Winged termites Winged termites

Termite Treatment Rodent Melbourne

Often the first sign of a termite infestation is the sudden appearance of winged termites, ushering in the beginning of termite “swarming” season. Termites swarm in order to start new colonies within a building. These swarms can frighten homeowners, especially those unaware that their home has a termite problem. There are several simple signs of termite infestation that every homeowner should know in order to detect and prevent the establishment of new termite colonies in their home.

Termite Migration Patterns

During swarming season, termite colonies send off large numbers of winged reproductive termites called “swarmers.” A swarm is recognisable by the sudden appearance of hundreds to thousands of these swarmers within a home or building. The swarm often lasts just a few minutes, as swarmers fly a short distance, then fall to the ground and lose their wings. A vast majority of swarmer termites die within a day or so of the swarm. The presence of small piles of wings on windowsills, countertops or floors is a definite sign of termite swarming activity.

Soon afterwards, females will emit a pheromone to attract male termites for mating. After pairing, the termites search for a location to begin a new colony.

Termite swarming is triggered by a combination of several successive days of above average temperatures followed by light rain.

Swarms activity varies geographically but occurs most often starting in the Spring (Oct - Nov) and ends in Autumn (March - April). They can occur any time throughout the warm season.

A single colony may swarm more than once a year, but ensuring swarms are often not as large as the original spring swarm. It is also common for the termite colonies in the same area to swarm on the same day.

Things For Homeowners to Look For

Homeowners can look for these telltale signs of termite swarming:

  • Swarms of flying termites both inside and outside of the house.
  • Small, papery piles of wings on windowsills, countertops or floors.
  • Small piles of wood residue or shavings, as well as tiny holes in wood, crumbling drywall and sagging doors.
  • Bubbled paint or visible, pencil sized mud tubes running across concrete or connecting soil to wood.

Upon noticing these signs, homeowners should contact their pest control professional for advice and treatment options. For a list of Termidor® certified pest control professionals, homeowners can visit www.Termidor.Com.Au OR if in Melbourne, contact Frontline Pest Control as an accredited Termidor® applicator with five trained professionals.