7 Signs of a Termite Infestation in Your Pune Home (Monsoon Edition)
Pune's monsoon is termite season. Here are the seven warning signs to watch for, what each one really means, and when to call a professional.
Termites cost Indian homeowners more than ₹2,000 crore in damage every year, and Pune's hot-humid monsoon (mid-June through September) is when colonies are most active. The good news: termites give themselves away if you know what to look for. Here are the seven signs we ask every Pune homeowner to check, and what each one really means.
1. Mud tubes on walls or skirting
Pencil-thin tunnels of mud running along walls, especially near the floor, are the most reliable sign of a subterranean termite infestation — the species responsible for roughly 90% of structural damage in India. The tubes are protected highways termites use to travel between their nest in the soil and the wood they're eating.
What to do: Don't break the tube and "see if it rebuilds" — that just lets the colony know it's been discovered, and they switch entry points. Photograph it and call us.
2. Hollow-sounding woodwork
Tap a wooden door frame, skirting board, or wardrobe panel with your knuckle. Healthy wood gives a solid thunk; termite-damaged wood sounds papery and hollow because the inside has been eaten away while the surface looks fine.
What to do: Tap every accessible wood surface near walls and floors. Mark spots that sound hollow and check them against the other six signs on this list.
3. Discarded wings near windows after a swarm
After the first heavy monsoon rains, you may notice piles of small translucent wings on window sills, near light fixtures, or on door frames. These are from alates (reproductive termites) that swarmed out of an established colony to start new ones. Wings detach as soon as the alate finds a mate.
What to do: Don't sweep them away yet — photograph them. If the wings are all roughly the same length (about 8–10 mm), it's termites, not flying ants. Termite swarms close to your home strongly suggest an active colony nearby.
4. Frass — fine wood dust below furniture
Drywood termites (less common in Pune, but they do occur) push their droppings out of small "kick-out holes." The result is a small pile of fine, sand-like wood powder beneath the infested item.
What to do: Note the colour. Termite frass is typically light brown and grainy. Wood-borer frass is finer and more powder-like. Either way, professional treatment is needed.
5. Bubbling or peeling paint
Termites and the moisture they bring weaken painted surfaces from inside, causing paint to bubble, blister, or peel along walls and ceilings — particularly near plumbing or external walls.
What to do: Bubbling paint is also a sign of damp from a different cause (e.g. a leaky pipe), so it's not diagnostic on its own. But if it's near a window, door frame, or skirting and one of the other signs is also present — book an inspection.
6. Doors and windows that suddenly stick
Termites and their moisture warp wooden frames. If a door that was fine in summer is now sticking and dragging in the monsoon, it could be humidity alone — or it could be that termites have weakened the frame from inside.
What to do: If the sticking persists after the monsoon, it's probably structural — not just humidity — and worth investigating.
7. Live termites visible after rain
This one is unmissable but rare. After very heavy rains, especially overnight, you may walk into your kitchen or living room and see a stream of pale, soft-bodied insects moving across the floor or counter.
What to do: Don't spray supermarket insecticide — it kills only the visible foragers, not the colony, which then re-routes around the treated area. Call us the same day for a targeted treatment.
When to call a professional
If you see any one of signs 1, 3, 4, or 7 — book a free inspection immediately. Treatment is much cheaper before structural damage occurs.
If you see signs 2, 5, or 6 but no other signs — book a check-up. The earlier we catch it, the smaller the treatment.
Entomon's anti-termite treatment for Pune homes starts at ₹1,499 per BHK and carries a 5-year warranty — meaning if termites return to any treated area within 5 years, we re-treat free of cost.
Book a free Pune termite inspection
Call us at +91 80102 81236 or WhatsApp us to schedule a same-day inspection. We serve all 60+ Pune localities including Aundh, Baner, Kothrud, Hinjewadi, Wakad, Hadapsar, Viman Nagar and Kharadi.