Subterranean Termite Swarmers: What to do if they start swarming!

Don’t be alarmed…be informed.

BACKGROUND

From October through to late March, termite (aka White Ants) swarmers, more correctly named “Alates” will be noticed on those hot humid afternoons. Termites are normally white to almost transparent, wingless and totally blind, however Alates are specially produced ‘reproductives’ with a more black pigment, wings and eyes, and their single task is to find a mate of the opposite sex and set up a home in a decayed log or stump where the female can lay a couple of dozen eggs, raise the babies and then allow the new brood to take over the care and maintenance of the new colony. The queen then goes about producing literally millions of eggs for the next 20 to 30 years.

Continue reading “Tip: What to do if termites start flying (swarming) around your home” →

If for some reason you suspect you have termites, there are some protocols that must always be followed.

If you have discovered crawling insects in your walls that are no more than about 6mm long, are creamy white to an almost transparent grey and some have darker brown heads, there is every chance it will be termites.

Just to confuse things, if the termites have been present for a couple of years or more, they may have become sufficiently established to create and release alates, or swarmers as they are more commonly known in USA. In this case, alates/swarmers have two pair of wings that are longer than the body, and the body will be dark grey to black.  If you have ‘flying ants’ appearing from inside your home you should immediately contact a qualified expert at RID Pest Control for identification, advice and treatment!

Termites look nothing like ants, despite the fact they are know colloquially as “White Ants”. Usually the activity will be accompanied by tell tale brown mudding material.

Continue reading “What to do if you think you’ve found termites” →