Visible mud tubes running up the exterior foundation wall — Barcelona, Catalonia
Pencil-width mud tubes running vertically up a foundation wall are highway tunnels built by subterranean termites to travel safely from soil to wood. Even a single tube means an active or recently active colony is feeding on your home's framing. Breaking a tube open may reveal live workers inside. A pest-control technician inspects the full perimeter, probes accessible wood for hidden damage, identifies the species, and applies targeted treatment — typically a liquid termiticide barrier or bait-station system — then schedules follow-up monitoring to confirm the colony is eliminated.
Who to call
For this problem in Barcelona, call a: Ongediertebestrijder
Vind een Ongediertebestrijder in BarcelonaSymptoms to look for
- Brown or tan pencil-width mud lines climbing the foundation wall
- Tubes reappearing within days after you scrape them off
- Soft or hollow-sounding wood where the tubes reach the sill plate
- Swarms of winged termites near windows or doors in spring
- Small piles of discarded wings on windowsills or the garage floor
Spoeddienst in Barcelona
Emergency services in Barcelona respond within 30–75 minutes in the central districts (faster in l'Eixample and Gràcia, slower in the upper hillside neighbourhoods). Callout rates run €60–€150 plus €45–€80/hour including IVA — among the highest in Spain alongside Madrid. Confirm the contractor is a registered instal·lador autoritzat with the Generalitat before granting entry, especially for heritage-building work.