How to Get Rid of Swarming Termites – Despite their positive effects on the ecosystem, termites can silently undermine the structural integrity of your house.
Before you realize there is an issue, they already have done considerable damage. When a homeowner becomes aware of a termite problem, they typically spends $3,000 on remedies. Each year, these insects cost the US $5 billion in losses.
The presence of insects or discarded wings near your property may be signs of swarmer termites. It’s crucial to take precautions against these insects and act as soon as you notice any of their symptoms.
What Do Swarmer Termites Look Like?
Flying termites typically have six legs and are pale gold in color. They may typically be identified by their thick, one-piece body and two tiny antennae, which are typically straight with a slight bend.
On either side of their bodies, they feature two broad, translucent wings that can be up to three centimeters in size and look veiny.
The flying termite is widespread throughout Australia. Termite colonies thrive in warm environments because they prefer an average temperature of 25 to 28 degrees.
In Australia, when summertime approaches, the tropical downpours provide the ideal environment for termite reproduction. Three groups make up a termite colony, and the species’ subterranean termite is the one that can grow wings and fly.
The only group of termites capable of sexual development and becoming the future kings and queens of the termite colonies for the following season.
The termites will leave their colony in their millions during the warmest part of the day. It’s a popular myth that termites are pests that live on the ground, yet all subterranean termites fly away from the colony, where the vast majority lose their wings to become worker or army termites.
Although a swarm of termites flying towards your home has the ability to land 50,000 of them at once, only around 10% of those termites will typically be successful in finding a mate and be able to establish a new colony.
How to Identify Flying Termites
Although they are frequently mistaken for another insect, the swarming ant, swarming termites are very simple to spot. These ants are reproductives, just like termites, and there are numerous types that can swarm. Carpenter ant swarms, however, are most frequently mistaken for termites.
The termite swarmer’s wings are its primary distinguishing feature. These termites have two wings with the same size on both sides. In contrast, the fore and hind wings of ants are different sizes.
The size of flying termites is roughly an inch, and their hue ranges from dark brown to black. They also have straight antennae and large waists. Flying ants have bent antennae and small, or pinched, waists.
What’s the difference between flying ants and flying termites?
Although they initially appear to be similar in size, form, and color, flying termites and flying ants have significant distinguishing characteristics that should be kept in mind. Flying termites are frequently confused with flying ants.
The wings are the primary distinction between a flying termite and an ant. The termite’s four wings are all the same size, whereas the flying ant’s top two wings are often twice as big as its bottom two wings.
The flying termite has a straight antenna with a very tiny bend at the end, while the ant’s antennae bend at a 90-degree angle.
Ants are darker than termites, which typically have translucent, veined wings and a pale brown or golden color.
As opposed to ants, which have a body, head, and tail that are each divided into two sections, flying termites only have one body part, which is around 2-3 millimeters larger than the flying ant’s body.
How are flying termites treated?
The flying subterranean termite is particularly challenging to treat, therefore prevention is your greatest line of defense.
Having a termite system and barrier around your home will assist stop termites from tunneling under the earth and establishing a colony. Termites are able to tunnel underground and locate a mate without this defense.
The queen termite can lay over 30,000 eggs each day after she has begun to breed. At that rate, you may have a large colony of termites within your home, where they will silently gnaw away at it over the course of one or two weeks, causing massive damage.
By taking the required precautions and hiring a qualified pest control specialist to evaluate your home and install a perimeter termite barrier around your property, you can easily prevent this nightmare scenario from occurring.
How to get rid of swarming termites
Once you’ve determined that you have a termite swarm in your house, take these crucial actions to ensure a prompt resolution.
1. Avoid spraying the termite swarm.
Termites that are swarming are a sign of an active colony.
Instead, quietly look about for potential entry points for the swarmers. Any locations should be taped off. Swarming termites are unable to bite, sting, or harm you, your family, or your pets in any way.
2. Do not remove or open walls
It’s important to avoid removing or opening baseboards, walls, floors, or any other structure to look for termite damage. You should also avoid poking trim or sills.
We can assure you that this is excellent advice that is crucial to the treatment of termites in your home. You’ll need to inspect and isolate the damaged regions after your therapy is complete.
3. The termite swarmers you see should be vacuumed up.
When you’re done, either throw the bag away or empty the canister vacuum of its contents.
4. Do not forget to look at the home’s outside.
Go directly to the location that is outside from the area(s) where you detected the termite swarm (if you can). Do not, however, put yourself in danger. You should also mark these spots with tape, if you are able to do so.
We advise continuing to vacuum any further termite swarms that emerge over the following 24 hours if you find a termite swarm beyond regular business hours.
Although a termite swarm can indicate a concern, termites take time to accomplish significant damage.
Do Swarming Termites Signify a Problem?
Even if the presence of swarmer termites does not necessarily indicate an active infestation in your home, it is nonetheless alarming. Swarms are a sign that a colony is close by. If the situation is not resolved, these pests might quickly become a nuisance in your home.
Depending on the species, swarmer termites emerge at different times of the day. Some favor warm daylight hours, while others emerge after dusk.
New colonies will start out small and need some time to develop. A colony often reaches the size necessary to begin producing swarms after five years. Unfortunately, before homeowners even notice a swarm, a building could already be severely damaged.
Termite infestation indicators
You can spot a termite infestation as soon as possible if you know what to look for.
Dropped Wings: You might discover abandoned wings under doorways, window sills, or other parts of the house.
Frass, which resembles fine sawdust, is termite excrement.
Hollow Wood: If you tap on window sills or baseboards and they sound hollow, termites are consuming the wood.
Mud Tunnels: These are made of mud, termite saliva, and wood, and they connect the colony to the soil. As they go, they shield the termites.
Wood Damage: Termite damage to wood surfaces frequently resembles water damage. Similar to rot, but the wood will have hollow, dry holes as a result.