Hold Off on the Spring Cleaning!

With the increasing movement of individuals and goods throughout the country and internationally, it has become more important to educate pest management professionals on pest identification outside of their typical work regions.

One prime example of this issue involves termites. The relocation of furniture and boats from warm regions of the country to cooler regions has resulted in termite species appearing in areas where they are not commonly found. Some of these warm-climate termites, such as drywood termites, require treatment approaches that differ significantly from those used for the subterranean termite species more typical of cooler regions.

Because of the cryptic nature of many termite species, infestations often go unnoticed until a swarm occurs. These swarms consist of the reproductive caste — male and female termites that leave the colony, pair up and potentially establish new colonies. Swarming can complicate identification because many termite species swarm annually in the spring, and in some cases, their swarming periods overlap.

Environmental factors also influence swarm timing. Rainfall, in particular, plays a major role. In 2000, researchers Barry Furman and Roger Gold conducted experiments in Texas and found that 90% of subterranean termite swarms occurred within three days of a rain event once spring temperatures were warm enough. Even some drywood termite species, such as the West Indian powderpost drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis), have spring swarming activity linked to rainfall events. In this case, April showers bring more than just flowers.

Termite swarms can create messy situations, leaving wings and termite bodies scattered across windowsills and sliding glass doors throughout a structure. However, those discarded wings are extremely valuable for identification. They help distinguish between major groups such as drywood versus subterranean termites, as well as between the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) and native subterranean termites in the genus Reticulitermes.

Drywood termite wings can be differentiated from subterranean termite wings by the presence of crossveins. Formosan subterranean termite wings have hairs, while native subterranean species do not. Correctly identifying these groups is critical for determining the appropriate treatment needed to effectively eliminate a colony.

Although good sanitation practices are typically a cornerstone of any pest management strategy, this is one of the rare cases where we advise customers to pause their spring-cleaning efforts. When it comes to termite swarms, it is best to leave those wings in place until a professional can properly identify them.

The author is an entomologist at Rollins in Atlanta. Pest Perspectives is a quarterly column written by various members of the greater Rollins technical services team.