Commercial and Residential Pest Control Services | Dodson Bros. Exterminating Co., Inc.
Termites are a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Termites are known for their destructive, wood-eating habits, and often once you’ve spotted them, they’ve likely already infested your home.
As the weather continues to warm up, we’ll be in the middle of termite swarming season. This article will discuss what termite swarms are, what they look like, and what you should do if you see a termite swarm.
A termite swarm is a cyclical event in the life cycle of a termite colony. As colonies enter the structure of a building and reproduce, the space eventually becomes overcrowded and the food supply starts to run short.
Termite swarms occur when a termite colony decides to expand their space and find new food sources. This is when termite swarmers, also known as alates, leave their colony to form new ones, which often happens once a year.
Often, a termite swarm may be the first or the most visible sign of a termite infestation noticed by a homeowner. Termite swarms can be difficult to identify because they often travel in large numbers. Instead of seeing individual termite swarmers, you may see something that resembles a buzzing cloud.
Swarming termites can be found indoors or outdoors. During an indoor termite swarm, alates often gather near light sources or windows, trying to find a way out of your home. If the swarmers can’t reach the outdoors, they’ll die within hours. This is often when homeowners will spot small piles of live insects or discarded wings around window sills or under light fixtures.
During an outdoor swarm, homeowners may see large clusters of alates buzzing around their property for up to 30 minutes at a time. That said, termite swarms don’t stay stationary — they exist to help termites reproduce, so they’ll move about trying to find somewhere new to settle and populate.
While there’s not much you can do to prevent a termite swarm outside your house, there are steps you can take to reduce the chance of a termite infestation making its way inside.
Oftentimes, reproductive termites are mistaken for flying ants. However, there are a few key differences between them.
Subterranean termites, drywood termites, formosan termites, and dampwood termites all swarm. On the other hand, only certain species of ants fly.
Typically, termites swarm near the very end of winter and the beginning of spring. However, there’s no specific time set in stone for when termites begin to swarm in search of a home for their new colony. Seasonality depends greatly on the specific termite species, so there’s no formula for predicting termite swarming season.
Keep in mind that termite swarming season is different from termite season. While termite season refers to the time period that termites are most active, termite swarming season is the short period of time when termites are on the hunt for a new home. Termites are considered a year-round pest and can invade your home at any time if you aren’t on top of treatments or renewals.
If you physically see a termite swarm, odds are that termites are already in or around your home. If you see a termite swarm, your next step should be to call a pest control company that has the training and tools to take care of the problem at its root. If you’ve experienced multiple swarms on your property in a given season, get in touch with a professional exterminator — it’s only a matter of time before you discover signs of termite activity in your home.
Our team has over 80 years of experience in commercial and residential pest control and we will build a custom termite control plan with pesticides for your home’s specific needs.
We offer many different treatment options for termite infestations including liquid termiticides, foam and dusts, and termite repellents. We’re also able to place in-ground bait stations around your property to intercept any termites before they reach the structure of your home. Reach out to us and we’ll come by to give your property a free termite inspection.
