Can you hear termites in the walls?

Can you hear termites in the walls? If you hear any clicking, buzzing or tapping sounds in the wall, you may be facing a potential termite invasion. Termites are hard to spot and often go unnoticed, causing significant amounts of damage in homes each year. They commonly make unusual clicking sounds to communicate within their colony and depending on the size of the infestation, you might hear them chewing through wood. 

To help you determine if you’re dealing with a termite issue, we’ve answered all your common questions about termite noises. If you notice any of these sounds, it’s critical you contact Pest Aid for professional pest control immediately.

What are termites?

Termites are a type of insect that forage on wood cellulose, a type of substance found in wood. They have a small body type, with a set of transparent white wings. They range from white to light brown in colour and are often mistaken for ants. 

Considering their diet, home-owners commonly detect signs of termites in their house. The signs include: mud trails around the house, wood chips, clicking sounds and wings lying around the house. However, termites can also go undetected, until it’s too late and the damage has begun. 

So, can you hear termites in the walls? You sure can. We’ve outlined some of the common noises below. 

Can you hear termites in the walls?

Besides seeing fallen wings, mud tubes, and worst of all, hollowed wood, you can also tell if termites have infested your home through termite sounds. Termites usually produce sounds as they go about their day-to-day activities.  

The sounds termites make are faint and rarely heard. You are likely to hear the sounds at night when there is total silence indoors. The sounds come from the termites chewing on or moving through wood. In the case of a minor termite infestation, the sound is weak, meaning you have to pay more attention to hear it. The larger the infestation, the louder the sound produced and more havoc caused. 

What do termites sound like in the walls?

Termites make a wide range of sounds, so we’ve listed them below so you can keep an ear out. If you can hear termites in the wall, call the Pest Aid team as soon as possible.

Head banging

Head banging against the wall is the strongest and loudest sound made by termites. Rattling and fast-paced, the sound is produced when termites get threatened or sense a food source and try to communicate with each other. 

The sound is more pronounced when soldier termites bang their jaws and heads or shake their bodies against the tunnel in wood. They do so to alert all the others of imminent danger. The headbanging creates vibrations that ripple through the entire colony. 

Termites are deaf, so they recognise these vibrations through their bodies.

Buzzing

Termites also produce a faint humming sound that is not as clear as the hum of bees and wasps.

Hollow sounds

Termites eat a lot of wood in floors and walls, leaving empty spaces that produce a hollow sound when tapped. The dull, hollow sound indicates that termites have already caused severe damage. When termites chew away at a hardwood floor, it becomes weaker with time, making the floor creak loudly in certain areas.

Clicking

As termites feed on wood, a unique clicking sound comes from the wood cavity. Termites also make clicking or rustling sounds with their mouths when tunnelling through wood.

Tapping

A tapping sound from the wall can be attributed to termites too. The faint rattling or tapping in the wall occurs as termites bang their heads.

Swarming

During spring, termites make swarming sounds as they move. The sound is produced by their wings when flying.

Is termite noise constant?

Termites feed and work around the clock. They do not sleep, so expect to hear continuous sounds. Termite noises can be heard anytime but are more detectable during the night when the house is quiet. 

Termites also make sounds when they get threatened or disturbed. They alarm each other about looming danger by banging their heads against the wall. The banging creates a louder sound that is easier for humans to hear. Additionally, termites produce sounds as they fly around or move through wood.

Do termites make a crunching sound?

Termites chew non-stop. As worker termites tunnel through a wooden structure, you may hear a soft crunching sound. The sound is less intense than that of headbanging.

Pest Aid is here to help

If you notice any signs of termites in your walls, you must act fast and contact a professional pest control service today. Luckily, Pest Aid is here to help with all your pest control concerns. With over 25 years of experience in termite pest control, we have the latest eco-friendly technology to protect your home. 

If control isn’t taken, termites can build nests and tunnels in hard-to-reach areas. Within a short time, termites can cause immeasurable damage to your property, costing you hundreds to thousands in bills. To avoid this, we recommend booking a termite inspection to activate your termite protection plan now.

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