Termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage across the United States every year, and most homeowner insurance policies do not cover it. In the St. Louis metro area, our warm, humid summers and clay-heavy soils create ideal conditions for Eastern subterranean termites — the most common and destructive species in Missouri. The trouble is that termites work silently. By the time most homeowners notice the damage, these insects may have been feeding on their home’s structure for months or even years.

Knowing the early signs of termite damage is the single best way to protect your home and your wallet. In this guide, we walk through the visual and structural warning signs every St. Louis homeowner should know, explain when to call a professional, and cover the treatment options that actually work.

Mud Tubes Along Your Foundation

Subterranean termites live in underground colonies and build pencil-width mud tubes (also called shelter tubes) to travel between their nest and your home. These tubes are made of soil, wood particles, and termite saliva, and they protect the insects from dry air and predators. You will most often find them running vertically along your home’s foundation walls, in crawl spaces, along basement walls, and around plumbing penetrations.

If you see mud tubes, do not break them off and assume the problem is solved. The colony is still underground, and workers will simply rebuild. Mud tubes are a confirmed sign of active or recent termite activity and warrant an immediate professional inspection. Check your foundation at least twice a year — once in spring before swarm season and once in fall.

Hollow-Sounding Wood

Termites consume wood from the inside out, leaving a thin shell of paint or surface wood intact while hollowing out the structural timber behind it. If you tap on baseboards, door frames, window sills, or exposed beams and the wood sounds hollow or papery, termites may have already eaten through the interior. In advanced cases, you can press a screwdriver or fingernail into the wood and it will puncture easily, revealing the honeycomb-like galleries inside.

Pay special attention to wood that contacts or is near the soil — porch posts, deck ledger boards, and basement framing are common first targets. Structural wood that has lost integrity is a serious safety concern and should be evaluated by both a pest control professional and a contractor.

Frass and Sawdust-Like Debris

While Eastern subterranean termites do not typically leave visible frass (they use their excrement to build mud tubes), drywood termites push small, pellet-shaped droppings out of their galleries. These look like tiny piles of sawdust or coffee grounds, usually found beneath infested wood. Though drywood termites are less common in Missouri than subterranean species, they do occur — particularly in older homes and in wood furniture or structures brought from warmer states.

If you find unexplained piles of fine, granular material near windowsills, door frames, or along baseboards, collect a sample and have it identified by a pest professional. It could be termite frass, carpenter ant shavings, or another wood-destroying insect.

Termite Swarmers and Discarded Wings

Every spring — typically between March and May in the St. Louis area — mature termite colonies release swarmers (also called alates). These winged reproductive termites emerge in large numbers, usually on warm days following rain, to mate and establish new colonies. You may see them around windows, doors, light fixtures, or other light sources inside your home.

After mating, swarmers shed their wings. Finding piles of small, translucent, equal-length wings on windowsills, near doors, or in spider webs is a telltale sign that a termite colony is living in or very near your structure. Swarmers inside your home are a strong indicator of an established colony within the building, not just a passing swarm from the yard.

Sagging Floors, Sticking Doors, and Buckling Walls

As termite damage progresses, the structural integrity of your home begins to fail. You may notice floors that feel soft, spongy, or uneven when you walk across them. Doors and windows may start sticking or become difficult to open and close because the surrounding frames have warped due to termite-damaged wood absorbing moisture differently. In severe cases, walls may buckle, ceilings may sag, and you may see cracks in drywall that were not there before.

These symptoms mimic water damage, and many homeowners initially blame plumbing leaks or foundation settling. If your home is showing these signs and a plumber has not found a leak, termites should be the next suspect. A professional termite inspection can confirm or rule out the cause.

Bubbling or Peeling Paint

When termites feed behind painted surfaces, moisture from their activity can cause paint to bubble, peel, or appear water-damaged even when there is no water source nearby. This is especially common on exterior trim, window frames, and fascia boards. If you notice paint irregularities that you cannot explain by weather or age, inspect the wood underneath — termite galleries may be just below the surface.

When to Call a Professional

If you observe any of the signs above, do not wait. Termite damage is progressive — it only gets worse over time, and it never resolves on its own. A professional inspection by a licensed pest control operator is the only reliable way to determine the extent of an infestation and the best course of treatment.

At Roberts Pest Control, we offer free termite inspections across the greater St. Louis area. Our technicians are trained to identify all species of termites and wood-destroying insects, assess structural damage, and recommend the most effective treatment plan for your specific situation.

Why Sentricon Is the Best Long-Term Solution

For long-term termite protection, Roberts Pest Control recommends the Sentricon system. Unlike liquid treatments that only create a barrier, Sentricon eliminates the entire colony — including the queen — using a scientifically proven bait that disrupts the termite molting process. The system uses Always Active technology, meaning protection starts from day one with no gaps.

Sentricon has earned the EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, protects landmarks like the White House and the Statue of Liberty, and has been validated in more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific studies. As a Certified Sentricon Specialist, Roberts Pest Control is trained and authorized to install and monitor Sentricon systems to manufacturer standards.

The bait stations are discreet, flush-mounted in the ground around your home’s perimeter, and checked annually by our technicians. There is no drilling, no trenching, and no chemicals pumped into your soil — just targeted, ongoing protection that eliminates existing colonies and intercepts new ones before they reach your home.