Flying Termites – Alates

Spring and summer pests are well underway with their regular seasonal activity across the suburbs of Brisbane.

There’s the typical range of pests out and about, ants, cockroaches and spiders. But, you may have seen what looks like a flying ant outside and inside your home of late. Particularly at night, swarming around lights in the home.

People often panic when they see these pests. Try to swat or spray them with little or no effect. So what are they you might be asking?

These pests are Alates or Reproductive Termites

They are highly active as you’ve seen during the warmer months when there’s heat and wet weather. They are super attracted to lights and often access a home via the roof edge, fly in toward the lights, sometimes crawl through a gap to get inside and hover around the light in a room.

More About Alates

Flying termites are essentially blind, poor flyers, in search of a mate to establish a new termite colony outside in an old tree stump or stored wood where they can breed in a colony. You might be thinking, if they’re termites, should I be worried?

It’s not a sign that your home will be under termite attack within days – that’s the good news. But it is a sign that there is an established termite colony nearby.

How do you stop Alates?

Unfortunately, you can’t. You can inspect your home and seal up any cracks and crevices to deter them from gaining access inside.

As scary as it sounds that you have flying termites in or around your house, the reality is that only a minute percentage of flying termites survive. The rest will either die off from lack of moisture or predators. A rule of thumb is if you are confronted with up to a few hundred Alates it is most likely they have been attracted to your home from a light source. But if you are faced with thousands of Alates in your home then there is a possibility that the termite colony has emerged from within you home and a termite inspection should be conducted asap

Again, spray and swatting won’t work.

Also, it is important to what risk your home is to termite activity. Typically, termite damage is not covered by your home building insurance and the damage can go into the hundreds of thousands to repair.

Termite Inspections

A termite inspection by a qualified timber pest technician is the best way to check your home and surroundings for termites.

Your technician will complete a thorough inspection, not a termite check, around the property area and inside the home using technology devices and traditional methods.

You can advise your technician of the Alates so they know what to look for and where. It is recommended that this inspection be completed at least annually to ensure your home is protected from termites before it’s too late.

If there are active termites, you will be provided with a detailed report on the findings and recommendations to stop termites moving forward. This may include drilling to apply chemical or a chemical barrier around the perimeter of the home.