Swarms of flying termites (alates) around lights or discarded wings on windowsills are a serious warning sign. Here is what termite swarmers mean for your Melbourne home.
What Are Flying Termites?
Flying termites - known as alates or swarmers - are the winged reproductive members of a termite colony. On warm, humid evenings, mature colonies release hundreds or thousands of them to fly off, pair up, and start new colonies. In Melbourne this usually happens from spring through early summer, often just after rain, with swarms gathering around outdoor lights and windows at dusk.
Why a Swarm Is a Serious Warning Sign
Here is the part many homeowners miss: colonies only produce alates once they are large and well established - typically several years old. So a swarm means one of two things:
- A mature colony is nearby - in a tree, stump, or neighbouring property - and thousands of new queens are looking for somewhere to start, or
- The swarm came from inside your own home - meaning an established colony is already feeding on your timber
If alates are emerging from your walls, skirting, or subfloor vents, treat it as an emergency and book an inspection immediately.
Flying Termites vs Flying Ants
Swarming ants look similar at a glance. Check the wings and body:
- Termites: four equal-length wings (much longer than the body), straight waist, straight beaded antennae
- Ants: two pairs of unequal wings, pinched waist, elbowed antennae
Discarded wings are just as telling - after landing, termites shed their wings, leaving little piles of identical translucent wings on windowsills and floors. Read our guide on telling termites apart from ants.
What to Do During and After a Swarm
- Turn off outdoor lights - alates are strongly attracted to light
- Close windows and doors until the swarm passes (usually under an hour)
- Note where they came from - a tree, the fence line, or your own eaves and vents
- Collect a few specimens or wings in a jar or take a clear photo for identification
- Do not spray emerging alates at the source - it will not harm the colony and can cause it to retreat deeper
Does a Swarm Mean My House Is Infested?
Not necessarily - most alates die without founding a colony, and a passing swarm may have come from bushland or a neighbour's stump. But a swarm is proof of a mature colony within flying range of your home, and only a fraction of one percent of alates need to succeed for you to have a problem in a few years. A professional termite inspection confirms whether anything has taken hold and how exposed your property is.
Protecting Your Home
If activity is found - or your home is high-risk - a chemical termite barrier or baiting system stops termites before they reach the frame. Combined with an annual inspection, it is the difference between a few hundred dollars of prevention and tens of thousands in repairs.
Seen flying termites or piles of wings around your Melbourne home? Call Pest Eraze on 0416 528 547 for a same-week termite inspection.
