Signs of termites in the yard, and why the garden is where the story starts
Termites live in the soil. The yard is where the colony is, and the house is just something it has found.
Why start the search outside?
The yard is where subterranean termites live. The colony sits in the ground, in a stump or in a living tree, and sends workers out through the soil to find timber. A house is one of several food sources it may reach.
That makes the yard the best place to see early signs, and often the only place where the evidence is not hidden inside a wall. It also means finding termites outside does not prove they are in your house. It does mean the house is in range.
What do termites look like in a garden?
Most signs are on timber that touches the soil, or on the structures where soil meets the building. Walk the boundary slowly and check these:
- Mud tubes on a post, a retaining wall, a slab edge or a brick pier. See mud tubes for what they look like.
- Hollow or papery stumps, logs and fence posts that sound empty when tapped.
- Timber in contact with the ground that is soft, layered or honeycombed inside.
- A mound at the base of a tree or stump, or soil that has been built up into a lump.
- Swarming insects near a tree or a light in spring and summer, with wings left behind on the ground.
- Dead or declining branches on a tree that otherwise looks healthy.
Some of these have other explanations. Ants build soil mounds, borers hollow timber, and decay softens wood. Early warning signs of termites helps with telling them apart, and an inspector settles it.
Which parts of the yard matter most?
The places where timber and soil meet, and where soil meets your walls. Garden beds, mulch and paving built up against the house can hide the edge of the slab and bridge any barrier. Retaining walls, sleepers and pergola posts are common routes. Old stumps and buried timber from the original build are a ready-made food supply.
Moist ground helps them, so check around taps, downpipes and low spots. Termites in the garden goes into why some yards attract more than others.
Can you tell which species it is?
No, not from the garden and not from a photo. Species is identified from the soldiers under magnification, and it changes the treatment. If you collect a few insects, keep them in a sealed jar for the inspector and do not try to name them yourself.
What not to do
- Do not poke, drill or cut into the lining or the timber to see how far it goes. That opens the galleries.
- Do not spray anything. No surface spray, no bug bomb, no home remedy.
- Do not break a mud tube or dig into a mound to see what is inside.
- Do not patch, sand and repaint. Cosmetic repair hides live evidence.
A disturbed colony abandons the route and comes back somewhere concealed, so the feeding carries on where nobody is looking. Why spraying termites yourself makes it worse covers the rest of the cost.
What to do instead
Photograph each sign with something in the frame for scale, note where it is on the property, and leave it untouched. Then book a timber pest inspection to AS 4349.3 and give the inspector your photos and notes. If you want to check the house too, checking for termites yourself is a safe walk-through that touches nothing.
Found termites in the yard? What each sign means and what to do
Finding termites in the yard means a colony is in range of the house, not that the house is infested. Leave what you found exactly as it is and book a timber pest inspection to AS 4349.3. This table helps you read what you are looking at before the inspector arrives.
| What you found | What else it could be | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Mud tubes on a post, retaining wall, pier or slab edge | Only an inspector settles it | Do not break it. Photograph it with something for scale |
| Hollow or papery stump, log or fence post | Borers or decay | Do not cut or drill into it. Note where it is |
| Soft, layered timber touching the soil | Decay | Leave it and tell the inspector |
| A mound at the base of a tree or stump | Ants also build soil mounds | Do not dig into it |
| Swarming insects near a tree or light, wings left on the ground | Winged ants, which fly on the same evenings | Keep a few in a sealed jar for the inspector |
| Dead branches on a tree that otherwise looks healthy | Other causes, so treat it as a prompt to look | Mention it when you book |
Whatever the sign, do not spray it. To tell a winged termite from a winged ant, see termite or ant.
Frequently asked questions
If I find termites in a stump, are they in my house?
Not necessarily. But a colony in range of the house is a risk, and only an inspection can tell whether they have already reached it. Do not disturb the stump in the meantime.
Should I remove the stump or the fence post myself?
Not before an inspection. Removing it disturbs the colony and can send foraging workers toward the house. Let the inspector and your pest technician decide what to do and in what order.
Do termite mounds in the yard mean my house is infested?
No, a mound only shows there is a colony nearby. It does mean the house deserves a proper inspection, because mounds are not always visible and many colonies have none.
Sources
What this page explains is based on these official sources. If you check one and it does not match what you read here, send it to us and the article gets corrected.
- Department of Health, Victoria. Pest control — termites
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission. Protect against termites — termite management systems and inspections
- Standards Australia. Australian Standards (AS 3660 termite management, AS 4349.3 timber pest inspection)