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Do Termites Live in Oregon and Washington?

Yes, termites live in both Oregon and Washington, and two kinds do nearly all the damage to homes here. The western subterranean termite lives in the soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood, while the Pacific dampwood termite moves straight into wet or rotting wood and doesn’t need the ground at all. Both are native to the Northwest, so finding one doesn’t mean something unusual happened to your house. Knowing which one you have tells you where to look, since one follows soil and the other follows water.

Every fall, someone in Portland flips on the porch light and finds big, reddish-winged bugs bumping against it. The call we get the next morning starts with one question: are there termites in Oregon? Plenty of people who moved here from the South assumed termites were a problem they left behind.

They didn’t. Termites live on both sides of the Columbia. We’re a family-owned company that’s worked in Portland homes since 1984, and here’s what we tell homeowners about the termites they share a yard with.

Are There Termites in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon State University’s pest guide names two termites that damage buildings in the Pacific Northwest: the western subterranean termite and the Pacific dampwood termite. Both are native. The drywood termite, the one that makes the news in California and Florida, is uncommon here according to that same OSU guide.

So the honest answer to “are there termites in Oregon” is yes, just not the kind most people picture. Oregon termites are moisture-driven insects. Our wet winters keep plenty of wood soft and plenty of soil moist, and that’s exactly what local termites want.

In the Portland homes we inspect, though, carpenter ants turn up far more often than either termite. Our post on how to tell carpenter ants from termites walks through the differences.

Subterranean vs Dampwood Termites

People often lump these two together, and mixing them up sends them looking in the wrong place.

Western Subterranean Termites

This termite nests in the soil. To reach wood above ground, it builds pencil-width tubes out of dirt and saliva and travels inside them so it never crosses open air. The tubes run up foundation walls (the concrete base your house sits on) and the posts in the crawl space, the low, open space under the house. The termites doing the eating are pale, creamy insects about the size of a grain of rice.

Subterranean termites will target dry, solid wood, including the wooden frame of your walls, as long as they can maintain a line back to moist soil. Home and garden pest experts at Washington State University (WSU) note that they commonly attack solid wood in homes and can cause significant damage. 

They leave no sawdust, either. Their waste stays sealed inside the tunnels, so a board can look fine while the inside gets eaten away.

Pacific Dampwood Termites

The dampwood termite skips the soil. A colony moves into wood that’s already wet or starting to rot and lives inside it. Think of a leaking deck post, or a floor beam under a bathroom that’s dripped for years. They need moist wood to establish a colony, but an established colony can also damage nearby dry wood.

Dampwood termites are big for termites. Oregon State University (OSU) estimates winged adults are about an inch long, with wings roughly the width of a quarter, and they’re caramel or orange-brown. Instead of hiding their waste, they push small, hard pellets out of the wood. The little piles look rounded and grainy, almost like coarse sand.

Here’s the quick version of how the two compare:

  • Subterranean termites need contact with moist soil; dampwood termites need wood that stays wet
  • Mud tubes on the foundation point to subterranean termites
  • If you find small piles of gritty pellets near damp wood, think dampwood
  • Damage in dry, solid wood points to subterranean termites, since dampwood termites pass it by

Termites in Washington State

Cross the river and you’ll find the same pair. WSU lists the dampwood and the subterranean termite as the two native termites in Washington state, and they behave the way ours do. If you live in Clark County, our Vancouver, WA location page covers the work we do north of the Columbia.

When Termites Swarm in the Northwest

Swarm timing offers a clue, but seasons overlap; don’t rely on the season alone to identify the species. Most homeowners never see a termite until the day the winged ones come out. Those swarmers are adults leaving a mature colony to start new ones, and our two local termites fly on different schedules:

  • Subterranean termites swarm mostly in spring, on a warm day after rain
  • Dampwood termites fly on warm evenings in late summer and fall, often after a rain
  • Small, dark swarmers inside the house in spring point toward subterranean termites
  • Big, reddish-brown swarmers around an outdoor light in September or October usually mean dampwood

Both kinds shed four matching wings after landing, so a small pile of wings on a windowsill is a good clue.

Signs Each Termite Leaves Behind

For subterranean termites, start in the crawl space with a flashlight. Check the foundation walls and posts for mud tubes. Then press a screwdriver into wood resting on the foundation; wood eaten from the inside gives way with no hole on the surface.

With dampwood termites, follow the water. We almost always find colonies tied to a leak or a spot where wood sits on wet soil. Pellet piles under a soft, damp board are the giveaway.

Making Your House Less Inviting

Both of our termites chase moisture, so the best habits focus on keeping wood dry and off the ground.

  • Fix plumbing and roof leaks before the wood around them softens
  • Keep firewood and spare lumber stacked a few feet out from the house
  • If a deck post or fence board sits on the soil, raise it off the dirt where you can
  • Stay open or keep vents clear to help control moisture

WSU notes that fixing the moisture goes a long way with dampwood termites. Subterranean termites are harder to deal with. Once a colony is feeding on a house, it generally takes a professional treatment to bring it under control. Our termite control page explains how we handle that side.

Not every damaged board means termites, though. Small round holes with fine, flour-like powder can point to beetles instead; our wood-boring beetles page covers those.

When to Have Someone Take a Look

One shed wing is no reason to panic. Mud tubes are a different matter, and so are pellet piles that come back after you sweep them up. Call us if you find either.

When we come out, we first figure out which termite you have, since the two require different plans. Our licensed technicians take a responsible approach and will walk you through what to expect. Our goal is to manage the colony and keep it from doing more damage. Nobody can honestly promise a house will never see another termite.

Termite treatments address active infestations and may not repair existing structural damage. We recommend a structural inspection by a licensed contractor.

If those reddish swarmers showed up around your porch light this month, check the nearby wood for damp or soft spots before winter rain sets in. Give our amazing team at the Portland office a buzz at (503) 222-7128. We offer free estimates, and you can also reach us through our contact page.

Areas we serve:

  • Portland, OR
  • West Linn, OR
  • Clackamas County, OR
  • Multnomah County, OR
  • Washington County, OR

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