How to Prepare for Termite Swarming Season

Spring is Here and so are Termites

Warm weather and April showers don’t just bring May flowers. Sadly, the spring season also means the beginning of termite swarmer season. What exactly are these infamous pests? Termite swarmers are flying insects that travel and live in very large colonies, and a colony can include up to hundreds of thousands of termite swarmers. Termite swarming season typically lasts from March to October in warmer weather, but in climates like South Carolina, the season can last all year long. To make sure you enjoy spring and summer without sharing your home with these flying foes, we want to give you a few tips to keep termite swarmers out of your house for good. 

Good for the Fireplace, Bad for Termite Swarmers Prevention

If you have a fireplace in your home, you may have termite swarmers in the house. Even though this wood stacked somewhere within or outside your house seems to be harmless, it is a termite swarmer’s feast. Dead or rotting wood contains cellulose, an organic polymer that acts as a strengthening material, and termite swarmers love it. To keep them out of your home, your wood will have to leave too. If you can’t get rid of dead or rotting wood, store it away from the house to avoid any colonies from creeping into your home. A more hidden form of wood is in your mulch. If you have wood mulch, make sure to routinely replace it or switch to a termite swarmer-free alternative like rubber mulch. 

Keep Your Pipes Dry in the Wet Season

With spring showers come standing water, something termites swarmers can’t get enough of. To keep them away, make sure to check on your pipes, drains, and gutters to get rid of any standing water or buildup. Termite swarmers are the opposite of clean freaks, so it is essential that you keep your pipes as clean as they can be. 

Stop the Shrubs

Another major attraction for termites swarmers is shrub overgrowth. If shrubs are not properly maintained and trimmed, moisture and cellulose build-up can occur. Before you know it, termite swarmers may be living in your yard. To combat this issue, make sure to maintain the greenery around your home so it does not turn into a termite swarmer breeding and nesting ground. 

Time to Turn Off the Lights

As you are probably already aware of, insects love light. Especially in the spring, summer, and termite swarmer season, if you were to walk by an outside light fixture at night, you’ll see dozens of different flying pests swarming around it like it’s the fountain of youth. Termite swarmers are no exception to this. To prevent termite swarmers from hanging around your house, make sure to turn off as many lights as possible, especially outside when the sun goes down. This way, termite swarmers will blindly continue on through the night and avoid a pit stop at your home.

Spring Into Action

Now that you are equipped with the knowledge on how to keep your home termite swarmer free, it’s time to get to work! Aside from participating in the preventative measures we have listed, it can also be extremely beneficial to hire an experienced team of exterminators to inspect your home to ensure it is safe from termite swarmers. If you already have termite swarmers, it is vital that you act now by contacting your local exterminator to analyze and combat the infestation effectively. Palmetto Exterminators exist to keep your home pest free and can perform top-notch termite inspection and treatment as this season is upon us.