The vast majority of termites are workers and soldiers who spend their lives merrily munching and fiercely fighting. Often times these wood destroying insects will discard their wings by curving their backs.
Flying Termites Vs Flying Ants Activ Pest Solutions
And you can see not all termites get to have wings.
Do termites lose their wings. They drop their wings once the land and begin looking for a mate. Like ants once the termites have mated they will start to shed their wings and homeowners may find wingless swarmers or wings lying around in window seals. The life cycle of the termite begins with a mating flight wherein swarming winged reproductive males and females leave established colonies and procreate.
After fertilization winged termites land and shed their wings going on to form new colonies. So why do termites lose their wings. Flying termites lose their wings shortly after finding a mate.
Once flying termites lose their wings they will try to find new areas in your home to create nests. Once the female and male termites pair up they will quickly search out a hidden dark and secluded spot to begin the termite life cycle anew. So if you start noticing these swarming termites in or around your home or if you are seeing discarded wings you should be concerned.
Scientifically flying termites are referred to as alates. These insects then become the king or queen termites of their newly established colonies. Flying termites are normal termites that are at their winged stage.
Once the termites land the wings are simply no longer needed. Male termites on the other hand will look for female termites by means of polishing in on the feminine pheromones. Termites are weak fliers.
Another common sign of termites is the discarded wings. Termites with wings are referred to as swarmers by most people. Male and female drywood termites pair up then crawl to a suitable nesting site where they seal themselves in to mate and start the new colony.
You may not actually see the swarm but if you have found termite wings in your home termites may have been present. Why do termites lose their wings. When termites land their wings are no longer necessary.
Though they are small they have the potential to cause just as much damage as a fallen tree does. These insects can be removed from the home by vacuuming them up and placing the vacuum bag in an outdoor trash can. Since the swarmers are attracted to light you will most likely find wings near light fixtures and on windowsills.
So yes termites do fly. It s important to note that when swarmers do find the perfect place to settle down they will lose their wings. Spraying around your house is enough but you also need to make sure you don t have things that will cause you to get termites like soil covering your slab or wood going from your home into the ground.
Next the males will search out a female by honing in on the female pheromones. But to your question termites only have wings at one point in their life cycle. Often times the termites will discard them by arching their backs and the wings will break off.