WHY do termites swarm?
Termites swarm in order to disperse and start new colonies. After a colony reaches a certain size, winged male and female reproductives called swarmers are produced. Swarmers are triggered to emerge from the colony when temperature and moisture conditions are favorable – especially on warm spring days following a rain. Swarming termites drop to the ground, shed their wings and pair off with a mate to begin a new colony in the soil. Only a very small percentage of swarming termites survive to initiate new colonies. Most are eaten by birds and other insects. Termite swarms emerging inside a structure almost never survive, but are a sure sign that the building is infested.
