Why do flying termites mean serious trouble?
Why flying termites mean serious trouble? It might be said that seeing winged termites is the insect equivalent of having a black cat cross your path – in other words, a sign of bad luck. If you see swarms around or inside your home, it should act as a warning sign for 2 potential dangers: You may already have an existing termite problem.
What do flying termites look like?
While the flying ant, for comparison, has curved or elbowed antennae. These will also be slightly longer. Color varies between castes with the termite. So, while the flying termite will generally have a yellow, brown, or tan body, their worker and soldier counterparts are often black or red.
How to get rid of flying termites?
What home remedy can I use to get rid of flying termites?
- Rubber mulch. One popular DIY home remedies to keep flying termites away is to use rubber mulch. ...
- Cedar mulch. Cedar mulch is made from plant and wood material and Subterranean termites hate the colors and resins found this mulch.
- River rock. ...
- Pea gravel. ...
- DIY termite trap. ...
- Boric acid. ...
- Use orange oil. ...
- Clean up your yard. ...
- Attract natural termite predators. ...
Do flying termites eat wood?
So, do Flying Termites Eat Wood? Flying termites do not eat wood but only fly out to mate and reproduce and to form a new colony. In this flying termite stage, they only survive in that state for nearly an hour or two before their wings fall off and they seek a nest to lay their eggs.
Should I worry about flying termites?
So next time you see flying termites there is no need to panic because they will not cause any damage to your home. This only indicates that a termite colony is nearby. When this happens in or around your home, be sure to call Terminix for a free termite inspection.
Do flying termites mean you have termites?
Flying termites include both male and female termites, and when environmental conditions are right, they will swarm in your home if a colony is present. If you see flying termites in your home, it means termites have already been present for quite a long time.
How do you get rid of flying termite?
9 All-Natural Methods to Kill Flying Termites At HomeMake Your Own Termite Bait With Boric Acid. ... Create Your Own Natural Termite Spray With White Vinegar. ... Use Rubber Mulch to Keep Them From Entering Indoors. ... Sprinkle Cayenne Pepper Along the Areas With Termite or Ant Trail. ... Repel Termites With Beneficial Nematodes.More items...•
Do flying termites go away on their own?
Once they take flight, they typically only remain aloft for no longer than an hour. After that, their wings fall off, they plummet to the ground, and then they perish due to exposure or other termite-eating critters.
What attracts termites to a house?
In addition to wood inside the home, termites are drawn inside by moisture, wood in contact with house foundations, and cracks in building exteriors. Different combinations of these factors attract different species. Additionally, geographic location plays a role in how likely homeowners are to deal with infestations.
Why do termites suddenly appear?
Swarming. It may seem as if termites suddenly appear when they are in swarming mode. During mating season, winged reproductives, called alates, swarm at dusk in the spring months, usually after rainfall, to find a mate and start new colonies.
What attracts termites with wings?
Termites generally rely on the wind to help carry them and thus don't usually get far from the originating nests. Winged termites are particularly attracted to light sources, so they can often be found swarming around street lamps, windows, etc.
Are flying termites harmful to humans?
No. Flying termites will never bite, sting, or otherwise directly harm humans at any time. There is no evidence that humans may contract diseases by coming into contact with them, either.
How do winged termites get in the house?
Swarmers from colonies infesting homes may get trapped indoors after surfacing and fly around looking for an exit. Additionally, since termites are attracted to light, the pests may congregate near open or loosely sealed windows and doors and end up inside.
How long do termites live in a house?
around one to two yearsBut generally speaking, termites can live around one to two years roughly. Okay, that's longer than most people expect. Let us study the lifespan of these great survivors.
Do swarming termites mean infestation?
Do Swarming Termites Mean An Infestation? If a swarm happens inside your home, most of them will not survive to establish a new colony but it does mean that your home is likely infested.
How do you tell if termites are active in your house?
Keep an eye out for the following signs of termite activity:Discolored or drooping drywall.Peeling paint that resembles water damage.Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.Small, pinpoint holes in drywall.Buckling wooden or laminate floor boards.Tiles loosening from the added moisture termites can introduce to your floor.More items...
How to get rid of flying termites?
Procedure. Into your spray bottle, add the orange oil. Follow flying termites to their home colonies and spray them or just spray them when they are on flight. You should also spray the furniture and walls where you see evident activity of flying termites. Pour the oil in holes where termites are likely to rest.
Where do flying termites live?
Some of the flying termites belong to the colonies that live underground. As earlier mentioned, the best and long term solution is always to terminate the entire colony.
How does termite spray work?
This spray kills termites by suffocating them. You can prepare the spray all by yourself at home.
How old do termites swarm?
However, subterranean termites have a minimum age at which they can swarm, that is, three years.
What to do if termites are around your house?
If there are any tree stumps or unnecessary wood around your home, remove it as well. Remember termites will stick around your home as long as they can get food and therefore you can end their visits by discarding their food.
What is an electrical bug zapper?
Termites will be attracted by the light in the zappers. Once they are attracted to the light and get to the za pper, they are electrocuted.
How many wings do termites have?
Termites have two pairs of wings which are of equal size. This is used as the distinguishing feature between flying termites and ants.
What does it mean when you see flying termites?
Flying termites are typically on the lookout for new locations where they can establish colonies. Therefore, if you see them termite alates inside or outside your home, it’s usually a could be an indication that you’ve got an established termite infestation in your home or in your yard.
What is a flying termite?
They are just common, ordinary termites that have reached the winged-stage of their lifespan, meaning they are in their reproductive cycle. Flying termites are known to the scientific community as alates. Flying termites are typically on the lookout for new locations where they can establish colonies. Therefore, if you see them termite alates ...
How to keep termites away from my house?
You can use rubber mulch made from recycled tires. Since the rubber has no cellulose, the material termites eat, the rubber mulch alone will not attract them. However, if the rubber mulch allows moisture to gather near your foundation, this moist soil may attract subterranean termites to the vicinity of your foundation. They may later find their way up the exterior of your home or inside in search for the structural timber. If you decide you have to have mulch around your home, please ensure you are achieving proper drainage of water away from the foundation of your house or you may be creating a termite friendly environment.
What does it mean when you find termites in your home?
The winged termites you found in your home either found their way into your home from outside in an attempt to establish a new colony. Or, the other thing it could mean, is that the winged termites you found were emerging from within your home in order to establish a new colony. If this is the case, this is bad news. This means for one, there are termites already in your home. For two, this termite colony is old and established enough that the termites are sprouting wings and seeking "greener pastures" to start a new colony.
How to get rid of termite infestations?
Termiticide sprays and baiting systems are often your best bet for eradicating an entire colony. You can spray the termiticide around your home’s foundation, making sure to treat any cracks that may be visible and anywhere you have noticed the pests.
How to prevent termites?
Remember, preventing termites includes knowing the signs of termite activity near your home and being able to recognize and properly identify discarded termite wings, as adult-staged winged termites are vital to catching these destructive insects before they become a huge problem that costs you thousands of dollars.
What is a termite swarmer?
These groups of termites with wings are often referred to as termite swarmers.
Why do flying termites exist?
Flying termites exists because they are spreading out in an attempt to make nests of their own. This leads us to yet another negative point, namely that flying termites who find mates can live for more than a decade, creating thriving colonies whose primary occupation lies in eating wood, wood, and even more wood.
How do flying termites look?
As we mentioned above, flying termites have a distinct look: four long wings, thick waists, straight antennae. Because they’re small and because other small insects share some of their characteristics, other insects sometimes get mistaken for flying termites. Confusion most commonly occurs around the humble flying ant. While the ant looks similar to a termite at a glance, closure inspection reveals that they are different in several striking ways, including:
How long does it take for a flying termite to grow?
Once a colony has reached capacity, the alates will boil out and go seeking mates. A colony may require three or four years of growth before it reaches that point. And while this is an easy enough explanation to make, it doesn’t provide a lot of practical, actionable information for a homeowner or business owner looking to exercise caution. While we will offer some general guidelines regarding when you might expect to see them, what is good for flying termites’ expansion may differ according to an area’s geography and local conditions around the nest.
How long do flying termites stay in the nest?
Flying termites are only one of several sorts of termites that live in a nest. Once they take flight, they typically only remain aloft for no longer than an hour. After that, their wings fall off, they plummet to the ground, and then they perish due to exposure or other termite-eating critters.
How long can a termite queen live?
However, by some estimates, a termite queen can survive for decades. You may wonder how to get rid of termites on your own, but if you have a problem, you should understand that the toughness and tenacity of these small creatures requires a professional solution.
How many wings does a termite have?
Distinct Sets of Wings: While termites have four wings that are all the same shape and size, flying ants’ wings have a pair that are larger and a pair that are smaller.
Why do termites dig tunnels?
Workers: These termites dig tunnels to help expand the colony.
Why do termites die?
In most cases, the termite swarmers simply die if they cannot escape from your house. They may be attracted to light and die on window sills or open areas. Quite often you will only find dead insects or just the wings as seen in the picture to the right. Collect some of the insects (or wings) so you can get them identified by a pest control service.
What do termites swarmers mean?
Termite Swarmers - What Do They Mean for You? Wood-Damaging Pests. At certain times of the year, termite colonies produce “swarmers” - the winged adults ( Figure 1) that fly away to form their own colonies. Swarming usually occurs during the daytime and is simply nature’s way of reminding you that termites are nearby.
What to do if you have termites?
If you have a termite contract, contact the pest control company as soon as possible so they can take appropropriate action.
What is the number to call for termite treatment?
If you have any questions about approved termite treatments or about what you are told about the extent of any termite problem, contact the NCDA&CS - Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division: 919-733-6100.
Where do swarmers come from?
The swarmers likely came from a nearby underground nest. If most of the insects are found outdoors, then the nest is likely somewhere in your yard, possibly near an old tree stump or landscape timbers. If you find most of the swarmers indoors ( Figure 2 ), then you quite likely have an infestation under/in your home or business.
Can termites be killed by swarmers?
No. Termite swarmers are a nuisance particularly when swarms occur indoors. However, they do not cause structural damage; that's done by the worker termites in a colony. Although killing swarmers eliminates the nuisance problem at hand, it does not provide any protection from further termite activity that may already be causing serious damage . Protecting your home or business from termites starts with a good inspection and then, if necessary, a proper soil treatment with a liquid insecticide or installation of a baiting system, or with another method approved by the North Carolina Department of Agricultural & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS).
What is a worker termite?
Worker termites are the small, white, blind termites that actually do all the damage. Typically, a colony can produce several hundred swarmer termites that just hang out until the conditions are right for them to all leave the colony at once.
What happens when a termite colony grows to a “mature” size?
This typically occurs after a rain storm followed by sunny warm weather at this time of year. Swarming is a natural occurrence that happens when a subterranean termite colony grows to a “mature” size. Seeing these massive flying termite swarms can be quite terrifying to some people, when in reality the swarmers do not cause any structural damage.
How long does it take for a swarmer termite to form?
When a subterranean termite colony gets to a certain size (a mature colony–which can take 3 to 5 years), they start producing the alates (aka swarmers), or winged forms. These winged termites are larger than the worker termites, darker in color, and have compound eyes to allow them to see during the nuptial flight. Worker termites are the small, white, blind termites that actually do all the damage. Typically, a colony can produce several hundred swarmer termites that just hang out until the conditions are right for them to all leave the colony at once. Swarmer termites are not very good fliers so they leave, flutter around a bit, then land and break off their wings soon afterwards since they don’t plan on flying anymore. The now de-winged swarmer termites then begin searching for a suitable place to start a new colony. Males will follow females in tandem until she finds a place (usually in wet soil next to a wood source) to dig out a chamber and begin mating. Even though several hundred swarmers are produced, only a very small percentage survive long enough to produce new colonies. Most get eaten by birds, lizards, and other small animals and many die when they land on parking lots, roads, building roofs, and other surfaces that get hot.
Do termites swarm in my yard?
If you happen to find a handful of swarmers or even just a few discarded wings present inside your home, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a termite infestation. You most likely have several termite colonies living in your yard and when conditions are right more than one colony may swarm at the same time.
Do ants and termites look the same?
To the untrained eye, ant and termite swarmers may look the same. However, there are ways to distinguish the two types of insects and well-trained pest professionals are able to do so quite easily. So next time you see flying termites there is no need to panic because they will not cause any damage to your home.
Do swarmers survive long enough?
Even though several hundred swarmers are produced, only a very small percentage survive long enough to produce new colonies. Most get eaten by birds, lizards, and other small animals and many die when they land on parking lots, roads, building roofs, and other surfaces that get hot.
Do termites and ants have the same life cycle?
Ants and termites have similar life cycles as they are both social insects that live in colonies. Ant colonies will also produce swarmers (winged ants) at certain times and swarming may take place the same time termites are swarming. To the untrained eye, ant and termite swarmers may look the same.
What is the difference between flying termites and worker termites?
They also are a darker color and have compound eyes. In contrast, the worker termites are small, white, and blind. Flying termites are actually potential kings and queens of new colonies.
When to watch out for flying termites?
Watch Out For Flying Termites: When To Worry About Swarmers. Swarming termites are a natural occurrence in the springtime, but that doesn’t make the sight of them any less unsettling. While flying termite swarms may look terrifying, they don’t actually cause any structural damage to your home, but they can be a warning sign ...
How much damage does termite cause?
Termite damage is no joke, but it is preventable. Across the country, termites cause more than $5 billion in damage to homes each year—damage that’s not covered by insurance. In our warm, southern climate, the threat is even bigger because termites remain active year-round.
How do you know if you have termites in your house?
That means the #1 sign of termite swarmers near your home is discarded wings. If you see discarded wings around your home, don’t panic. This simply means that there is a termite colony in your yard or near your house, but not inside your actual home.
Why do termites' wings break off?
Their wings break off upon landing because they don’t plan on flying anymore. That means the #1 sign of termite swarmers near your home is discarded wings.
When do termites swarm?
Termite swarms occur when a subterranean colony matures , and they are most common during a warm patch of weather after a rain shower. But winged termites are not the same as the termites that cause costly damage to your home and other structures.
Do termites survive in a colony?
Typically, a termite colony produces can produce hundreds, or even thousands, of swarmer termites. Many of these flying pests do not survive to form colonies because they are eaten by birds, lizards, and other small animals.
