I found a mysterious ‘trail’ in my linen cupboard – then I discovered the disgusting reason it was there

A mum was horrified when she discovered the reason behind a “sinister” trace in her linen cupboard.

Karen, from Adelaide, was recently cleaning her house when she found a strange mound of mud in her closet.

The mother was confused because it seemed an unlikely place for the dirt to end up, but a quick community inquiry uncovered the truth: Karen’s house had been infested with termites.

Before identifying the source of the concert, Karen shared an image of the trail leading out of her wall.

The image showed a wooden frame that appeared to be covered in dark mud.

“I just found this in my linen closet,” she said. “I’m not sure what it is, at first I thought it was a wasp or ant nest, but now I’m scared it could be termites.”

Karen finally called pest control, who revealed that she had an “aggressive” case of termites.

The professionals suspected that the bugs had been in the house for years and that a five-year-old liquid anti-termite solution used by the previous inhabitants was expired.

Many sympathized with Karen’s dilemma.

‘DO NOT REMOVE IT OR DISTURB IT!’ one warned. ‘Have the pest person come and place the baits. If you manipulate it, they will go somewhere else.

Another warned: ‘Old double brick houses were sometimes filled with slab and termites had invisible access between the joint of brick and slab. Having your plans on hand for the inspector makes it easier for him to search for possible entry points.’

Many quickly identified that the problem was caused by termites in the wood.

The trail in Karen’s closet is an accumulation of termite droppings known as frass or a mud lead also known as a shelter tube.

Shelter tubes are small tunnels that pests create to move around the house protected from sunlight and other ants.

According Forensic pest management servicesMud tubes are a sign that subterranean termites are present and are a “red flag” of infestation.

“When you see a mud tube, chances are termites have already made a home inside your home, and it’s crucial to partner with a professional termite controller for a complete extermination,” the professionals said.

“However, you can prevent mud tubes by avoiding wet dirt around your home.”