How to know if you have termite swarms and what to do about it
Fall is a great time of year along the beach in Southern California. Autumn is also the time for termite swarms. 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 they can be many. As the Santa Ana winds pick up, it becomes a termite swarm in Southern California.
Swarmers are termites that have wings and leave their current colony to start a new one in a new place. They look different than the termites a professional might find when inspecting your home. They are your children, the worker termites that will eat and destroy the wood in your home.
What makes swarmer termites different is that they have two sets of wings and the ability to lay eggs and quickly infest your home. Swarming termites can’t fly very well and often use the wind to transport themselves long distances, making the fall a good time to ride the wind. Twice a year, usually 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 the time for termite swarms.
You will notice that 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 confuse these insects with swarming termites.
Here are four simple ways you can tell these species apart:
1. Swarmer termites have straight antennae, ants are bent
2. Swarming termites only have two body parts.
3. The midsection or abdomen is thick in a termite, thin in an ant
4. The wings of swarming termites are the same length and the wings of ants are not.
Where to find termite swarms
The best prevention is to be aware of the surroundings of your house. Now that you know what swarming termites look like, now 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 can’t fly very well, they are often blown outside your home or onto neighboring trees and plants. If you find swarming termites in these places, you usually won’t have a problem.
However, if you find a termite swarm coming out of a window frame, door frame, porch columns, or any wooden structure, then you should contact a pest service. Once inside these structures, the swarms have the ability to mate and start reproducing working termites that will start causing damage to your home. Finding only a couple of swarmers inside your home may just be a coincidence. However, if you start to see a lot of them, this most likely indicates that a colony has formed somewhere in or near your home. The faster you take care of the problem, the less damage will be done to your home.
termite swarm season
Termites need moisture to live, without it their bodies would dry out and die. So mature termite colonies tend to produce and send out termite swarms in the wet spring and fall months. During this time it is quite common to see them in swarms, flying, after a rain storm; as this gives them the best chance of surviving and starting a new colony.
An interesting thing to note is that these flying swarms of termites 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 where they’re swarming).
If you see termites around your home, consult a professional pest service for the safest way to protect your home. Home store solutions may not be enough.