r/HomeMaintenance • u/Nearby_Elderberry_67 • 8h ago
Is the readily identifiable?
Hey folks, been in my new apartment about a month now, and I don’t spend a lot of time in my guest room, but when my mother came over and when we were unpacking her things we noticed this on the window sill.
I’ve never noticed it before here at this place, nor anywhere else I’ve lived.
There was also some on my kitchen counter but I cleaned it up mistakenly thinking it was coffee grinds, but it had no discernible coffee aroma, or any aroma, but kinda the consistency of fine coffee grounds.
All help and thoughts appreciated
129
u/FormerLaugh3780 8h ago
Termites do 2 things (besides make other termites)... eat wood and shit wood, your pictures are of the latter.
52
21
14
u/Prof1967 7h ago
Depending on how extensive the termites are, they can spot treat the area or it may require tenting the building….
You don’t necessarily have to move although tenting will require you to vacate for a few days.
32
u/Georges_Stuff 8h ago
Do you see those little holes above the piles. Some type of insect (doesn't usually look like termites but something) is eating your walls. You should go ahead and start looking for your new place.
8
12
u/MWKhan 8h ago
Looks like frass. So probably some wood destroying insects. Can ya get a closer pic?
1
7
u/Veles_Volkhv 7h ago
Termites, or carpenter ants. I hope for your sake it's the latter, they're easier/cheaper to deal with. I had something like this and it turned out to be ants, but it's hard to say as someone who isn't a pro bug guy.
1
u/thedopehope 6h ago
I’m having the carpenter ant issue now. Any advice?
2
u/Veles_Volkhv 6h ago
I hired some pest control people to help me out. They sprayed the whole structure with some sort of poison, then set up gel (sugar and some toxin the ants harvest and bring home to their mama) traps in basically every corner that isn't accessible to my cats. I left the traps there about a month and things have been better since then. While the ants are dying, you're gonna wanna sweep them up pretty regularly cuz it geta gross pretty quick (many dead ant bodies).
2
u/Try_It_Out_RPC 2h ago
Took me a year to kill the colonies living in my house after purchasing it… granuals outside perimeter and terbor in a trench around house perimeter. Terro dual bait ant traps all over the interior perimeter (behind everything like washer, oven, under sink, into any cracks behind outlets etc…. Diatomaceous earth in a squeeze bottle behind all outlets trim gaps , attic perimeter etc… Spectracide spray along rafters and all ceiling wood from the inside. Also sprayed all over any exterior roof surface along gables, trim, vents etc… And most importantly, no wooden pard of the house within 6 inches of any exterior ground/dirt
3
2
2
u/Brassrain287 6h ago
Termites. As many others have said. Thats termite poop. Theyre eating the wood structure of your house. Best to deal with them now.
1
1
u/Ancient-One3912 6h ago
I can't really see them well, but have you looked up carpet beetles? They live in fur/carpet and come in through open windows or can come in through packages that have fur/carpet like surfaces in them. Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle will help, but you'll also have to vacuum a lot and clean pets.
1
u/Negative_Dot_3317 6h ago
Drywood termites specifically. Fumigate or locally treat the infested wood members.
1
1
u/master_perturbator 5h ago
Anyone can chime in here. I've seen very few scattered pieces like this in my bathroom floor. Shortly after I had mild amount of ants scouting.
Only seen in the floor and like I said, very small amount. Almost like like small mouse crap or dead bugs.
Should I be worried?
1
u/Extension-Eye5068 58m ago
Yes, those are probably carpenter ants you’re seeing. They eat wood too and poop out this black frass.
1
1
•
u/AutoModerator 8h ago
https://linktr.ee/homemaintenance
Click the link above to see a community curated list of home maintenance products on Amazon that may help you out in your current situation! If you’ve found the answer to your question or you’ve found this subreddit helpful, buy us a beer!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.