Intrusive insects don’t typically leave many signs of activity when they invade your home. However, something that usually indicates you need pest control is insect waste, which is also known as frass. When bugs consume wood, plants, or food, they leave behind a solid excrement. Frass is a catch-all term that refers to this excrement and is a sure sign that your home is infested.

Types of Frass & Where to Find It

Drywood Termites

When these bugs invade a home, they establish a nest, seal the hole they entered from, and don’t leave. As the colony grows, they’ll gnaw through the wood and make holes where they push out the frass. Droppings from drywood termites are oval-shaped pellets with rounded ends and six sides. They range in color depending on the type of wood consumed and tend to appear in small piles near the nest.

Carpenter Ants

Frass excreted from carpenter ants looks different than termites’. Instead of eating the wood that they destroy, they chew through it to make tunnels for their colonies. Typically, this leaves behind light-colored sawdust that looks like pencil shavings and can be found at their entry and exit points.

How to Manage Frass

Pest control often requires the use of specialized equipment, like masonry drills and large spray tanks with termiticide. Your exterminator will inject this treatment into the insects’ nest, along the foundation, and within primary walls to eliminate the pest problem. In the meantime, seal gaps  in window frames and minimize wood-to-ground contact to prevent more insects from entering your home.

 

If you’ve noticed the presence of frass in your house, contact the exterminators at Aloha Termite & Pest Control in Wahiawa, HI. For over 20 years, this locally owned business has provided Oahu homeowners with effective pest control treatments, eliminating termites, ants, and other stubborn insects. Learn more about their services online, or call (808) 622-2268 to schedule an appointment.