When people hear buzzing sounds coming from their property, they frequently assume that it is just a case of summer flies or even flying ants because winged insects are so common. And it’s possible that they’re right; flying termites and flying ants are frequently confused for one another.
If it turns out to be flying termites, however, you could be dealing with a significant issue; therefore, it is imperative that you are familiar with how to identify these winged pests.
Flying Termites Are Just Termites That Have Wings, And The Following Are Some Of The Most Likely Locations To Find Them In Your Home:
- Located in close proximity to your wood molding
- Moving very slowly around the cracks in the walls or ceilings
- Making their way through your home by going around the pipes
What Kind of Food Do Flying Termites Eat?
A little-known fact is that even inside a colony of termites, there are termites that do not consume wood. This is something that researchers have discovered. The “job” of the soldiers is to defend and protect the colony, which is why they are blind and don’t eat wood.
However, this is due to the fact that reproduction is their major purpose.
Be on the lookout for the existence of their bodies or abandoned wings following termite swarmers, since they will normally perish shortly after swarming and will lose their wings in the process. Both of these are major warning indications that an infestation is not only already present in your home but is also spreading throughout it.
Workers and nymphs, which are the newly hatched termite offspring that require food in order to grow, are the ones that will eat, tunnel, and burrow through the wood in your home.
What’s the Difference Between Flying Ants and Flying Termites?
When looking for and attempting to identify termites and ant swarms, it is essential to put out as much effort as possible. Even though an experienced termite treatment may clearly detect the differences between the two, it is possible that homeowners may not always recognise them.
- Ants: The front wings are longer than the rear wings, and the antennae are twisted at an angle that is almost exactly 90 degrees.
- Termites have wings that are roughly the same length and antennae that are mostly straight (with the possibility of a slight dip).
The Best Methods for Eliminating Flying Termites in Yards:
Exterminating flying termites outside is a curative endeavour, as opposed to the more preventative efforts needed inside the yard.
Since they originate outside, eliminating flying termites and the termite colonies they come from requires a multipronged approach that includes extermination, prevention, and regular maintenance.
The Best Strategies For Eliminating Winged Termites Are As Follows:
1: Block all Possible Points of Entry:
The best course of action is prevention. Preventing flying termites from entering the home is the most effective method of eliminating them. Make use of door sweeps, silicone caulking, and insect netting to keep the elements out.
While it’s true that reducing the number of ports of entry into the property will make it harder for termites to gain access, leaving the soil and ground around the home untreated or neglected still puts you at risk.
Bait systems, termiticides mixed with water and applied to problem areas, and entire colony extermination systems are just some of the professional termite treatments available for this purpose.
2: Make an Orange Oil Remedy Yourself:
D-limonene, the main ingredient in orange oil, may kill both weeds and insects. Orange oil is a non-water-soluble extract of orange peel.
The use of an orange oil spray is effective in eliminating termites and their eggs. Even more, it works to deter them when applied to potential entry points including window and door sills, doorposts, and baseboards.
Also, spray this solution around the base of your foundation or anywhere your home physically meets the ground, as termites are known to build mud tubes from damp soil to reach the interiors of structures.
Since orange oil is a natural product, it is safe to use around children and pets.
3: Destroy Termite Nests using Nematodes
When put into a termite colony, nematodes serve as a natural pesticide by infecting the termites and eventually killing them as a result of the parasitic relationship they establish with the host.
Nematodes don’t kill flying termites on contact, but they can wipe out existing colonies to stop new swarms from forming.
4. Use Termite-Repellent Yard Materials
Yard items high in cellulose, such as wood, plants, and organic soil, are favourites of termites. Using landscaping elements like rubber mulch, cedar mulch, river rock, and pea gravel, which lack these enticing qualities, can discourage flying termites.
These yard elements will discourage them from using your yard as a nesting site, even if they rush in from a neighbour’s.
5: Use Boric Acid as a Spot Treatment
Boric acid causes death by starvation in termites when consumed. Scattered throughout the yard and the house’s entry points, the chemical will eliminate any winged termites that have mated and are looking for a place to start a colony.
Conclusion:
New termite colonies, heralded by flying termites, can spell disaster for any wooden constructions in the area. You may take the necessary measures to get rid of them if you know how to detect them when they swarm and what this means for your yard and home.
FAQs:
Do Termites Bite Humans?
Termites will bite through wood and will attack other insects, but they will not bite humans. Termites don’t pose a health risk to humans, but if you have an infestation, you should still get rid of them to maintain your home’s structure.
What Attracts Termites To A Home?
Issues with moisture and humidity bring in termites, as do leaky plumbing, poor drainage, and inadequate ventilation. Particularly well-adapted to high humidity are damp wood and subterranean termites. Subterranean termites require a constant supply of moisture to survive, while dampwood termites only eat water-damaged wood.