Seeing Termites with wings around your home is a sign that a Termite Nest is near.
Termites with wings are called Alates and are responsible for creating new colonies. These winged Termites go for forth and prosper, leaving the nest in the warmer months of the year. These are all potential future kings and queens ready to wreak havoc to homes.
The nest prepares for the swarm leaving by making flight shots that look like tunnels around 20mm long. The Alates leave the nest in a swarm in its 1000’s. All looking for two things – A mate and a nice conducive environment that is perfect to start their new nest. They are very poor fliers and generally go wherever the wind takes them. They only fly a short distance so if you see discarded wings or a swarm in flight then it is safe to say a nest is nearby. Predators will eat the majority of the Alates. Like birds and other insects but from those 1000’s of Termites it only takes two to make a new colony.
Part of our Termite Inspection is looking for signs of white ants. Discarded wings on a window sill is an alarming sign Termites are present and actively seeking nesting spots. Why? because discarded wings mean the female termites have been impregnated during the swarming flight and are looking for a conducive environment. She will be looking for a dark protected space that is warm and has some sort of moisture source. The problem is it is just not one female termite but 100’s if not 1000’s!
They differ from other ants with wings as the alates have four wings. They are massive, normally more than twice the length of their body. The black ants are commonly confused for white ants but the main difference is 2 Vs 4 wings on the termite.
