How to get rid of flying termites?

What do you mean by flying termites?

Flying termites are also referred to as “swarmers”. Being reproductive termites, their only job consists of finding a partner, as well as an appropriate location, and establishing a new colony where thousands of new termites will be living in the future.

On most occasions, a flying termite happens to be a subterranean termite which will depend on the particular season as well as where you are residing at present. You will often find subterranean termite swarmers a particular company after it is 3 to 5 years old. In general, these bugs emerge from tree stumps, the ground, as well as holes in a building’s foundation.

Several aspects will determine the precise timing of a swarm which consists of temperature, geographic location, humidity, and rainfall. For example, you’ll find lots of subterranean termites in the US during the springtime when there is a lot of rainfall as well as an increment in the humility levels.

How is it possible to identify flying termites?

It is quite simple to identify swarming termites despite the fact that you can easily confuse them with the swarming ant. These ants happen to be reproductives similar to termites, and you will come across various species that will be able to swarm. Nevertheless, we often make the mistake of confusing swarming carpenter ants with termites.

We will be able to identify a termite swarmer with the help of its wings. They usually come with a couple of wing sets that happen to be identical in size. On the contrary, ants feature smaller hind wings as well as large forewings.

Being approximately 1 inch in length, flying termites are usually dark brown to black in color. Besides this, they also feature straight antennae plus broad waists. On the contrary, flying ants feature pinched or narrow waists, plus bent antennae.

How to get rid of flying termites naturally?

It will be feasible to eliminate flying termites with the help of several do-it-yourself solutions. Whenever feasible, it will be a good idea to make use of a natural approach so as to stay away from dangerous toxic substances and residues. Let us look at some of the home remedies that can be implemented at home for managing, controlling, and preventing flying termites that are in your garden or house.

1. Rubber mulch

This will be one effective home remedy for getting rid of flying termites from your house. You can get hold of this mulch from any hardware outlet without any problems whatsoever.

The rubber does not have any cellulose for providing food to subterranean termites that will usually live in the soil. Here, we like to mention that termites are in the habit of consuming cellulose that is derived from regular soil, and mulch has got nothing.

Consequently, there is no possibility for these subterranean termites to be attracted to your house since they will not find any source of food out there in the long run. They will be able to thrive best within the outdoor soil. On the other hand, the Drywood termites will usually nest within your timber and wood.

It is also a fact that the mulch will be able to distribute moisture unevenly which can lead to excessive levels of humidity in and around your residence. This will aid in attracting more numbers of subterranean termites since they will be in search of water.

Put simply, flying termites do not like mulch since it is not possible for them to consume the stuff. However, they are fond of the excess water provided by it. It is a matter of fact that both food and water will be required by them for surviving. Problems might arise if they are able to enter the timber of your residence from the rubber mulch.

In this case, the best solution will be to make use of rubber tire mulch while making certain that it drains properly. Your soil has to be replaced with this mulch for getting the best results. However, it will be advisable for you to avoid this in case you are not certain what exactly you are performing since it might cause more damage and harm in the long run.

In this way, you will be able to eliminate winged termites from your house so that they will not be able to develop further in the future.

2. River rock

It is a fact that termites will not prefer river rock since it will not provide them with any food. You can consider River rock to be a fantastic balance between regular soil and cedar mulch. Rock has got plenty of space between them which will allow the water to flow and therefore, it happens to be extremely well-draining. Moreover, it is a fact that termites will not be able to gain access to additional food items from rocks.

Flying termites are in the habit of consuming cellulose derived from the soil which is not present in the rocks. Therefore, it will be prudent to purchase river rocks in large numbers and make use of them for replacing your soil. Only make certain that water will be able to drain somewhere.

3. Bug zappers

Termites are fond of light similar to other insects out there, and the bug zapper’s light will also be attractive to them. However, these zappers will be electrocuting the termites in the long run. While implementing this particular process, make it a point to switch off all the other lights so that the zapper is able to attract the termites the most.

4. Cardboard traps

Our next guideline on how to get rid of flying termites will be to prepare a do-it-yourself termite trap with the help of a cardboard box. Although termites are in the habit of consuming cellulose present in the wood, it is also found in the cardboard which can help to attract the bugs in the long run. Moist the cardboard box after cutting them into sheets, and then place them in those areas where there is high termite activity. Make sure to spray these bugs with the help of an insecticide for demolishing them once they land on the cardboard in search of cellulose.

5. Termiticide

It is possible to purchase termiticide at your local outlet which comes in various forms such as a foaming treatment. It is possible for using these treatments beneath bathtubs, floorboards, and so on, as well as within the walls which will make them suitable for treating flying termites in the best possible way. You can also apply the conventional termiticide as a barrier treatment, and it has been advertised by many companies that they will be capable of killing different types of bugs including bedbugs and carpenter ants.

6. Pea gravel

One more effective solution for getting rid of flying termites will be to make use of pea gravel. This can be used for maintaining a dense appearance in your backyard without any big rocks such as river rocks. The functioning of the pea gravel will be almost similar and it doesn’t consist of any cellulose for the consumption of the termites. Moreover, there are plenty of cracks present in the pea gravel that is properly drained so that water can flow easily between them.

Here, we like to mention that it is important for you to make certain that the water is able to go somewhere before replacing the soil with pea gravel. It will help to attract a larger number of termites to your backyard if it is possible for the water to gather at the bottom. In this way, you will be having more flying termites outside your residence.

7. Termite bait stations

Our last guideline in this list of how to get rid of flying termites will be to buy a termite bait station from your local store. Stick to the given instructions and place the baits around your residence. This will help to control termites for the long term, and it will be possible to kill your termites easily with the help of the attractant present on the baits. However, it is important to bear in mind that is option is not safe in case there are young kids or pets in your house since they might be consuming the bait station.

Preventing flying termites from entering your house

It is a fact that you will not find it quite enjoyable to perform termite treatment, and therefore, it will be a good idea to protect your residence from any further infestation by the termites. Try to find out the presence of moisture close to the foundation of your house, and if you find any damaged or decayed wood, make sure that there are no termites there and get rid of it as quickly as possible.

In case you come across any termite swarm, make certain that it happens to be winged termites instead of flying ants. Although flying ants and termites appear to be similar, there is enough possibility for you to confuse them in the long run. However, it is important to bear in mind that flying ants and termites are different.

In case you come across any termite colony within your residence, or you happen to find any termite swarm, there are enough reasons for you to worry. However, you’ll come across lots of easy ways to eliminate these bugs in case you comprehend that you will be able to demolish flying termites easily. Hopefully, these guidelines mentioned in this article will help you to make your house termite-free once and for all within a short span of time.

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