What are Flying Termites?
Flying termites are winged reproductive insects with four wings of the same length. They look like an ant with wings. A swarming ant has three specific body parts: thorax, abdomen, and head. However, flying termites do not have three separate parts having only a head and a long body.
Moreover, flying termites do not live long, and they are not dangerous and do no harm to humans. To establish new colonies, they swarm out from the nest. They usually appear when the humidity is high, generally after the rain in the evening and are attracted by any brightly lit area.
Once they settle down in a convenient environment, flying termites becomes king and queen by starting their colony. They may look innocent, but once their territory is well-established, the damage they cause can be devastating . Control Pest Management can assist in preventing that damage to your property.
Can Termites Fly?
Yes, they can, But not all them. Termites do not fall into the category of flying insects like wasps and mosquitos. Some of them can fly but only for a small period of time before losing their wings. Termites colonies are split into groups known as castes, and there is the particular role for each caste in the colony.
Three castes of termite colony are:
- Alates
- Workers
- Solders
In termite castes, only the alates caste can fly. These termites are the future queen and kings of next season’s termite colonies. The only Termites which are sexually developed are the alates termites. The habits and flying pattern of termites are known as a flock.
What is the mission of flying termites?
Flying termites point to the start of the new colonies of termites. Swarms of some sexually mature termites leave from their nest due to the lack of food and overcrowding. Both female and male termites or alates will take flight and typically mate mid-air, and then come back down to the ground.
Now, the female which is impregnated has a role to find a comfortable location to start a current colony of termites as a queen. In some species after a nuptial interlude the male termite dies shortly afterwards. If they survive, then they become king and queen in the new colony.
When do termites Fly?
Generally during summer, spring and periods of humidity we often notice flying termites in the air, especially when the ambient temperature starts to rise. This change in temperature forces the winged termites to come out from their nests (within the form of timber) to begin their flight.
A capacity of female termites to lay eggs.
In the very beginning of the colony, a queen merely lays 10-20 eggs. But they can lay as many as 1,000 eggs a day when the colony is many years old. A mature or primary queen has a high capacity for laying eggs. Some species exhibit a distended abdomen in the mature queen who may lay 40,000 eggs per day.
There are two mature ovaries of a queen, and in each ovary, there are 2,000 ovarioles. The abdomen increases the body size of a queen many times and reduces her capacity to move freely.
Life of a King and Queen Termites
After initial mating with the queen, the king grows large and continue to mate with the queen. A queen can live between 30-50 years. In the absence of the queen, a king produces pheromones which force the reproduction of replacement termite queens.
Control Pest Management are equipped to deal with any and all termites.
How to remove termites?
Let the sun do its work; In general, sunlight kills termites.
Keep your Home and apartment Dry;
- Termites require water to survive.
- Make sure you keep all things dry.
- Make sure all the water inside or outdoor of the home or around the house are sealed and dry. Suction up the excess water if possible.
- Wet and dirty gutters also are the ideal places for the termites. For further prevention keep these gutters free of debris.