How annoying are termites? Alarming, terrifying and unwanted creatures that might visit your household or workplace will tend to provide an unnecessary shock upon first sight. Nothing is creepier that the flying type! Can termites fly? Yes, they can, but not all of them. Termites don’t fall into the flying insects category like wasps and mosquitoes do, as only a small set of termites can fly, and only do so for a short period of time before losing their wings. Eventhough this is reassuring, lets have a look at the various types of termites.

A termite colony is split into groups known as castes. Each caste has a particular role in the colony. The 3 castes of a termite colony are:

• Workers
  ●Soldiers
  ●Alates

Out of the termite castes, it is only the alates which can fly, being the only ones equipped with wings. These are the only termites which are sexually developed and are the future kings and queens of the next season’s termite colonies. The flying patterns and habits of termites are known as swarms.

Termite swarms

Termite swarms mark the start of termite season, this often occurs with temperature alterations, moving into the hotter months of the year. They happen once a year during a select period of time which differs between each species and each country, with seasonality playing a big factor.

Why do termites swarm?
Termites swarm to breed and start new colonies and is the beginning of the termite life cycle. During this period the sexually developed male and female winged termites leave their nests and take flight. This is often referred to as nuptial flight and is also common and practised by other insects such as ants. Upon departing their nest, the winged termites will congregate in the air (swarms) and mate with termites of the same species from other colonies. After they have successfully mated the termites will land, shed their wings and start the process of creating a new colony.

What does a flying termite look like?
Flying termites differ in appearance from other flying insects and can be identified by examining them closely. Flying termites appear in a range of colours depending on the species. Generally, flying termites appear in the same beige/tan colour as the other termite castes. They have two antennae which are often straight with a slight curve and have two sets of wings which are equal in length and are white and translucent in colour with a veiny appearance. Termites, in general, can be defined by their body shape. Both flying termites and wingless termites have a thick body made up of one part. Termites do not have a constriction between their thorax and abdomen. With Australian termites looking the scariest!

Flying termites vs flying ants
Ants and termites often get confused and mixed-up with one another to the untrained eye. There have been many instances where termites have been dismissed as white ants. In reality, there is no such thing as white ants, and they are, in fact, termites. Flying termites and flying ants are no exceptions to the matter. Both insects are similar in both shape, size and colour. Brisbane Terminator have extensive experience in determining your root cause and eliminating pests with our effective pest control services.

How to get rid of flying termites
As flying termites make up only a small percentage, the best way to get rid of flying termites is to exterminate termites in general. Eradicating termites from your property will not only deal with flying termites but in doing so will reduce and limit the spread, as well as the potential for future termite colonies in your area. The treatments or the services provided by Brisbane Terminator are optimal, in contradiction with the other pest control service providers in and around Brisbane. A plethora of types of pest control methods are used by us and those offer the finest method for the removal. All our termite control Ipswich and Pest Control Ipswich services are at equitable pricing and suit all budgets. The exterior as well as the interior pest control services are offered by the team of expert professionals. Enlisting the help of a dedicated termite exterminator, such as Brisbane Terminator, will help ensure a termite problem, along with flying termites, is dealt with successfully.

Worried about flying termites and pests in general that plague your home? Get in contact with Brisbane Terminator today to find out how to protect your home from termite damage. Alternatively, you can browse our website and obtain a quote effectively. We are the utmost professional termite removal company that is always priced equitably for all clients.