What Are These Flying Insects Around My El Centro Home?

Many insect pests infest El Centro homes, but some of the most problematic are termites. Termites cause damage to hundreds of thousands of homes each year nationwide, which is why Got Bugs? Pest Control offers high-quality termite treatment plans. If you even suspect a termite infestation on your property, call Got Bugs. Our El Centro pest control protects your home from termites and other pests. 

When Is Termite Swarming Season?

Termite swarming season is when reproductive termites, called “swarmers,” break off from the colony to form their own. A male and female will pair up, find a place to build a nest, and become the king and queen of the new colony. Then they’ll start reproducing. This happens every spring. Most colonies only produce a few eggs in the first year, but that number grows after that. 

Why Seeing Swarming Termites Around Your Home Is Bad News

Subterranean termites have a caste system that includes reproductive termites. These termites (the queen, king, and swarmers) are the only termites that have wings. They have long, dark brown bodies and translucent wings. Swarming termites are usually between a quarter and half an inch long. 

If termites are flying around your property, it probably means they’re swarming and looking to start a colony there. This is a problem because subterranean termites are the most destructive termite species. Although total destruction of a home takes years, severe damage can be created by a colony living in your home. Termites have strong jaws capable of chewing through wood, and they won’t stop until they have to. It doesn’t take long for a termite colony to begin causing structural issues in your house. 

Seeing swarming termites near your home could indicate that a colony already exists in the area and the swarmers are leaving it. However, just because swarmers are leaving doesn’t mean the colony will be vacated. It will still have the original queen and king, workers, and soldier termites and will still be an issue. 

Warning Signs That Your El Centro Home Has Termites

You can keep an eye out for a few signs of termites.

• Mud tubes

Subterranean termites need to have a connection to dirt when they travel to your home. They’ll build mud tubes outside your house as a bridge between their nests in the ground and their food source in your home. 

• Damage to wooden structures

Wood infested with termites can be affected in a variety of ways. It might sound hollow if you tap on it, or you may notice blistering on the wood. Paint may develop bubbles. Whatever it is, if you see altered wooden structures around your home, look for other signs of termites.

• Discarded wings

Once swarmers have created their colony, the males shed their wings. Swarmer wings are much longer than their bodies and can be found discarded near the new colony. 

If you see any evidence of termites, you should call a professional pest control company. The potential for property damage is worth getting professional termite control.

When To Call The El Centro Termite Professionals

Because subterranean termites can be such an issue for El Centro homes, Imperial County Pest Control offers comprehensive termite treatment. Our termite inspections are free; we’ll look around your property for signs of an active termite infestation. If we find anything, we’ll create a treatment plan. Then, we perform follow-ups to ensure the termites stay away. If you see any evidence of termite damage on your property, don’t hesitate to call. It’s much better to catch infestations as early as possible. Imperial County Pest Control is your best option for termite control in El Centro.