Slow, silent, and constant.
Ohio’s termite is the eastern subterranean — colonies living in the soil, workers commuting into the house through mud tubes to eat the frame a bite at a time. They don’t swarm noisily through your living room every day; they work quietly for years. The damage total is a function of time, which is why the inspection matters more than the panic.
Spring is when most homeowners find out: warm rain triggers the swarmers, and winged insects at the window sill — or a pile of shed wings — is the colony announcing itself. Swarmer or not, mud tubes on the foundation are the other unmissable sign.
The honest word on damage: most Canton homes we inspect catch it early enough that repair is modest. But the difference between modest and major is measured in seasons, and the only way to know which side you’re on is an inspection by someone who reads termite sign for a living.