What Do Termite Swarms Mean?

Seeing a termite swarm can be intimidating. It looks like termites are flying in to invade an area. Termite swarms can mean that you have an existing termite infestation. On the other hand, they can indicate that termites are trying to move into your home.

At certain times of the year, termite colonies produce swarmers.

Swarmers, unlike other termite adults, are winged termites. The purpose of the wings is so that these swarmers can leave an existing colony to form their own colony. They generally lose their wings after forming the new colony.

You may see the swarmers while they are flying. They look a lot like flying ants in flight, but you may see them in large groups. However, many people do not actually see swarmers in action. Instead, they notice swarmer activity by finding piles of insect leaves. If you find a pile of termite wings or dead termites near the windowsills of your home, termites may be attempting to swarm from inside to outside your home.

While termite swarms may be coming from a colony in your home, most termites live outside.

Having termites near your home or on your property significantly increases the risk of your house getting infested. Termites nearby, next door or on trees near the road could mean that your house is infested. If your home is within 50 metres of a gumtree, your likelihood of infestation increases as you could be in the danger zone.

Some people think that if they can kill the swarmers, they can avoid or eliminate a termite problem. Unfortunately, that is simply not true. Swarmers are leaving established colonies; they are not the workers who cause damage. Therefore, you must take additional steps to protect your property from any colonies that have been established or any colonies the swarmers were trying to establish.

Protect yourself with one of our constant home protection plans. We have different subscription plans that provide regular inspections and call-outs as well as termite-specific protection plans. One-third of all homes in Australia are infested with termites. Don’t risk it! Get a termite pest inspection today.