Flying Termites and Swarm Season: What They Mean and What to Do

On a warm, humid evening, you might suddenly notice dozens of small winged insects fluttering around your outdoor lights, or a scattering of tiny wings on the windowsill the next morning. There’s a good chance you’ve just witnessed flying termites. It’s a sight many Melbourne homeowners see as the weather warms up, and it’s worth knowing what it means.

Can termites fly?

Most termites can’t. Worker and soldier termites, the ones that eat timber and defend the colony, are wingless and spend their lives hidden in soil, timber or mud tubes.

Flying termites, known as alates, are the colony’s reproductive members. Once a colony is mature, it produces alates, which leave the nest in a swarm to find a mate and start a new colony. Their flight is short, and once they land, they shed their wings. Pairs then look for a suitable spot, usually moist soil or timber, to start a new colony.

When do flying termites swarm in Melbourne?

Swarms usually happen on warm, humid, still evenings, often just before or after a storm. In Melbourne, activity tends to build through spring and peak in late spring and early summer, though flights can occur throughout the warmer months.

Swarming termites are attracted to light, which is why they often gather around outdoor lights, windows and doors after dark.

Flying termites vs flying ants: how to tell the difference

Flying ants swarm at similar times of year, and the two are easily confused. Here’s how to tell termites with wings from flying ants:

• Antennae: termites have straight, bead-like antennae; ants have bent or “elbowed” antennae.
• Waist: termites have a thick, straight body with no obvious waist; ants have a narrow, pinched waist.
• Wings: termites have two pairs of wings that are the same length and much longer than the body; ants have front wings that are larger than their back wings.
• Discarded wings: termites shed their wings soon after landing, so piles of similar-sized wings are a strong termite sign.

If you’re not sure, take a clear photo or collect a few specimens in a sealed container so a pest technician can identify them.

What does a termite swarm mean for your home?

A swarm tells you there’s a mature termite colony nearby. Where the swarm appears gives you a clue about where that colony is.

Swarming outside

If flying termites are around outdoor lights or in the garden, the colony may be in a nearby tree, stump, fence or garden timber. That doesn’t mean your home is affected, but it does mean termites are active in the area.

Swarming inside

If flying termites are emerging from inside your home, such as from walls, skirting boards, window frames or floors, it’s a strong sign there may be an active colony within the structure. This needs a professional inspection as soon as possible.

What to do if you see flying termites

• Stay calm and don’t spray. Household insecticides won’t reach the colony and can make it harder to find.
• Turn off outdoor lights and close windows and doors to reduce the number getting inside.
• Vacuum up any that get inside, and empty the vacuum into an outside bin.
• Take photos and note where they appeared and when.
• Don’t disturb any mud tubes or damaged timber you find.
• Book a termite inspection so a professional can locate the source.

How long does a termite swarm last?

A swarm is usually over quickly, often within an hour or so, and many alates die soon after. It’s tempting to think the problem has gone once the flying termites disappear, but the colony that produced them is still active. A swarm can also happen more than once during the season, so treat it as a warning sign rather than a one-off event.

Other termite signs to check for

A swarm is often the first visible sign of termites, but it’s worth checking for other clues around your home:

• Mud tubes running up foundations, piers or walls.
• Timber that sounds hollow when tapped.
• Bubbling or cracked paint on timber surfaces.
• Doors and windows that suddenly start sticking.
• Packed mud in cracks or joins where timber meets masonry.

Homes in leafy suburbs such as Eltham, Warrandyte, Ringwood and Frankston, and across the Mornington Peninsula, often have gum trees, stumps and garden timber nearby, which can make termite activity more likely. For more on what an inspection involves, see our guide to termite inspections in Melbourne.

Termites aren’t the only pests looking for a way in. Our guide to getting rid of mice in your home covers another common household problem.