Termites are one of the most destructive insects out there. They can wreak havoc on the structure of your home, causing serious wood damage and costly repairs.
A few key signs to look for are discarded wings around window sills and door frames and termite droppings in your yard. If you spot any of these, it’s time to contact a termite professional like Hi-Tech Termite Control.
Reproductives
Termites are social insects and live in colonies that can contain millions of members. They typically live in the ground or in a wood structure that is buried beneath the soil. Their colony centers are connected to a variety of food sources, including buried stumps and logs, through underground tunnels.
During the early stages of a termite’s life cycle, it lives in an egg stage called a nymph. It then molts three times before reaching the adult stage. Nymphs can become workers or soldiers before developing wings and becoming fully developed reproductive adults.
When a female termite reaches her reproductive nymph stage, she mates with a male termite and the two begin a new colony. This process takes about a year. The termite queen then lays eggs.
These eggs hatch into larvae that are about a quarter to half of an inch long and have pale brown or grey wings depending on the species. Subterranean termites often have two prominent veins in their wings, while drywood termites may have three or more.
Worker termites are the ones who provide the colony with food, protect the nest from predators and care for each other. They also provide a home for the reproductive termites in their colony.
Soldiers are the largest type of termite and they use their large mandibles to defend their colony. The soldiers are easily identified because they have larger mouth parts than the workers. They are also a darker pigmented than the workers, and they can have a defensive fluid on their legs.
They eat wood, especially soft interior components of wooden supports and other wooden building components. Seeing evidence of termite damage is a warning sign that your home is infested with these destructive insects.
A swarm of termites with wings is a common sign that a colony has reproduced, or that the insects are seeking out a new location to start a new colony. They swarm at different times of the year, but the exact time of year depends on the species and can take up to four years for a colony to develop swarmers.
Swarmers
Termites swarm in early spring as part of their reproductive cycle. During this time, termites grow wings and fly around in large numbers.
If you notice swarming termites in your home, it may be a sign that you have an infestation. However, you need to know exactly what you are seeing before taking action.
Swarming termites are called alates, and they are the reproductive members of the colony. These insects are responsible for leaving their nest to find a mate, build a new colony, and lay eggs.
These swarmers have two pairs of wings that are roughly the same size and shape and have a straight antenna. These swarmers are important to the colony as they provide food for the other members of the colony, including the worker termites.
The swarmers are able to fly relatively well and can travel up to several hundred yards, but they only last for a few minutes. Once they reach a suitable spot to start their new colony, the swarmers break off their wings and burrow themselves into the soil.
Once they have found a new nest, the alates will begin to lay their eggs and begin their lives as colony members. It can take several years for these swarmers to develop into adult termites.
Termite colonies are social insects that have a caste system. The king and queen are the top leaders of the colony. They also have workers and soldiers who do the grunt work of the colony.
In order to survive, a termite colony must have a steady source of food. This food is made up of cellulose in wood, which they consume and regurgitate to other colony members.
This enables the colony to grow and expand. When a termite colony grows to its capacity, it produces a swarm of alates.
Swarmers are a very common sight in spring as the weather warms up and humidity levels rise. They are often spotted in Houston, and other parts of the country, starting around the end of February and through March.
If you notice a termite swarm, you should immediately contact a pest control professional. Not only is it unsafe to leave these insects untreated, but it could cause further damage to your property as the swarmers attempt to establish their new colony.
Workers
Every spring, termites swarm to find mates and establish new colonies. This event is called a “nuptial flight” and is an annual reminder of termites’ strength, perseverance and dedication to their families.
During the nuptial flight, termite alates (wing-bearing females) emerge from mud tubes and fly through the air to locate a suitable nesting site. They are vulnerable to predators and often die during the journey, but some manage to survive.
While these winged termite swarmers are sometimes mistaken for ants, they are actually quite distinct in appearance from ants. These insects are pale and translucent, have a small rounded head and bodies, straight antennae and do not have a pinch between their thorax and abdomen like ants.
Worker termites are the smallest and palest caste of termites. They are responsible for the construction, maintenance and care of the colony’s nest structure. They also take care of eggs and nymphs, feed and groom nest mates and forage for food.
They eat cellulose, a material found in wood that is essential for the strength and rigidity of wooden buildings. They damage wood by consuming its cellulose, and this can lead to structural problems.
A termite worker is about a quarter of an inch long and has two pairs of wings that are mounted closely together just beneath the thorax, making them even in length. These wings are black or dark brown in color and can be mistaken for a swarm of ants, but you can easily tell them apart by the size of their body.
When a termite worker is discovered in a home or other building, the most obvious sign of an infestation is their presence. This is a good time to have a professional exterminator inspect your property and identify where termites are entering.
The other most common sign of termite infestation is a swarm of winged termites that have departed from the colony. These termites are called swarmers and can be spotted around windows and light fixtures as well as other areas on your property.
Alates
Alates, or swarmers, are termites that have wings. They are a part of the reproductive caste within a termite colony and are responsible for seeking mates, laying eggs, and starting new colonies.
Termites can be quite destructive and can cause significant damage to your home or other structures. It is important to be able to identify these winged termites and take action as soon as possible in order to prevent an infestation.
When you see swarms of winged termites, it is most likely a sign that there is a termite problem in your home. The best way to determine if you have termites is to schedule a professional inspection and treatment from a pest control company.
These insects are nocturnal and tend to be drawn to bright lights. This is why you often see them swarming under street lamps or porch light fixtures.
Swarmers are usually attracted to lights because they help them find their way around. Seeing them swarming under lights can also be a good indicator that you have termite problems.
While you can try and kill them with a spray, you should know that these insects can be quite resilient. They have a high survival rate and will continue to reproduce until they find their mate and establish their colony.
They can be difficult to distinguish from other flying insects, but you should note that termite wings have distinctive venation patterns. These veins are usually parallel and radiate outward toward the edges of the wing.
Moreover, they have a small, membranous body that has a delicate texture and translucent appearance. They are covered in a network of tiny veins that make the wings look lacy.
Swarming termites typically range in size from about 6 to 9 mm long with straight antennae and equally long wings. They are tan, dark brown, or black in color and have uniform, unsegmented bodies.
When a termite colony reaches a certain size and maturity, they will produce alates (winged termites). These alates are the future queens and kings of the colony. When they are mature, they will leave the nest to seek mates and start new colonies. These swarmers are the only termites that have wings, and they are responsible for spreading the termite population.