Drywood Vs. Subterranean Vs. Dampwood Termites: Key Differences And Identification Guide

Scientifically reviewed by Dr. Siavash Taravati

Published: 2026-Feb-13

Updated on: 2026-Feb-14

Drywood, subterranean, and dampwood termites all damage wood in homes and other buildings. If you are seeing winged termites, aka “swarmers”, or you received a termite inspection report indicating that your home has termites, you may be wondering which type of termite you are dealing with. Each group of termites has distinct biology and survival requirements, so accurate identification is crucial for successful control. Also, make sure that you are dealing with actual termites, and not winged or flying ants. Read here about the differences of winged or flying termites and ants..

To learn more about termites and their management, please visit How To Identify Termites: Signs, Damage, And Treatment Options

Figure 1: A dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termite for comparison. Dampwood termites, especially the Pacific dampwood termites are much larger than drywood termites and subterranean termites. However, there are multiple species of each group, so the size, shape, and body color may vary significantly.

Table 1. A summary of differences of drywoods, subterranean, and dampwood termites

Feature	Drywood	Subterranean	Dampwood
Size	Small–medium	Small	Large
Wood moisture requirement	Low	Mid–high	High
Location of nest	Above ground	Mostly underground	Inside wood
Foraging location	Inside wood, above or at ground level	Under and above ground	Inside wood
Colony size	Small – under 2000 termites	Large to very large	Small
Speed of damage	Slow	Fast	Slow
Unique signs	Six-sided (hexagonal) fecal pellets	Mud tubes; springwood damage only	Fecal pellets smooth
Damage to buildings	Above ground: attics, fascia, rafters, studs, window sills	Mostly lower parts of buildings; sometimes attics	Lower parts of buildings in moist soil; Attack fallen trees and logs touching ground

Drywood termites

There are several drywood termite species out there, and they are named after their tendency to damage and survive in low-moisture wood. Compared to the other two groups, drywood termites are less moisture dependent. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that they don’t enjoy occasional moisture added to the wood. In fact, water leakage from pipes or rain can boost drywood termite populations. These termites usually live above ground, in studs, window frames, rafters, beams, floor joists, fascia, etc. Their nest is always somewhere above ground.

One important feature of drywood termites is that they produce a granular or coarse powdery material that they expel from their nest, resulting in a pile of granular material on floors as well as inside their nest tunnels. This granular material is called "fecal pellets" (Fig. 2). Dampwood termites also produce fecal pellets, but the shape of each pellet is more six-sided or hexagonal in drywood termites.

Their colonies are small, typically comprising fewer than 1,000 termites, including a queen, a king, soldiers, workers, and queen helpers, which lay eggs similar to those of the queen. They move in their tunnels, aka galleries, inside wood and only emerge from it occasionally as winged termites during what is called “swarming”. Swarming refers to the event during which hundreds of winged or flying termites emerge from nests and are seen by homeowners and tenants. Table 1 summarizes the main characteristics of drywood termites in comparison to other termite groups.

Figure 2: Powdery or granular pellets coming out of walls or ceiling is an indication of having drywood termites in the house. Credit: killum.com

Subterranean termites

Subterranean termites are a diverse group of termites and require high moisture to survive and thrive. Interestingly, subterranean termites maintain high moisture in their environment using two different methods. First, they spend most of their time in moist soil. Second, when they emerge from the ground to reach and damage structural wood in homes and buildings, they do it by constructing mud tubes and walking under them. Mud tubes (Fig. 3) are made of soil particles mixed with termite saliva and other material that are glued together into a mud tunnel. Mud tubes are built on the exterior walls or in crawl space of homes and buildings to bridge between the soil and their favorite food source, wood. These termites move under the mud tubes to stay hydrated and protected from enemies. Fresh mud tubes that are actively in use are moist and dark in color. However, when termites abandon them, they become dry, crumbly, and may eventually fall apart.

One important type of subterranean termites is the Formosan termite. Formosan subterranean termite is a very destructive termite that can heavily damage buildings if left unchecked. The unique thing about this termite species is that sometimes in humid climates or where there is significant water leakage, their colony can become fully aerial, without any contact with the soil. This contradicts their "subterranean" nature. As a result, managing an aerial Formosan termite colony requires above-ground insecticide treatment. This is an important exception among subterranean termites. A mature Formosan subterranean termite colony can be as large as several million individuals and can destroy houses within a short period of time. This termite creates massive and intricate "carton nests" (Fig. 4), a network of interconnected mud tubes.

Figure 3: Mud tubes on walls is a sign on old or new subterranean termite infestation. Credit: budgetbrotherstermite.com

Figure 4: Carton nest of the Formosan subeterranean termite extracted from their nest. Photo: David Bowers

Dampwood termites

Dampwood termites, on the other hand, stay in very moist wood all their life and have a difficult time surviving outside their wooden nest. Dampwood termites do not create mud tubes, but, similar to drywood termites, they create granular or fecal pellets. Unlike drywood termites, dampwood termite pellets are not expelled from their nest and are usually visible only inside wood when the wood is cut open or during inspections.

Termites in arid vs. humid climates

Construction lumber is made out of cut trees, which continuously lose moisture over time. As a result, in arid climates, where the air humidity is usually low, drywood termites survive better than the other two as they can infest older and drier wood. Nevertheless, water leaks, heavy landscape irrigation, and other factors can help termites overcome xeric conditions. Subterranean termites require high moisture in their environment, but they can overcome dry or xeric conditions by creating mud tubes and walking under them. As mentioned above, mud tubes both protect and keep termites hydrated when they are feeding on structural wood above ground.

Dampwood termites, however, do not have the capability of subterranean termites to build mud tubes. As a result, they are only found in very moist soils and humid environments. Seeing dampwood termites is a clear indication of moisture problems. Managing dampwood termites requires fixing water leakage or water drainage problems, especially in the lower parts of houses and buildings. Saturated soil or standing water in the crawl space or around the perimeter of a house can lead to extensive termite, rot, and fungal problems.

Best control methods

Drywoods, subterranean, and dampwood termites live and damage buildings differently. As a result, their management also differs significantly. Drywood termites live above ground and must be managed using foam or dust insecticide injections into the wood, fumigation, or heat treatments. Subterranean termites, on the other hand, live predominantly underground, and their management must involve liquid insecticide/termiticide to the soil, or using baits. Dampwood termites live in moist wood that is usually in contact with soil. To manage them, it’s best to reduce moisture in wood along with using insecticides when necessary.