Termites

• Subterranean termites live in colonies and nest in the soil.
• The workers build galleries or mud tubes to travel to food sources.
  
• The galleries are packed with mud and and termite feces.
• The workers collect and digest cellulose materials (wood products) in order to feed the rest of the colony. 
• Subterranean termites require moisture in order to travel and survive.  

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Carpenter Ants

• Carpenter ants do not eat wood.
• The galleries or tubes are clean.
• Their frass,  or wood shavings, are similar to pencil sharpener shavings.

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Carpenter Bees

• Carpenter bees drill holes approximately 1/2" in diameter. 
  
• They drill the holes in order to make nests for their young.
  
• The holes generally enter straight into the lumber and make a 90 degree turn.   

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Powder Post Beetles

• Powder post beetles drill tiny holes that follow a similar pattern to a shotgun shell.
• They lay eggs in voids in exposed lumber.
• The larvae burrow into the wood, where they tunnel and feed for possibly several years.
• They process the lumber into a fine powder like frass and can damage the framing in hidden areas.