Where do flying termites come from?

If a large number of termites land near or inside your property,you should probably take it as a future warning. Termites generally live underground and survive by feeding on wood, grass and decayed organisms. They are a kind of pest and there are 250 species of this insect in Australia. But there are only a few of them that can cause damage to your home. Flying termites emerge from their underground colonies after three years when they are ready to reproduce and expand their family. This process is called social swarming and its purpose is to find new locations for a new colony. Winged termites flying together in a group is called swarm and consists of reproductive termites of the colony. A termite generally has a short life span of a day or two and can fly for a few minutes. Though they have two pairs of same sized wings that help them fly, they soon loose them and fall to the ground.

Swarming is a natural event that takes place when the weather becomes sunny and warm after the rain during springtime. It happens when subterranean termites become mature and capable of reproduction. Termite swarms contain hundreds of insects and may seem like an attack to some people when they see flying termites around. In reality, this pest causes no harm unless they are in your house. Termites, unlike flying ants, around your home eat the wood and may cause structural damage.

A flying termite has straight antennae, wide bodies without pinched waists and two pairs of same-sized wings. In contrast, a flying ant has elbowed antennae, pinched waists and four wings of different size with brown colour. Swarms fly to the nearest favourable place where termites land and shed their wings since they do not use them again. Then the termite males follow females and begin mating when she finds wet soil to make a home to lay eggs. Surviving termites are the future king and queen. A winged termite is not harmful to humans and flies only to expand their colony and species.

Flying termites does not mean a termite infestation as they come out only to start a new colony. Termites with wings leave their underground homes to mate during a warm environment after the rain.

If a large number of termites land near or inside your property, you may be concerning. It is a warning sign and you would want to avoid termite problem in the future. Winged termites fly from the holes in the soil into cracks of the wooden foundation or walls of your house. They use mud tubes built by worker termites to come out and take flight for their new colonies. Collect samples of dead insects and call a pest control expert to get rid of flying termites once the source is known.