While termites are notorious for being destructive pests year-round, their activity significantly increases in the springtime, which is also referred to as swarming season. During swarming season, thousands of winged termites leave their nests to search for mates and form new colonies. Occasionally, these pests don't stray far from home and will add more members to their existing colony. However, a swarm indoors may indicate that termites already established inside your home. Here, we take a dive into some frequently asked questions about preparing for termite swarming season-- and what to do in case you're faced with an infestation.

Where Do Swarmers Come From?

If you happen to see a termite swarm, it likely came from a nest close by. The most common types of swarmers, also known as "alates" include Subterranean Termites, Drywood Termites, and Formosan Termites. Swarms spotted outdoors tend to come from landscape timbers, tree stumps, dead trees, or any place where wood is touching the soil. Outdoor swarms can be hard to miss; termites can number up to the thousands and may even look like a cloud. You're likely to come across an outdoor swarm between early March through May. However, if you find swarmers indoors, this can be cause for concern. Even if you happen to find just a few inside your home, it could still point to a colony living in or under your property. In any event, evidence of swarmers in your home should be investigated.

Signs of a Termite Swarm in Your Home

Termite swarmers will leave behind clues if they're inside your home. When these termites find a place to land and settle down, they will shed their wings. From here, the males will search out a female by following their pheromones. You may find these wings along door frames, windowsills, walls, light fixtures, or across wooden furniture. If you initially notice only a few flying termites, don't rule out an infestation just yet. It may take a day or two for a colony of swarmers to fully appear and make themselves known.

Other signs of a termite infestation include:

• Holes in walls or wooden furniture.
• Small, sand-like brown piles along walls, doorframes, or windowsills.
• Bubbling paint or moisture in your walls.
• Weak, hollow sounding walls or door frames.
• Sagging floors.

If you notice a swarm and/or any of these additional signs, you may be dealing with an infestation and should enlist professional treatment.

Expert Termite Control Services from Turner

If you think you may have a termite colony living in your home, it's crucial to act quickly. Termites cause around $5 billion in damage a year to structures in the U.S and can threaten your home's safety.

Thankfully, you can count on the experts at Turner Pest Control to tackle termite infestations. We offer comprehensive inspections to locate the source of your termite troubles and block any entry points that could be letting them in. To ensure premium protection and prevention, Turner also offers termite bonds (a termite maintenance contract) along with routine inspection and treatment services.

Don't let termite issues take flight. Give us a call at (800) 225-5305 or fill out our free inspection form today.