Drywood termites are not the visitors you’d want in your property. They can cause damages in the property and create multiple colonies as long as they have access to moisture and food. As soon as you identify drywood termite swarmers on your property, you must contact the nearest pest control agency to get rid of them immediately.
First signs of drywood termite swarmers
Termite swarmers, also known as alates, are bugs with thin and silvery wings, which they discard once they have mated. Alates typically measure about 12 mm long. Discarded wings are the first signs you will see that there is an infestation of termites on your property, and that’s enough cause for concern.
You can also see them swarming during the day when the temperature is warm and at night time as they are distracted by the lights from your porch or garden. However, they are not adept fliers, so you will find them walking on the ground after their initial launch.
When you see drywood termite swarmers, it is possible that there is already an existing colony somewhere in your property, and they are preparing to expand to a new nesting area somewhere near. Some of the entry points for alates are under wood roof shingles, around wood door frames or windows, under eaves, small gaps in wood siding and crawl spaces.
Activities of termites
Several times a year, a termite colony releases alates to reproduce and create a new colony in another nearby location. Alates mate with queens and queens find entry points to create the nests where they will lay their eggs that will form the new colony.
Alates breeding activities can happen at any time and season of the year, unlike the popular assumption that they stop during winter. In fact, winter is when they most likely breed and create new colonies undetected.
As such, it is essential not to put off termite treatments during winter. As they form new colonies, the damages they can do to your property can also progress rapidly.
What pest control companies do
For any signs of termite infestation on your property, it is best to contact a pest control company as soon as possible. They conduct a full inspection of your whole property to find any existing colonies of foraging insects.
They can also look for new nests and identify what types of termites are inhabiting your property, which is essential as treatments also vary based on that. If left untreated, termites can quickly propagate and cause significant damages to your property, especially if it is made of wood.
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