What You Need to Know About Termite Swarming Season

Termite swarming season tends to come each year toward the tail end of winter. Termite season for eastern subterranean termites typically lasts 5-6 months, but those numbers aren’t set in stone. Regardless, it’s important to be prepared before termites begin to swarm in attempts to invade your home. Our on-staff entomologist and termite specialist, David Moore, explains more about termite season in the video below.

In today’s blog, we’ll discuss what a termite swarm is, plus when and why they form. We’ll also talk about different types of termites and a few tips for preventing them from invading your property.

A termite swarm occurs when a massive number of flying termites, also known as alates or termite swarmers, leave their current colony to form new ones. The winged termites will move together in large numbers so they can start to investigate a new home. If you’ve never seen a termite swarm before, the sight can be quite a shock—termite swarms can consist of dozens of termites.

Alates actually do not consume cellulose found in wood, but if they choose to set up camp on your property, it may not be long before termites start feasting on your home. In fact, a swarm is one of the first ways homeowners may be alerted to the presence of termites.

Swarming occurs when a termite colony is ready to expand and find new food sources. Termite colonies typically only expand once per year, but not all colonies will swarm at the same time, prolonging termite season. Once the winged termites find a suitable home, they will stop swarming and settle into their new location. The alates’ wings will fall off as they mature, and they will start mating to create new colonies.

Seasonality can vary depending on the termite species, but termites typically swarm during late winter or early spring. March is usually one of the months you’ll want to watch if you’re concerned about termite activity. However, as mentioned earlier, there is no exact time of year to remember or exact formula you can follow to predict termite swarming season.

Is Termite Swarming Season Different From Termite Season? 

Yes. Termite swarming season refers to the relatively short window of time when winged termites are searching for a new home. Even though you’re most likely to see swarming termites as the weather warms up, it’s possible to observe this phenomenon at other points in the year.

If termites are already present, there is a good chance they are eating away at wood sources they can find, damaging your property. Termite activity is not necessarily tied to swarming season. Termites are technically all-season pests.

The three most common termite species in the US are drywood termites, formosan termites, and subterranean termites. These types of termites have different swarming patterns, but most tend to swarm after a rainstorm and avoid high winds.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to avoid termite swarms on your property, but basic termite prevention can help reduce the likelihood of a termite infestation:

• Make sure there is no wood-to-soil contact around your home.
• Repair any cracks or crevices in the foundation of your home.
• Keep your home’s gutters and downspouts clean and free of debris.
• Install termite shields around the foundation of your home.
• Minimize other things that attract termites.

What To Do If You See Swarming Termites

The best thing for you to do if you see a termite swarm is to call a pest control company that specializes in termite control. Chances are, if you see a swarm, termites are either close enough to try to invade your home or are already in your home.