Photo Album: Drywood Termites in Headboard in Princeton, NJ
Pile of Debris
While inspecting, I noticed a small pile of debris by the bed.
What!
I took a closer look and found drywood termites in the headboard! It's extremely rare to find drywood termites in our region. They are usually found in coastal or humid regions.
Difference Between Termites
An important difference between subterranean termites and drywood termites is that subterranean termites nest in the ground, while drywood termites nest inside the wood they are infesting. Drywood termites don't dig mud tubes, needing zero contact with soil. They also do not need moisture, consume cellulose in wood, and leave droppings that look like pellets.
Purchased it From the South
After inspecting the entire home from top to bottom, we didn't find any signs of termites infesting any other areas, just here. The owner mentioned that she recently purchased the headboard from a relative who lived in a southern state, which is how the drywood termites wound up here! We informed the homeowner to dispose of the headboard as well as the entire bed to avoid the dry wood termites from spreading to other areas of the home.