What are Flying Termites?
Flying termites or “Swarmers” are the most common types of termites most people will see. Swarmers usually come out during the fall and spring. These pesky insects are usually the first sign of a big termite problem. Flying termites will make their appearance when the temperatures are humid and warm. They will be looking for a place to start a new colony. Sometimes large rainfalls will stir them up and bring them out.
Termites resemble ants and will enter your home through windows and cracks. They are very attracted to any type of light. The best way to keep them from invading your home is keep the area with the openings and cracks dark. When these swarmers are seen it is usually a sign that a colony of termites are around. Some people may mistake these insects for flying ants.
There are ways to tell the difference between flying termites as opposed to flying ants. Flying termites have two body parts, a head and a body, ants have three. They are also identified by the characteristics of their wings. The wings are longer than a flying ant’s wings. Flying termites are not great flyers, but the wind will help them get to different areas.
The swarmer’s main job is reproduction; it is not to eat wood. After the male and female swarmers mate, they will shed their wings and venture out to build new colonies. The flying termites will usually swarm for 48 hours. They usually appear in the number of thousands. After they swarm they will return back to the ground. The swarmers will go away by themselves, but they will leave the workers behind to eat the wood.
If you feel you have a termite problem, it is best to seek out professional help to take care of this problem before the infestation becomes unbearable.
