It’s not exactly a magical time of year. However, termite swarming season is here. While you may not find this a reason to celebrate, it is an important time in your termite and pest control year.
Swarming season usually happens when conditions are right and may or may not be tied to the calendar. Many species swarm in the spring but others depend on the age of the colony or the soil temperature and moisture levels to tell them when to swarm. Late summer and fall swarming isn’t at all an unusual sight for Brevard County termite control specialists. Drywood and dampwood termites are known to swarm in summer.
Termites swarm to start new nests. During the course of the year, many immature termites are hatched and grow. Some will mature into alates, winged termites who are sexually mature and capable of reproducing. They fly out through the mud tube exits in search of mates. It’s usually a short flight as the alates aren’t strong flyers and can’t maintain altitude for long. A female who is able to mate will attempt to start a new nest wherever she lands.
Seeing these insects emerge is disturbing to say the least but when it happens inside it can send you screaming to the street! It’s also one of the few times of year when it becomes obvious that you have a termite problem so don’t ignore it. Look for bugs who have lost their wings in the corners of your home and around window sills outside to see if a swarm happened by while you were at work. A typical swarm lasts about 30 minutes to an hour and you may experience several swarms over a few days.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that once the swarm is over, the treat is gone. You still have termites in your yard or in your home and the problem needs to be treated. Don’t hesitate to call your pest control company if you see even one of two termites