There are three different kinds of termites in any given termite colony, workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites.Reproductive termites are called alates. Alates are the only termites that are capable of flying.Alates or winged termites fly because they must go seek out mates for reproduction. They usually seek out mates in different colonies, but there may be inbreeding sometimes. Male and female termites can both be alates. Alates also have compound eyes which the workers and soldiers don’t. Winged termites come out just after a rain shower, which is their season. If you see termites flying around your house or office, you should be concerned because they can cause significant damage to your furniture, structures, floors, the ground, and ceilings. To get rid of termites, you need to locate their colonies, and use boric acid, bug zappers, termiticides, or get professional services. Trenching your house can also keep termites away.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how big are termites and when do termites swarm here on Kidadl.What are flying termites?Flying or winged termites are ‘alates’ or reproductive members of the termite colonies. All termite swarmers are alates. Flying termites lay eggs, seek mates, and even begin new colonies.A flying termite swarm is not dangerous but you don’t want them making a new colony near you. Some common termite species include the eastern subterranean termite and drywood termites. Not all termites are known to fly. Termites have three type of members, the workers, the reproducers or alates (flying termites), and the soldiers. Alates or flying termites are the only ones capable of even growing wings. Dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termites each have a flying group of alates.Since flying termites are responsible for reproduction, they have to go seek mates from other termite colonies. A new colony is capable of producing female and male alates. New colonies can either reproduce via inbreeding and pairing up female and male alates from within the same colony, or they can outbreed, by pairing up female and male alates from distinct colonies.Mates are sought out by flying termites in the breeding season. Only termite colonies that are older than three years can create alates. So, if you come across flying termites, it is most probably an advanced and old termite infestation. You can probably take action if you see flying termites to prevent another colony from forming.Eastern subterranean termites are about 0.39 in (10 mm) long when their wings are folded and they may have straight antennae. The soldiers and workers are dark orange, light brown, tan, dark brown, or black. The wings of flying termites are translucent and have a burnt orange coloration along with a dark, smoky membrane. The wings are twice the body length when they are unfolded during flight. Flying termites are also distinct from other worker and soldier termites since they have compound eyes.When do flying termites come out?Mature flying termites come out in the summer or spring, although some swarm as late as November. You are also likely to see flying termites swarms after it has rained and the air is calm and still.Also, another thing that influences the moving of flying termites is light. Flying termites are attracted to light. If you put together all the factors that cause swarms of flying termites to come out, they would be the period from April-August, after a proper rainstorm, and in a place that has many bright lights. These may see the most flying termite swarms.Because they are attracted to light, it is not uncommon for people to see groups and swarms of termites close to light sources like fluorescent lights inside the home or near street lamps. After a few minutes, these swarms discard their wings and begin crawling on the floor for an unspecified amount of time before eventually dying. If you see a termite inside your house or property, you are likely to have an infestation. This could spell trouble for your home. Termites usually take flight in spring. When the temperature of the atmospheric air begins to rise, young and adult flying termites come out from the nests in groups that are large.Can termites fly around your house?Yes, termites can fly inside your house, property, and office. They get attracted to light sources or they may come out during their season.There are some signs that may denote you have flying termites or flying ant nests or an old termite infestation. You should remain calm when looking for a warning sign of a termite problem. There may be signs of mud tubes outside your house or office, near wood. Such mud tubes may be in different places such as close to foundations, outside and inside the ceilings and walls of a structure, or even around the plumbing. You can break a tube and check back later to see if there is indeed an active termite infestation. Seeing mud splatters during an inspection is also indicative of flying termites infestation.Termites tend to patch up small holes with the help of mud because they dislike the flow of air. There may also be some wood and structural issues where flying termites are present. Parts of a structure may sag or inexplicably break due to damage by termites. A ceiling that sags or a door jamb that breaks or a buckling wood floor are also indicators. Such problems are caused by rot. You may also find frass, which is termite droppings. These are tan, dried, six-sided, and hard to miss. Discarded wings are also a sign of possible termite damage.How to keep flying termites away?There are many ways you can keep flying and winged termites away from your home. These methods of termite control include ways to get rid of already present termites as well as ways to keep them out in the first place.Ways to get rid of already present swarming termite pests include using bug zappers, orange oil spray, and boric acid. You could also use a cardboard trap and set fire to it once termite swarmers get attracted to it. Get rid of any mulch that may be outside your house and instead use cedar mulch extensively. Also, get rid of tree stumps or any other piece of wood from the outside of your house. You could also floor the landscaping soil and ground.Trenching is an effective way of termite prevention and pest control. You apply a termiticide along the boundaries of your house’s foundation, underground. Any attempt by termite pests to cross this barrier will kill them and the termiticide will also spread through their termite colony. You need to dig trenches and then put the termiticide along these trenches. It may be tedious but your house will be protected from these pest swarmers for up to five years. Homeowners may also contact professionals to deal with a serious termite problem.You should also address moisture issues that may cause a termite or ant problem like leaks, drainage, and excessive condensation. Check your cooling and heating units for condensation problems. You should also remove fallen leaves and other debris, along with wood and mulch, from outside your house. Be sure to place all your firewood at a certain distance from your house. Never store it next to your house. Don’t leave the wood leftover from constructing sheds and decks lying around either.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can termites fly then why not take a look at bugs that look like termites or termite facts.
There are three different kinds of termites in any given termite colony, workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites.
