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Yup – those are them – subterranean termite swarmers. Typically springtime rains along with some warm weather trigger subterranean termite to swarm. Swarmers indicate the presence of a healthy and mature termite colony but are not necessarily cause for alarm.
Here’s why:
The winged swarmers are termites capable of reproduction and their job is to fly out and along with other termites start new colonies. Swarmers cannot directly infest your home as they need to find wood in contact with soil to start a new colony; if some end up flying getting into your house somehow, they will die from lack of a habitable environment.
Unless the termites are swarming inside or directly adjacent to your house, the swarming in not necessarily a sign of infestation in your home, but it does indicate that it is time for a thorough termite inspection.
What to do:
Since the swarmers do indicate an active and healthy subterranean termite colony in the area, it is a good idea to get your house inspected, especially if it has been a few years since your last inspection. A complete inspection will include the exterior, interior, attic crawl space, and the sub area crawl space. We recommend complete inspection about every 1 to 2 years, especially on older buildings or buildings with a history of termites, rot, or moisture problems. Regular inspections are an important part of your home maintenance as they can detect termites, rot, or related conditions in their early stages before there is significant damage or infestation.
Here’s a brief To Do list we’ve come up with for swarmers.
1. Stop. Take a breath. Don’t panic. We’ll walk you through the process. Note: They do not bite and are not harmful to people or pets.
2. DO NOT spray the swarming termites with any kind of chemical - It’s not necessary. Instead, visually inspect for where the swarmers might be entering. Mark that area with tape and take plenty of photos with your cell phone. If the swarmers are in your home you can simply vacuum them up. Do not be surprised to see more – Sometimes swarming can last a few days. A termite swarm is an indicator of a problem, but will not cause any immediate damage.
3. DO NOT tear open walls, trim, or floorboards, etc. in an attempt to see what is going on. Franz Termite inspectors can figure it out without tearing out finished woodwork, etc.
4. Take a look outside too – check the exterior area adjacent to where you see the swarming termites to see if there are signs of infestation.
5. Call and email us some photos - Send some photos of the swarmers or anything else you’ve found that appears to be termite related. Photos are very helpful, and often we can give an initial diagnosis based on your photos.
6. We will set up an appointment for one of our licensed inspectors to come out and inspect your home to determine the best course of action.
We will take the bite out of your Termites!
Franz termite will give you all the information you need to make the decision that best suits your needs. We are here to answer all your questions and provide professional expert service to help you get rid of your termites. To schedule an inspection, get a quote or for more information call (650) 493-0445 Franz Termite Control at or fill out our Contact Form and we will reach out to you.