What Happens to Termites in Spring?

Spring is just around the corner, and for many of us, this means blooming flowers, warmer temperatures, and longer, sunnier days. Unfortunately, spring also means the beginning of peak pest season, and for termites, spring provides the perfect weather for them to swarm, multiply, and potentially cause damage to your home.

What Happens to Termites in the Spring?

Spring is swarming season for subterranean termites. Swarming usually occurs after the season’s last freeze, and when daily temperatures reach around seventy degrees. Conditions are particularly favorable for spring termite swarming after a rain, when the weather is calm, warm, and dry.

Termites called swarmers, or reproductives, emerge from their nests during this time period, select their mates, and find favorable locations to colonize and reproduce. If your home happens to be the landing site for one of these termite colonies, you could be facing major property damage.

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What are Some Signs of Termites in Your Home?

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult for the average homeowner to detect a termite problem, since there are very few visible indicators of termites until they've been present long enough to create big problems.

Occasionally, swarmer termites will leave their shed wings behind once they’re ready to colonize an area, and these wings can sometimes be seen in areas around a home. Mud tubes leading from a termite’s home to a food source, bubbling paint, or hollow sounding would could be other termite indicators, but these are all still very often undetected in a casual inspection by a property owner.

Professional inspections are the best and most effective way to be sure your home is termite free, or to create a plan for termite removal if any issues are found.

Is Spring the only Time to Worry about Termites?

Although termite swarming is common in spring, termite infestations can occur any time of year. If termites are in a warm, dry location, such as the crawl space of your home, they can be active year round. Regular termite inspections and maintenance treatments are recommended to be sure your home stays termite-free, not only in spring, but year-round.

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Thompson Brothers Exterminating and Waterproofing can customize a plan for your home to ensure that you’re able to enjoy all the beauty this spring has to offer without any of the worry of a potential spring termite problem.