How to know if you have Swarmer termites and what to do about it
Fall is a great time of year along the beach in Southern California. Fall is also termite swarm time. Swarms are how termites use the wind to spread and build new colonies. The good news is that they are not good flyers, the bad news is that there can be a lot of them. As Santa Ana winds pick up, it becomes a termite swarm in Southern California.
Swarms are termites that have wings and leave their current colony to start a new one in a new place. They look different than termites that a professional might find while inspecting your home. These termites are only capable of spreading the colony and cannot cause any harm to your home; They are your children, the worker termites that will eat and destroy the wood in your home.
What makes swarm termites different is that they have two sets of wings and the ability to quickly lay eggs and infest your home. Swarming termites can’t fly very well and often use the wind to carry them long distances, making fall a great time to ride in the wind. Twice a year, usually in spring and fall in Southern California, termite swarms make their move. As the winds pick up in late October and early November this year, experts tell us it’s time for the termite swarm.
You will notice that the swarming termites wobble a bit when they fly, this is because their two pairs of wings are the same length. Insects like flying ants, dragonflies, and moths also have two pairs of wings, but the rear pair of wings are longer than the front ones, making them more streamlined.
Flying ants vs flying termites
When talking about these flying ants, many people mistake these insects for swarming termites.
Here are four easy ways to differentiate these species:
1. Swarming termites have straight antennae, ants are bent
2. Termite swarms have only two body parts.
3. The midsection or abdomen is thick in a termite, thin in an ant.
4. The wings of the swarming termites are the same length and the wings of the ants are not.
Where to find termite swarms
The best prevention is to keep an eye on the house. Now that you know what termite swarms look like, let’s talk about where to look for them. If you find termite swarms outside your home or in the trees around your home, you may not have much of a problem. Because these swarming termites cannot fly very well, they are often blown out of your home or onto neighboring trees and plants. If you find termite swarms in these places, you will generally not have a problem.
However, if you find a termite swarm emerging from a window frame, doorway, porch columns, or any wooden structure, you should contact a pest service. Once inside these structures, the swarms have the ability to mate and begin to reproduce active termites that will begin to cause damage to your home. Finding just a couple of swarms inside your home may just be a coincidence. However, if you start to see a lot, this most likely indicates that a colony has formed somewhere in or near your home. The faster you fix the problem, the less damage your home will take.
Termite swarm season
Termites need moisture to live, without it their bodies would dry out and die. Therefore, mature termite colonies tend to produce and dispatch termite swarms in the humid spring and fall months. During this time it is quite common to see them in swarms, flying around, after a storm; as this gives them the best chance to survive and start a new colony.
One interesting thing to note is that these flying termite swarms appear to be attracted to light, and will fly in a swarm around outside lights and light sources. It can actually be quite a sight to see a large swarm of termites buzzing together (as long as it’s not your house that they swarm through).
If you see termites in your home, consult a professional pest service for the safest way to protect your home. Home store solutions may not be enough.