Seasonal Behavior Of Termites

Although termites are found all throughout the year, the alates or swarmer’s typically show signs of seasonal behavior which typically occurs when the weather begins to warm up during the late spring months. However, it is possible for swarmer’s to carry out this seasonal behavior into early autumn if the conditions are right. Most people think that termites are wingless and live in enclosed areas such as within wood or underground; however, this is not the case when it comes to swarmer’s which are the reproductive castes of termites. These termites are spreading their wings so that they are able to travel to other areas and mate with a female so that new colonies can then be formed. 

     Swarmer’s or Alates typically are brown to black in color, have large wings and highly developed eyes unlike other castes of termites such as the workers which are bling and use their antennae’s to get around. The primary task of these termites is to continue to mate by finding another swarmer which is of the opposite sex. Once the mates have been chosen they then shed their wings and the new queen and king will burrow down into their new home which is typically either within a decomposing tree of underground chamber. This is where mating occurs, and within a few days the new queen can lay dozens of eggs which will quickly turn into the beginning of a new termite colony.

     You will typically see these swarmer’s in large groups in the warmer months and can often be seen in late spring to early fall depending on the location and climate. Because most species of termites tend to require high levels of moisture, typically swarmer’s will take flight right after a heavy rain and do so in large groups which are often mistaken for flying ants because of the similarity in looks between the two species. Alates are not strong flyers, and for this reason they must locate their ideal location before too long or will perish due to losing their wings. For this reason, it is ideal for these termites to swarm when winds are low and conditions are ideal.

    Once the eggs have hatched, they then enter the nymph stage where the king and queen will feed the termites until they are ready to transcend into their roles within the colony. The kind stays with the queen in the termite world, and together they ensure that their young are able to mature and reach the age of maturity where they are then able to go about carrying out the essential duties that each of the castes play in the survival of a termite colony. The queen and king will remain in their royal chamber where their sole purpose is to continue laying eggs and reproducing to enlarge the colony and ensure its success. The worker ants are then in charge of bringing food back to the quarters of the king and queen as well as ensuring that the larvae and nymphs are cared for as well.