Termites will eat anything as long as it contains wood. This means that even your antique furniture isn't safe from termite infestation. And since termites are often difficult to detect, you might not notice them until they have done significant damage to a piece of furniture. This is why you need to be vigilant and swift if you suspect that termites have infested a piece of antique furniture.

If your antique furniture has a termite problem, then you will see the following signs of infestation.

Sawdust-like particles

Look for piles of what looks like sawdust. These piles of dust are actually the fecal pellets of drywood termites. Drywood termites push their fecal pellets out of their nest, and those pellets then gather and resemble piles of sawdust. Be sure to pull out drawers and turn your furniture upside down to get a look at the entire piece.

Cracks in the wood

Drywood termites often start their colonies in furniture by entering through cracks in the wood. If you suspect termites, cracks could indicate the general location of the colony. Cracks are also a sign of termite damage.

Small holes

If you see small holes in your antique furniture, then these could be what pest controllers call "kick holes". Termites create kick holes so that they can dispose of their fecal pellets by pushing them out of the nest. If you see holes and tiny sawdust-like pellets on the floor, you could have a drywood termite infestation.

Wet patches that are soft to the touch

Termites like wet wood because wet wood provides them with food, moisture and humidity. Wet wood could indicate that you have a moisture problem near your item of furniture. And this problem likely attracted the termites. Dampwood termites and subterranean termites are the two species most likely to infest a piece of damp furniture.

Mud tubes

The only species of termite that builds mud tubes to and from a food source, such as a piece of antique furniture, are subterranean termites. If you see mud tubes leading from somewhere in your home to an item of antique furniture, then subterranean termites have taken a liking to your furniture. This could be because there is a moisture problem in the area.

These are all signs of termite infestation, and they require urgent termite treatment. If you see any of these signs, then call a pest control service as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the worse the damage will become.