Spring swarmers are the only stage of a termite colony most Delaware homeowners ever see. Here's how to tell them from flying ants and what to do next.
Why swarmers appear
A subterranean termite colony only produces winged reproductives once it is mature - typically three to five years old. In Delaware that means a swarm inside your home is evidence of an established colony, not a new arrival.
Swarms happen on warm, humid days after rain, most often between mid-March and June.
Termite swarmer or flying ant?
Termite swarmers have straight, bead-like antennae, a uniform body with no pinched waist, and four wings of equal length that fall off easily. Flying ants have elbowed antennae, an obvious narrow waist, and front wings noticeably longer than the back pair.
The wings are the clearest tell. A tidy pile of identical, translucent wings on a sill or in a spider web almost always means termites.
What to do the day you find them
Collect a few insects and wings in a bag or take a clear photo - identification changes the treatment entirely. Don't spray the swarmers; they die on their own and killing them does nothing to the colony below.
Then get an inspection. In Delaware's soil conditions, a liquid barrier or bait system installed after a confirmed swarm is straightforward. Ignoring it for a season is how sill plates and floor joists get replaced.
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