Can Termites Fly?

Need to get rid of termites? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

How Do Termites Get Around?

Termites live in colonies that can have anywhere from several hundred to several thousand members. Between 90 to 98 percent of each colony is made up of worker termites. 

Worker termites are blind and deaf and are responsible for all of the work that is done in a termite colony, from building the tunnels to taking care of the nymph termites. 

Depending on the colony, soldier termites make up anywhere from 10 to 2 percent of a colony. These termites are charged with protecting the colony from any invaders. This leaves about 2 percent of the colony for the reproductives (alates) and the King and Queen termites. 

King and Queen termites never leave the colony and stay in place for most of their adult lives. Soldiers and worker termites do not have wings and crawl around their nests, tubes or galleries on 6 legs. This means that 2 percent of the termites of any colony have wings, and only for a short period of time.

What Do Flying Termites Look Like?

Flying termites can range in size from one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch in length, depending on the species. Flying termites, unlike their worker colony-mates, may be light in color, dark brown or black. 

Flying termites have two pairs of wings, one pair on each side. They have two straight antennae with a slight curve and a thick body made up of only one part. Unlike ants, for whom termites are sometimes mistaken, termites’ bodies do not narrow between the thorax and abdomen.

What Should I Do If I See A Flying Termite?

For many homes that have become infested with termites, homeowners’ first indication that there is a problem was when they became aware of the presence of flying termites. 

The presence of winged termites can mean that a colony near or in your home has reached a mature enough age to create alates that are ready to populate new colonies. A colony typically produces winged reproductives after it has established itself which can take 3 to 4 years. This means that at the very least, there is a colony in or around your home that has been active that long, with perhaps other colonies residing nearby as well. 

Call Pest Control Experts

If you have found piles of wings on your porch or in windows, you might have a termite infestation. 

Call a professional pest control specialist to inspect your home for other signs of termites in your home. Call Pest Control Experts and know that the safety of your home is well cared for.