It is the reason why people mostly see and what often prompts a call to the exterminator. It is a caste used solely for reproducing and founding new nests and is not a different species.

“Swarmers” or Winged Termites is a kind of termite that people see most often as a flying termite. They look a lot like ants – you see them swarming around in a big cloud, and they will crawl towards light sources, often entering your home through windows or cracks.

They are not a specific species of termite – instead, they are a class in the termite caste system called swarmers or reproductives.

Their presence indicates that somewhere near your place is a new colony of a termite flying. If you see them coming out of your house and the flying termites go elsewhere, that’s a bad sign – that means termites fly is probably living in your home.

Reproductives come out seasonally, in the spring and fall, when temperatures are warmer. They attempt to find a new place to start a colony – a king and queen will mate and shed their wings (so that you may see a lot of wings around the floor or ground when they get into your home). All it takes to start a colony is both of them. You’ll usually see a lot more – termite flies around in thousands, and dozens will get into your home through any given crack or space.

There are cycles in the year that colonies produce ‘swarmers.’ This is the cycle when the adult reproductive leaves their current homes to form new colonies.

If you try to see termite swarmers in your home, mostly, they are subterranean termites. It depends on which area of the country you are residing in. You can see them from the yard to your underground area. Given the fact that these insects have wings, they are considered weak fliers.

The typical sign that you have termites swarm attack in your home is the appearance of hundreds of brown, black, and small, winged insects. You will know that it is a termite swarmer if their two wings are uniform, straight like antennae and broad waist.

Eastern Subterranean Termites

In the U.S., they found this common home-infesting insect called subterranean termite or eastern subterranean termite. These kinds of insects mostly live underground and stay in mud tubes. Good thing, there are ways to treat subterranean termite. One method is to use a liquid termiticide. It is applied around the soil of the structure. The termite will pass through the treated area to take into the structure and destroys their dinner options. The other method uses a bait system. It will provide a more pest control feeding of the colony by using a bait and also erase the termite colony.

Swarming Termites vs. Swarming Ants

Swarming ants and termites look the same. If you see a winged insect, do not assume right away that they are termites already. Sometimes, they are only carpenter ants mistakenly known as termite swarmers. These two species have wings and reproductive systems that swarm. When they swarm, it will also depend on the kind of termite species, the weather condition, and geographic location. Commonly, they swarm during the spring season in the southern states, then go north while the weather temperature rises. Some of them swarm during the fall season.

You will know that it’s flying ant swarmers if it has small hindwings and broad forewings. They also have segmented elbowed antennae and narrow waist.

Termite Swarming Season

There is a particular time in the year that termites swarm come out in full force. They leave the underground home to fly and locate their new mates. It will depend on the species of termite swarm, the weather temperature, and geographic location.

If you can see termite swarmers indoors, that’s a sign that worker termite swarms are already in your home.

Termite swarms are suspected of doing their ‘termite activity’ in the concrete slab construction. They can quickly enter your home through a tiny crack in your slab area. It is the first part of your foundation where this insect can be detected and doing a terrible ‘termite activity’ in your place. When they are already in your home, They will cause your place severe and extensive damage. But these damages will only occur slowly and go unnoticed for several years. If you spot damages, expect it to have expensive repairs and treatment too. That’s why it’s vital to see a termite pest control expert if you suspected it already.

How Do I Stop Winged Termites Swarmers From Coming Into My House?

Turn off the lights. They are attracted to light, and that’s why they will come into your house – you can turn off the lights in rooms where they keep coming in, and if you want, you can get a bug zapper and stick it outside in a good distance away from your house. They’ll go straight to it – even the ones that don’t kill will stay away from you at least, and they don’t keep their wings for that long period.

Before the termites can go and damage your home, they sometimes build a mud tube. This tube is small with a size of a diameter pencil and several feet in length. Since these worker termites are small and don’t expose themselves right away to a light, expect it to live underground or behind your walls.

To get rid of termites in your home, find or call a termite control expert right away to come in your place and check it for termite infestation and pest services. If they see or find a sign, they can make a plan right away and remove your termite problem.