Just when you think you have the insect world figured out …. it changes. Though we have been anticipating evening swarms of Formosan termites, native subterranean termites have decided to have a late run of morning swarms instead.
Since the two types of termites have decided to somewhat merge swarm seasons, we thought it would be a good idea to provide some tips to help identify whether the swarm you see is comprised of native or Formosan termites.
The first indication is the time of day the swarming starts. Our native termites swarm early in the morning while Formosan termites swarm in the evening around sunset. The second indication is the wings on the swarmers. The wings on a Formosan termite have many fine dark hairs while native termite wings do not. There is also a dark vein along the top of Formosan termite wings that will be absent on native termite wings.
It is important to know which termite you are seeing because Formosan termites are potentially more destructive. Their colonies are much larger than native colonies and Formosan termites will build aerial nests with access to water, which can make them much more difficult to control.
Please call Mr. Bugg’s for a free evaluation of your termite and all other pest control needs!!
