How do I know if I have subterranean termites?
Short answer
Look for mud tubes on foundations and stem walls, discarded wings after a swarm, hollow-sounding or blistered wood, and small dirt-packed holes in drywall. Subterranean termites stay hidden inside wood and soil, so visible workers are rare. Any one of those signs justifies a professional inspection, since most Arizona homeowners find damage long before they ever see an insect.
Arizona context
Subterranean termites are the most destructive structural pest in Arizona, and the state's slab-on-grade construction makes early detection harder: activity often enters at plumbing penetrations and expansion joints hidden beneath flooring. Garages, patio posts, and any wood in contact with soil are the usual first finds during an inspection.
What to look for
- Mud tubes on concrete, block, piers, or inside garages
- Piles of shed wings, all the same size, near windows and doors
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped or gives way under light pressure
- Bubbling or blistered paint and drywall with pinholes packed with soil
- Doors and windows that suddenly stick due to warping
What you can do
- Inspect the exterior stem wall on all sides, plus the garage interior, at least once a year
- Check any wood touching soil: fence posts, patio posts, planters, and stored lumber
- Fix leaks, redirect downspouts, and correct grading that holds moisture at the foundation
- Keep firewood and lumber off the ground and away from the structure
When professional service is warranted
Because subterranean colonies live in the soil and can number in the hundreds of thousands, confirming and treating them requires a licensed inspection. Real-estate transactions have their own requirement — a Wood Destroying Insect Report — which only a licensed inspector can issue.
How Hydra handles it
Hydra provides free termite inspections and documents findings in writing. Treatment is matched to the construction: Termidor SC liquid barrier for most slab and stem-wall homes, bait station systems where trenching is impractical, and localized wood treatment for isolated activity. Full treatments carry a multi-year retreatment warranty.
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Reviewed by the Hydra Pest Control service team · Updated