Tips for Protecting Your Property from Flying Termites

One of the most destructive pest invasion you need to worry about is from termites. These pesky critters feed on wood and can make a feast of your home’s furniture, ceilings, floors, walls, and the heart of its foundation if left to grow on its own.  There are various types of termites, but the one responsible for building a colony in multiple feeding sites are flying termites. These are winged insects that can swarm your property and cause thousands of dollars worth of damage.  While these swarmers can be tough to control, there are several ways you can eliminate these catastrophic pests from conquering your home.   How do Flying Termites Differentiate from its Other Counter-Species? Also known as alates, flying termites are ordinary termites that have reached the winged-state of its different life stages. The pesky dwellers are also known to be in its reproductive cycle, which is why they can be dangerous to various homes as the swarmers are on the lookout for feeding grounds. Once they have a prime location for feeding and breeding, they’ll settle in to establish colonies. Keep in mind that flying termites don’t necessarily do the brunt of the damage to your home as they focus on spreading its population instead.  With that in mind, crucial to eliminate flying termites as soon as you spot them as they create generations of wood-chomping babies that will damage your home if left unattended.  How to Identify Flying Termites Many people tend to confuse flying termites as flying ants. However, telling them apart is easy, so long as you know what to look for. Flying ants have three-segmented bodies with wings that are large and small.  Flying termites, on the other hand, only have two-segment bodies with two long, identical sets of wings. Their appearance takes on a light golden colour with six legs and two antennae that have a slight curve compared to the 90-degree-angle of ants.  Signs that Your Home is Suffering from a Termite Invasion

• Spottings of a swarm of winged insects with straight and beaded antennae
• Mud concentrations on wooden beams and exterior walls
• Cracked wood or paint
• Frass or termite droppings
• Blisters on laminated floors
• Holes in the carpet 
• Buckles on ceilings that appear as slight water damage
• Cavities and holes in walls

How to Get Rid of Flying Termites

1. Eliminate Moisture

A damp environment act as termite magnets, which call on a swarm of flying termites to nestle into your home. With that in mind, be sure to nip the problem by its bud by repairing leaky faucets, water pipes, and air conditioning units.  If you keep your foundations free from any water drippings, seal entry points around your utility lines, and keeping your gutters clean, you can prevent flying termites from finding your property attractive for their next feeding ground. 

2. Remove their Food Supply

You can fortify your preventive measure by removing their food supply from your foundation and other potential crawl spaces. This includes firewood, lumber, dead vegetation, trees, shrubs, and even something as innocent as a piece of paper. Even if termites are nesting in your home, cutting off their food supply is an excellent way of starving the pesky critters to death.  Time is of the essence once you spot tell-tale signs of a termite invasion as the pests are infamous for spreading quickly like rabbits. Flying termites are especially alarming as they can spread generations of termite babies that will eventually feed on your home, which can have costly consequences on your money and even health. For that reason, knowing how to identify flying termites and prevent the swarmers from seizing your home are crucial to your home’s structural integrity.  If you’re looking for protection against termites for your property in Melbourne, get in touch with us to see how we can help!