7 replies to this topic

[MegaMyrmex]

How do I find termite alates? I've never really seen any and I have no clue on how ti find them. Do they fly to blacklights or porchights? Do they fly into still water? 

[Mettcollsuss]

I'm not sure. My mom won't let me keep termites. They do look like interesting pets, though.

[Nare]

So I too am looking for termites, and thus I've done a fair amount of research. This probably depends based on where you are, but for Southern Ontario (where I'm from), and thus the northeastern states, the eastern subterranean termite flies in the really early spring, but can also have smaller flights during the summer.

 

I've seen some journals where users catch them with blacklight traps, can't say how effective this is, I've never tried it myself. I've also heard that low humidity days can trigger flights. If they're in your area, I'd go anting as normal, and keep an eye out for insects running in pairs - you probably already know, but termites pair up and search for a suitable place to nest. You might find them around bright lights in the evening as well.

 

But (You might also already know this), you don't need to catch alates to start a colony - by grabbing some workers and some nymphs (Tiny little chubby white ones), you can start a colony (Or intrusion as it's called with termites), because as far as I'm aware, every termite egg is the same, and when they hatch into nymphs, the nymphs can become any cast - in the absence of the primary reproductives of an intrusion, alates, supposedly nymphs will molt into supplementary reproductives and start laying. I'm banking on this theory to start an intrusion of my own, should I find termites in the first place.

 

Anyways, best of luck.

[FeedTheAnts]

Termites have flown in my area in the past month. It was the morning after a huge rain, and it was super hot. There were pairs of male and female termites tandem running everywhere. I didn't want to catch any though.

[BMM]

There was a flight where I'm at not too long ago. Alates were everywhere for several hours that afternoon. I don't think I could have missed it.

[littlebandicoot]

it really depends on where you are, Arizona is having swarms of them right now... or at least I am 

[LC3]

it really depends on where you are, Arizona is having swarms of them right now... or at least I am

Can you send post an ID thread?

[Kevin]

Termites have been flying here for the few past weeks. I haven't bothered to catch any though.