Do Termites Make Noise?

Termites are small creatures that live in colonies. These colonies are made up of workers, soldiers, and reproductive queens. Workers eat wood and create tunnels. Soldiers defend the colony and reproductive queens lay eggs. Termites make a lot of noise! This noise is usually created by the workers chewing on wood.

Do Termites Make Noise?

Termites make a variety of noises, but the most common one is when they chew. This noise can be heard when they are eating wood and can often be mistaken for a rat or other pest.

In fact, Termites produce a variety of sounds, but they are usually very subtle, and people don’t always hear them. In some cases, termites can make enough noise to be heard if you’re listening carefully in the right conditions.

If you think you might have a termite infestation in your home, it is important to listen to this noise and contact a professional immediately.

What Sounds Do Termites Make?

Termites are often heard before they are seen. The most common sound they make is a low rumble, which can be described as a hissing or clicking noise.

This noise is usually made when the termites are eating wood, and it can be an indication that you have a termite problem.

In addition to the clicking noise, termites also make other sounds. These include high-pitched squeaks, chirps, and warbles.

Let us take a look at the sound generally made by these pests.

Head-Banging

Have you ever heard a strange rattling sound come from nowhere? It might be the sound of crinkled paper or bigger bugs running behind your walls.

This characteristic termite noise is often the result of these insects hitting their heads on the wall! Head-banging activity is a unique defensive strategy used by termites to inform the whole colony of imminent danger, and it is one of the loudest termite indicators.

Soldier termites are in charge of this warning system. Soldier termites have larger heads than worker termites.

These termites have huge mandibles despite the fact that they do not construct tunnels. The claw-like mouth is an excellent defense against other bugs that could endanger the colony.

When troops smell peril, they begin bashing their heads against adjacent walls. It doesn’t have to be your house’s walls. They’ll usually bang their heads on the walls of a dug tunnel or mud tube.

When other soldier termites hear the music, they will begin to head-bang as well. Before you know it, every soldier in the area is making noise. By this moment, people with excellent hearing may be able to hear the alarm.

Quick Tip: Termites, interestingly, are deaf. As a consequence, they are unable to hear the sounds they make (you can hear this sound better than they can). They depend on vibrations instead!

The slight vibrations echo through the tunnel, warning every termite that disaster is on the way.

Wing-Fluttering

You could hear what sounded like a thousand little wings fluttering about during the spring mating season. After the final winter frost, flying termites usually emerge from their nest. Temperatures rise, allowing termites to mate and build a colony elsewhere.

Swarming incidents may be rather frightening to see. As they attempt to mate, thousands of flying termites generate visible clouds in the sky.

The good news is that swarms are just temporary. The majority occur in the late evening. As a consequence, most individuals are unaware that they are taking place.

However, you may hear the termites as they settle inside your house.

Swarming termites are drawn to light. They generally settle near windowsills, bright light sources, or even attic ventilation openings. You may occasionally hear the wings striking the wood when this occurs.

Termites may even find their way into an available cavity if your walls are thin and easily accessible. When this occurs, you may hear termites in your walls because their sound will intensify and resound throughout your house.

Quick Tip: Because the fluttering sound doesn’t stay long, you’ll need to move quickly to find the termites. When these bugs locate a suitable location, they will lose their wings. A mound of dried-up wings may be found near the source of the original fluttering sounds.

Rustling & Clicking

In certain cases, you can even hear termites working.

The quiet rustling and clicking sounds might be termites munching and digging through neighboring wood.

These insects eat through wood fibers, destroying the structural integrity of wall frames, subfloors, ceiling rafters, and other components. They like to follow the grain as they burrow through, although this doesn’t help to muffle the noise.

Termites degrade wood cellulose as they chew to construct tunnels. You may hear rattling and clicking.

Quick Tip: After termites have wreaked havoc, the afflicted wood may sound different when tapped. Termites do not directly cause this noise. It is instead a result of their destructive character.

Tapping on termite-infested wood will produce a noticeable hollow sound. The tap will vibrate somewhat, which contrasts sharply with a healthy and thick piece of wood.

How Easy Is It For You To Hear Them?

Termites are generally quiet and fly under the radar. This is because they rely on their sense of smell to find food and mates and do not have ears that can hear sound.

However, there are some occasions when termites make noise- for example, when they swarm or if they are disturbed.

Termites are mostly active during the day when they’re foraging for food. So, you’re not going to hear them as much when things are noisy. It’s only when it gets quiet that you might start to hear their scurrying around.

If you think you might have a termite problem, it is important to contact a professional to assess the situation.

Can You Hear Termites Eating?

Termites are small and quiet pests that can be difficult to detect. While they typically go about their business without making much noise, you can sometimes hear them eating and chewing.

This is usually a sign that you have an infestation and should take immediate action.

And thus, the answer to if you can hear termites eating is yes–you can hear the chewing sounds like soft clicking and rattling.

Summary

Termites produce noise, although most of the time, it’s difficult to hear them. That’s why it’s always a good idea to look for additional indicators of an infestation.