Termites With Wings
Termites with wings are reproductive members of a colony that travels in large swarms. They rely on the wind to carry them, and are capable of causing a significant amount of damage while going almost unseen. Typically, they swarm in the spring. In some cases, a termite infestation can be prevented by using an insecticide.
Termites with wings are reproductive members of a colony
Termites are social insects. They live in large colonies and form a hierarchy. Each colony consists of three distinct castes: the workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Each caste has a king or queen, who will lay eggs and serve as the colony’s reproductive. A pair of reproductives will form a queen and a king, and these individuals will work together to establish new colonies. The reproductives are hard-bodied and have large compound eyes. They perform several important functions, such as establishing a nest, housekeeping, and caring for the young.
They rely on the wind to carry them
Termites with wings rely on the movement of air currents to carry them through the environment. They can live for up to 20 years, depending on their location and lifestyle. While termites are not adept at flying, they do use the wind to get from place to place and establish new colonies.
They can cause damage while going virtually unseen
If you are concerned about the damage that termites can cause, consider their wings. Termites with wings can cause damage while going almost unseen. These insects move in large groups, arriving at their new home together. This is their way of protecting themselves from predators. Large groups of flying termites can be frightening. Luckily, identifying winged termites is easy. Here are some of the ways to prevent these insects from causing more damage.
They swarm in the spring
Termites with wings swarm in spring and early summer to start a new colony. This is a time of reproduction for the species and can be very dangerous to humans. Termites that have wings don’t fly very well, so they often land on surfaces such as windows and doors. Once they land, the females shed their wings and begin searching for suitable places to start a new colony. The males will follow them until they find a chamber where they can mate. However, only a small portion of the swarmers survive to start a new colony. Many die because of contact with hot surfaces.
They die after landing on hot surfaces
Termites can cause significant damage to homes no matter their size, style, or construction. It’s important to protect your home from termites with a billiot pest control service.
They look like ants
Termites with wings look similar to ants, but there are some important differences between them. While ants have a narrow waist and curved antennae, termites have a wider waist and equal-length wings. Termites also have beaded wings that look like ants, while ants have elbowed antennae.
They swarm in cracks in walls
Termites with wings swarm in holes in walls and cracks in soil to reproduce and find new homes. Usually, these swarms occur once a year, though some species swarm more than once. In these swarms, hundreds to thousands of termites, also known as alates, emerge and pair off. Once they have found a partner, they shed their wings and move on to a new location to establish a new colony.
They die after mating
The reproductive termites of a colony shed their wings after mating and start the new colony in the spring. It is important to note that over 90% of the reproductive termites die during this flight, usually due to predators. Once they reach the new colony, the survivors begin a new life cycle.