It’s bad enough to have termites around your home and property, but it can be even more unsettling when termites begin to swarm. This article will explore why termites swarm and how you can be prepared and control a termite swarming situation.
Why Do Termites Swarm?
When a colony of termites reaches its capacity and needs to expand, swarming is likely to occur. This is usually an annual occurrence that involves hundreds or thousands of termites trying to reproduce and grow their colony. The biggest swarming activity typically takes place over the course of a day and then is followed by subsequent days of less activity.
When Do Termites Swarm?
Subterranean termites usually swarm in the spring, dampwood termites in the summer, and drywood termites in the late summer and early fall. This is why it’s a good idea to consult a termite specialist to help you identify termites and understand the types of termites that are most common in your area. During all of these seasons, termite swarms are more likely after it rains and when it is humid, overcast, and not windy.
Damage Caused by Swarming Termites
Swarming termites tend to build nests near the surface of the soil and live there until the conditions are optimal for reproduction and becoming airborne. While it is never a good time of year to have termites in your home, the swarming season is actually not an overly destructive time for them to be around. This is because termites have one main goal during a swarm: to reproduce and grow their colony. Many of these termites will not survive very long and do not even have the ability to bite yet to destroy wood structures of your home.
Termite Swarm Preparation Tips
Whether it’s swarming season or not, there are certain things you can do to deter termites from nesting around your house. The best thing to do is keep wood and paper far from your house, including firewood, spare lumber, and newspaper. Also, don’t put plants too close to the foundation of your home because termites love moist soil. Other ways to reduce moisture and your risks for a termite swarm are to fix leaky faucets right away, point yard sprinklers away from your home, and clean out gutters and downspouts so they are working properly.
How to Get Rid of Swarming Termites
To control and eradicate termite swarms, professional exterminators use liquid treatments that create a barrier to prevent termites from moving from soil to buildings. Exterminators also use baits for termites that are placed below the surface of the soil.
Since these applications are quite challenging for DIY enthusiasts during swarming season, we recommend contacting Precise Termite & Pest Control to take care of the extermination quickly and effectively. We have been keeping Bergen and Passaic counties termite-free for over 30 years and know the best ways to prevent and eliminate swarming insects from your property.