Every spring, we see a huge rise in calls from people in the Baton Rouge area whose homes have been overrun by flying insects. With the current weather conditions here in Louisiana, this year’s termite swarming season is expected to be widespread. Eastern subterranean termites and Formosan termites are both swarming now, but if you’re starting to find flying insects in your house, how can you be sure if they’re termites?
Can Termites Fly?
Certain termites can fly, although they’re not very good at it. They are very weak, and can only travel considerable distances in windy climates. There is only one class of termites that can fly – these are the reproductives, a type of termite specifically tasked with spreading the colony to new homes.
A termite colony will start producing reproductives once it has reached a certain level of maturity, usually about three years of development. The reproductives will fly to new locations to mate and find a new place to proliferate. After they mate, the male reproductive sheds its wings. Finding discarded termite wings or living winged termites in your home could be a sign that there is a termite colony thriving somewhere in the wooden structure of your house. If you think you might have a termite problem, let your local pest control company know.
Termites vs Flying Ants
It’s easy to mistake termites with their less destructive friends, flying ants. Here are three indicators that the flying insects that you’re seeing are termites, and not ants:
- Their appearance: Termite swarmers have longer wings, but shorter limbs and antennae. Flying ants will usually be larger – termite sizes vary by species, but some, like the Eastern subterranean termite, are as small as 10mm long.
- Signs in your house: If you’ve noticed damaged or hollow-sounding wood anywhere in your house, those flying insects in your house are most likely termites. Contact a local termite exterminator to assess the extent of the damage.
- Signs in your yard: If a subterranean termite colony is swarming near you, look out for tunnels on the surface of your yard. These are called mud tubes, and they are the paths that subterranean termites take from their nests to nearby food sources.
Other Flying Insects
The flying bugs around your house might not be termites or flying ants! Plenty of different winged insects reemerge around springtime, so you could be dealing with:
- Mosquitoes
- Bees
- Flies
- Fleas
- Beetles, or something else
Visit our pest identification library for help narrowing down what kind of pests you’re dealing with.
Professional Pest Control in Baton Rouge LA
If you’re ready to get rid of the flying insects in your Louisiana home, it’s time to ask your local extermination experts at Dugas Pest Control for help. Our employees are trained to specialize on pests that commonly plague the Baton Rouge area. Over decades of service, we’ve helped loads of families rid their homes of pests with environmentally-friendly tactics. Reach out today for a free quote!