Where Do Termites Come From?
Termites come from the soil. Subterranean termites are the only kind found in DFW homes. They live in underground colonies that already exist under most yards, and they reach a house by tunneling up and building mud tubes. Each colony began with a pair of winged swarmers, or as a group that split off from an older colony.
On this page
Termites Start in the Soil
A termite colony isn't a single nest you could dig up. Ohio State Extension describes it as several feeding sites linked by underground tunnels, with no fixed territory. The colony moves toward whatever food is easiest to reach, and the soil keeps it from drying out.
That's why termites seem to appear out of nowhere. They don't hatch inside your walls or come out of the wood itself. They've usually been feeding under the yard for years, and the house is simply the next piece of wood they found. Workers reach it through slab cracks, plumbing gaps and mud tubes, so the first sign is usually mud, not termites. Once they're feeding on the house, termite control with Sentricon puts bait in the soil that workers carry back to the colony. In Dallas, termite control in Dallas starts at the slab edge and the plumbing gaps.
How a New Colony Begins
Most colonies start with a mating flight. On a warm spring day, a mature colony sends out winged swarmers. A male and female pair off, shed their wings and tunnel into damp soil beside a piece of wood. Penn State notes that each pair tries to start a colony, but few succeed.
Colonies also spread by splitting. When a group of workers ends up cut off from the main colony, some of them can develop into replacement reproductives and keep the group growing. The University of Arkansas termite guide notes that these satellite nests expand a colony's foraging territory over time.
Where Your Termites Probably Came From
Homeowners often want to know whether termites came with the house, from next door or from something they brought home. This table lists the usual sources and how likely each one is in DFW.
| Where they came from | What usually points to it | How common in DFW |
|---|---|---|
| A colony already in your yard | Mud tubes at the slab edge, termites in a fence or old stump | Most common by far |
| A colony that also feeds next door | A neighbor has termites, or a swarm came from their yard | Common |
| A swarming pair that settled years ago | A first swarm from a house with no termite history | Common |
| The house before you bought it | Old damage or treatment holes in the slab | Possible so a pre-purchase inspection matters |
| Wood you brought home | Landscape timbers or railroad ties laid on the ground | Possible |
| Furniture or antiques | Drywood termites, which leave pellets | Rare since DFW termites are subterranean |
If you're buying a house, a wood destroying insect inspection checks for termites and old damage before you close. It's the easiest way to know whether termites came with the deal.
Termites That Travel With People
Some termites hitch a ride. The Formosan termite isn't native to Texas. It arrived through shipping, and Texas A&M's Formosan termite page traces the first Texas infestations to the Houston Ship Channel in 1956. It has since turned up in 31 Texas counties, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton.
Infested wood is how termites move most easily over long distances. Iowa State Extension points to salvaged lumber, railroad ties and landscape timbers on the ground as far riskier than bagged mulch, since chipping kills most insects in the wood. Before you lay used timbers in a garden bed, check them for mud and tunnels.
Where Termites Came From Originally
Termites are, in a sense, social cockroaches. Their closest living relative is the wood roach, a cockroach that also eats wood and raises its young in family groups. A 2023 study of termite and wood roach behavior dates their split to at least the Late Jurassic. That's well over 145 million years ago.
In nature, that long history makes termites useful. They break down dead trees and brush and return the nutrients to the soil. The trouble starts only when a colony finds the wood in a house before it finds a fallen branch.
Where Termites Come From FAQ
Where do flying termites come from?
Flying termites come from a mature colony nearby, often one that's several years old. If they show up inside, the colony is usually in the walls or under the slab. If they show up outside, it's in the soil close by.
Can termites come from firewood?
Firewood can carry termites, especially wood that sat on the ground. Stack it off the soil and away from the house, and bring in only what you'll burn that day.
Do termites come from the outside or the inside?
From the outside, almost always. Subterranean termites need contact with soil or a steady source of water, so they enter from below and work their way up into the house.
Knowing where your termites came from shapes the fix. Get pricing online or over the phone, and we'll trace them to the source.
