A Lack Of Termite Swarms Does Not Indicate A Lack Of Termite Activity

The unusual swarming behavior of termites may be interesting to witness in the wild, but when termite swarms are spotted near or inside of our homes, we won’t waste time marveling at their beauty. It goes without saying that nobody wants to find termite swarms on their property. Citizens living in certain regions of the United States can count on spotting termite swarms every spring. This is especially the case in the southern Gulf states where termite species are particular diverse and numerous. Since termite swarms are such a common sight in southern states, many residents assume that a lack of termite swarms must be indicative of a relatively light termite presence in the environment. While it is true that termite infestations are often found in areas where swarms are heavily spotted, a sharp decrease in the frequency of termite swarms does not mean that your home is safe from infestations.

Researchers with the University of Florida have taken note of a progressive annual decrease in the amount of termite swarms spotted in the environment. This trend was first noticed in the late 2000s. Now researchers have learned that termites remain just as numerous in the environment despite the decrease in termite swarms. Experts claim that it is unwise to dismiss termites as a threat just because no swarms were spotted during the spring season. However, researchers are not sure as to why termite swarms are decreasing in frequency in the south.

According to Phil Koehler, an urban entomology professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, termite alates do not need to fly in order to mate and establish new colonies. In fact, pest control operators throughout the southeast US have reported an increase in wingless termite alates. These wingless termites are just like typical flying alates, only they crawl in order to find mates and new colony-sites. Koehler also believes that termite swarms are less numerous today thanks to termite control efforts and drought conditions in the southeast US.

Do you think that experts can obtain a truly accurate estimate concerning the number of termite swarms that occured during a particular season?