Flying termites (also known as Alates) are one of the most obvious signs that your property has a Termite colony which could lead to issues within your home.
Termites can remain hidden, doing their damage and work for years. However, there is one key warning sign that you should be a lookout for – flying termites (also known as termite swarmers). Winged termites swarming around your home is a sign of a much bigger problem.
Around this time when it has been raining and the weather is humid, the climatic conditions are perfect for winged termites to leave the nest in search of somewhere to start a new colony. A termite swarm marks the beginning of the termite life cycle. They are poor flyers and are seen fluttering around an outside light or crawling along a surface where it is not uncommon to see termites ‘tailing’ each other. A tell-tale sign that you have experienced a termite flight is the long slender wings they drop when they land. Termites seen flying around a home are indicative of a mature colony nearby. This represents high risk to your property and other properties in the area.
Walk around your home to see if you can see them spilling out of any trees, garden wood or other structures. Complete a visual check within your home – sometimes they’ll emerge right out of a walls. Look carefully for little holes, often lined with mud and with termites escaping or termites sticking out. If you identify any of these signs, then your property has serious termite infestation. Termites flying from within a house mean that there is a significant termite presence already established within the property.
Ants and termites are often mistaken for one another to the untrained eye. There have been many instances where termites have been dismissed as white ants. In reality, there is no such thing as white ants, and they are, in fact, termites. Flying termites and flying ants are no exceptions to the matter. Both insects are similar in shape, size and color.
Termites, in general, can be identified by their body shape. Both flying termites and wingless termites have a thick body made up of one part. Termites do not have a constriction between their thorax and abdomen like ants do.
Homeowners should contact their Australian Pest Specialists Termite Expert to learn about extermination solutions for their home. After all – It Is your Biggest Investment and your Family Home.