near windows, doors, or light fixtures is one of the most reliable indicators of an active termite colony in or near the building. In Los Angeles, watch for these between March and May for subterranean species and August through October for drywood species.
Tap on wooden door frames, window frames, baseboards, and structural beams with your knuckle or the handle of a screwdriver. Solid wood produces a firm thud. Wood that's been hollowed out by termites will sound distinctly hollow or papery. In advanced cases, you may even be able to push a screwdriver through what appears to be a solid piece of wood. Focus your checks on any wood that's close to the ground or near moisture sources. These areas are attacked first.
When termites feed on wood just beneath a painted surface, the damage can cause paint to bubble, peel, or crack in ways that look similar to water damage. Many owners dismiss this as a cosmetic issue or blame it on LA's dry heat, but if the paint damage appears on wood trim, door frames, or eaves and there's no obvious water source, termites should be on your list of suspects.
As termites consume wood from the inside, they can cause structural members to warp, shift, or weaken. This leads to floors that develop new squeaks, doors and windows that suddenly stick or won't close properly, and in severe cases, visible sagging in floors or ceilings. These symptoms are easy to chalk up to settling or seasonal changes, but if they develop suddenly in a building that's been stable, a termite inspection is a smart next step.
If you see small, winged insects inside, especially near windows, in bathrooms, or around light fixtures, that's the most urgent sign of all. Indoor swarmers mean there's a mature colony somewhere inside or directly beneath the structure. Don't wait to see if it happens again. This warrants an immediate call to a licensed pest control professional.
Finding potential termite damage can feel alarming, but catching the problem early gives you the best chance of avoiding costly structural repairs. Here's what we recommend:
Don't disturb the evidence. If you find mud tubes, resist the urge to break them open or clean them away. A pest professional needs to see them intact to assess the activity level and identify the species. Similarly, leave frass piles in place if possible.
Document what you see. Take photos and note the locations where you found signs. This speeds up the inspection process and helps your pest control company develop a targeted treatment plan.
Schedule a professional inspection. A licensed inspector will check the entire building, not just the spot where you noticed something, using tools like moisture meters and, in some cases, thermal imaging to identify hidden activity.
Understand your treatment options. Depending on the species and severity, treatment might range from a localized spot treatment to full structural fumigation for widespread drywood infestations. For subterranean termites, soil treatments or baiting systems around the foundation are the standard approach. A reputable company will explain all your options clearly before recommending a plan.
While no prevention method is 100 percent guaranteed, these steps significantly reduce your risk:
Eliminate wood-to-soil contact. Anywhere that wood framing, siding, or deck posts touch the ground creates a direct highway for subterranean termites. Maintain at least six inches of clearance between soil and any wood elements of the building.
Manage moisture around the foundation. Fix leaky faucets, ensure sprinklers don't spray directly against the building, clean gutters regularly, and make sure grading slopes away from the foundation. Subterranean termites are drawn to moisture, so eliminating it near the perimeter is one of the most effective defenses.
Store firewood away from the building. Keep firewood stacks at least 20 feet from the structure and elevate them off the ground.
Trim vegetation back from exterior walls. Dense bushes, vines, and ground cover planted against the building create moist, sheltered conditions that subterranean termites love. Keep a clear zone of at least 12 inches between plants and the foundation.
Get annual inspections. Even if you're not seeing any signs, an annual termite inspection by a licensed professional is the single best way to catch problems early. In a city where termites are as common as they are in LA, this is basic building maintenance.
Tip: California law requires a termite inspection (called a Wood Destroying Pest and Organisms, or WDO, inspection) during most real estate transactions. But you don't have to wait until you're buying or selling. Proactive inspections save LA property owners thousands of dollars in avoided damage every year.
Squash Exterminating arranges termite inspections and treatment for single family homes, multifamily buildings and commercial properties across Los Angeles County, including Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Glendale, Burbank, Alhambra, Monterey Park, South Pasadena, East LA, and Highland Park.
Call us at (323) 855-3567 to schedule a termite inspection.
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