The only thing worse than a “normal” termite is a flying termite, right? Especially when you come to learn that those flying termites are the reproductive members of the termite colony, which means that if you notice flying termites around your house, you’ve likely had termites for a while.
So, if you notice flying termites swarming around your home, what should you do? Even worse, if flying termites manage to enter your home, what do you do then? Are flying termites dangerous to humans, and what exactly is a flying termite swarm?
This extensive guide on flying termites includes the following:
- How To Get Rid of Flying Termites
- How To Prevent Flying Termites
- How To Identify Flying Termites
- Flying Termites vs. Flying Ants
- Signs & Causes of a Flying Termite Infestation
If trying to exterminate flying termites on your own becomes too challenging, we recommend Orkin, Terminix, and Aptive. These exterminators have some of the best-trained professionals that can use traps, baits, and other chemically treated solutions that are often more effective than standard DIY methods.
For Terminix quotes, you can reach them at 866-577-5051 or with this form.
For quotes from Orkin, call 866-701-4556, or fill out this form.
For a free quote from Aptive, call 855-521-7075 or visit the company’s website.
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
Table of Contents
How To Get Rid of Flying Termites
Before we go into how to get rid of termites, we want to make something perfectly clear.
If you spot flying termites swarming around your home, there is already a big problem. Flying termites are the reproductive members of the termite colony. They typically only spread their wings to find a new place for a new colony after the first termite colony has been around for years. In short, if you spot flying termites near your home, you’re likely already dealing with a rampant termite problem, and your home is in trouble.
Our recommendation would be to immediately call an exterminator to deal with your termite activity because termites can quickly cause extensive damage to your home that will cost far more to repair than the cost of the pest control service. Termites create huge colonies that are difficult to deal with and typically require the use of chemicals, drilling, fumigation, and more to treat, which the average homeowner is not equipped or trained to perform safely.
If you’d still like to try a home remedy for flying termite treatments, here are some available options:
- Bug zappers: Like many insects, termites love light and will be attracted to the bug zapper’s light. The bug zapper will then electrocute them, taking care of that flying termite. Make sure you turn off as many other lights as possible so that they zero in on the bug zapper.
- Boric acid: Boric acid kills many insects and works by coating the bug’s exterior, then dehydrating them, eventually leading to the insect’s death. You can purchase boric acid in powder form at many stores or online, and it can be used both inside and outside. Try sprinkling the powder around the perimeter of your house and at other entry points, such as doors, windows, and anywhere else you see winged termites.
- Cardboard traps: Make a DIY termite trap using a cardboard box. Termites eat the cellulose found in wood, but cardboard also frequently contains cellulose, making it an effective way to attract termites. Cut the cardboard box into sheets and wet them, then place them in high termite activity areas. Once termites land on the cardboard and begin eating it, you can spray them with an insecticide to finish them off.
- Termite bait stations: Purchase a termite bait station and place the baits around your home according to the instructions. This can be a helpful solution for long-term termite control, and the attractant on the baits can lure termites quickly. Please note that this is not a safe option if you have young children or pets because they may eat the bait station.
- Termiticide: Termiticide can be purchased at many stores and comes in multiple forms, including a foaming treatment. Foaming treatments can be used within walls and underneath bathtubs, floorboards, and more, making them a versatile solution for treating termites. A traditional termiticide can be applied as a barrier treatment, and many even advertise that they will kill a variety of pests, such as carpenter ants or bed bugs.
Please note that some of these treatments may not be available or legal in your state or area based on local regulations and ordinances. Always check with your state’s guidelines on pest control before beginning to treat pests yourself.
How to Prevent Flying Termites
Preventing termites is far easier than treating them by yourself. If you’re looking for ways to prevent flying termites from returning to your home, here are some of our top preventative measure tips for making your house a less desirable place for flying termites to nest.
- Clean up your outdoor area. Remove mulch outside of your home and all tree stumps or woodpiles near your home. Flooring the soil can also help to kill termites.
- Monitor moisture in your home. Termites look for easy access to moisture. By performing regular inspections of your plumbing, you can save yourself the headache of discovering a huge leak and termites. Perform regular plumbing checks and address any leaks immediately to prevent termites from using the leak as a moisture source.
- Keep up with home repair. Termites love rotting wood. Make sure you keep up with repairing rotted wood. This goes for your deck and porch areas too.
- Know the signs of a termite infestation. Regularly perform termite inspections of your homes for termites and other pests. The earlier you discover pests, the better the prognosis will be.
- Use orange oil and vinegar. Many termites are repelled by the scent of orange oil or vinegar. Try mixing orange oil or vinegar in a spray bottle with some water and spritzing the perimeter of your home and common entry points with this DIY mixture to discourage termites from entering.
- Manage light sources. Like many bugs, termites are attracted to light. Keep outdoor lighting on only when needed and turn it off when it’s not in use to avoid unnecessarily attracting insects. You can also change your lights to sodium vapor lights, which are known to be less attractive to bugs as a whole.
- Seal off entry points to your home. Use a caulking product to seal off gaps or holes in your home’s exterior that termites may enter through. Don’t leave your windows open without a screen, as that’s just asking for flying termites or other pests to come inside.
How To Identify Flying Termites
So, what exactly is a flying termite? What do flying termites look like? Are they a different species than regular termites?
Not quite, flying termites, also known as alates, are actually the reproductive members of the termite colony. During the spring months, male and female reproductive termites will fly and leave the termite colony until they find a safe spot to develop a new colony.
Once they’ve landed, they will shed their wings and make a tiny alcove to crawl into and mate inside of safely. When you see flying termites, they’re taking a one-time flight to leave their existing termite colony and find a safe, new area to establish a new colony in.
Not many termites can fly because most types of termites are worker termites, who are in charge of digging tunnels, taking care of young termites, locating food, and caring for the colony. These are the typical termites that most of us think of. There are also soldier termites who have noticeably larger, darker heads than worker termites. Most termite colonies will have limited numbers of soldier termites. The soldier termites lay in wait throughout the mud tubes, hoping to catch any intruders who may attack the king and queen termite.
Flying termites are the only kind of termites with wings, so it’s pretty easy to spot them amongst other termites. It’s more likely that you may mistake a flying termite for a flying ant or another pest, such as a wasp.
Flying Termites vs. Flying Ants
If you’re wondering how to tell the difference between a flying termite and flying ant swarmers, here is a quick rundown of the primary differences:
- Waist shape: Flying termites have boxy bodies, which are straight throughout while flying ants have a noticeably tiny, pinched waist between their abdomen and thorax.
- Antennae: Flying ants have a pair of antennae that are bent in the middle. Flying termites have springlike, straight antennae that are completely straight.
- Wing length: Flying termites have symmetrical termite wings while flying ants have large, “butterfly” like wings that lay upon each other in unequal lengths.
Termites of any kind are not directly dangerous to humans as they aren’t known to carry disease or bite. However, they can quickly damage our homes and even make our homes unsafe to live in due to extensive wood damage, so they’re not a pest you want to keep around.
How To Identify Flying Termites
Flying termites are the only kind of termites with wings, so it’s pretty easy to spot them amongst other termites. It’s more likely that you may mistake a flying termite for a flying ant or another pest, such as a wasp.
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Signs & Causes of a Flying Termite Infestation
If you spot a flying termite, it’s probably a subterranean termite. Subterranean termites are species of termites that live underground, where they create extensive colonies and a series of mud tubes that allow them to travel to the surface for food.
Once a colony has been around for several years, subterranean termite swarmers may develop and seek out a location for a new colony. Although flying termites have wings, they don’t tend to fly very far away because they aren’t great at flying. So, if you spot a flying termite, it’s likely that you have a termite colony near your home already.
Why do termites swarm? What are the causes of a flying termite infestation?
- Temperature changes (Subterranean termite swarmers typically swarm during the spring)
- Wind speeds
- Relative humidity
- Day length
- Increase in rain
- Location (termite swarmers are more prevalent in the southern United States)
- Having a home with concrete slab foundations, which are more susceptible to termites
Warning Signs of Termites:
- Mud tubes
- Hollowed out or damaged wood found on your property
- Uneven or bubbling paint
- Small holes and wood shavings on trees on your property
- Exterior wood damage
- An active termite colony nearby
- Small, rattling noises coming from the walls
- Spotting a flying termite
- Termite droppings, also known as frass
Final Thoughts on Flying Termites and How To Get Rid of Them
Having termites is no fun. Nobody wants to feel like their home is being destroyed around them, nor should homeowners have to worry about parts of their house falling apart from termite damage. While there are DIY options available for termite control, professional pest control help is strongly recommended because termites are expansive pests that are difficult to eliminate.
Not only that, but the presence of flying termites in or near your home indicates an already established termite colony close by, which could already be damaging your home. Don’t hesitate, reach out to a pest control professional today to have your home examined for termites and quickly treated.
