Every spring, homeowners across Monroe and West Monroe find small winged insects clustered on window sills, around light fixtures or on the floor near a door. More often than not, those are termite swarmers, and they are your home’s early warning system.
What is a termite swarm?
A termite swarm is how a mature colony reproduces. Once a colony has grown for several years, it produces winged reproductive termites, called alates or swarmers. On a warm day after rain, they leave the colony in large numbers, pair up, drop their wings and try to start new colonies.
In northeast Louisiana, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from March through May, often in the late morning or early afternoon after a spring rain.
Termite swarmers vs. flying ants
The two look similar, but you can tell them apart:
- Waist: termites have a thick, straight waist; ants have a narrow, pinched waist.
- Antennae: termites have straight antennae; ant antennae are bent or “elbowed”.
- Wings: termite wings are all the same length and much longer than the body; ant front wings are longer than the back wings.
- Shed wings: termites shed their wings quickly, so piles of identical wings on a sill are a strong sign.
Swarmers outside vs. inside
Swarmers outdoors, on a woodpile or a dead stump, mean there is a colony nearby, which is normal in Louisiana. Swarmers inside the house are a different story: they usually mean a colony is feeding in or under the structure and has found its way into the walls, slab joints or crawl space.
What to do if termites swarm in your home
- Don’t panic. Swarmers themselves don’t eat wood and will die within hours indoors.
- Collect a few. Vacuum most of them, but save a few in a sealed bag or a piece of tape for identification.
- Note where they appeared. The location helps pinpoint where the colony is getting in.
- Don’t spray store-bought products. Surface sprays only kill swarmers and can make an inspection harder.
- Book a professional inspection. A trained inspector will check the foundation, crawl space, attic and wood for mud tubes and damage.
Other signs of termites to look for
- Pencil-width mud tubes running up the foundation or piers
- Wood that sounds hollow or crumbles when pressed
- Bubbling or uneven paint on walls or trim
- Doors and windows that suddenly stick
Treatment and protection
Subterranean termites are treated with a liquid termiticide barrier around the foundation, bait stations, or a combination of both. Our termite control service starts with a full inspection and ends with a written contract and annual re-inspections.
If you have never had termites, now is the time to think about termite prevention. Bait monitoring or a preventive treatment costs far less than repairing structural damage, which homeowners insurance rarely covers.
Reduce the risk around your home
- Keep mulch at least a few inches away from the foundation.
- Fix leaky gutters, downspouts and outdoor faucets.
- Don’t stack firewood against the house.
- Keep crawl spaces dry and well ventilated.
Saw swarmers this spring? Book pest control in Monroe, LA and we’ll inspect your home and explain your options before any treatment.