Pest blog
Termite swarm season in Florida: what those winged bugs mean
Winged bugs at the porch light are often termites. Here is how to tell, and what to do.
Termite swarm season in Florida: what those winged bugs mean
Every spring, Florida homeowners find little winged bugs around a porch light or a window. Most of the time they are termite swarmers: young kings and queens flying out of a colony to start new ones.
When termites swarm
Eastern subterranean termites usually swarm on warm, sunny afternoons from late winter into spring, often the day after a rain. Formosan subterranean termites swarm at dusk and at night in late spring and early summer, and they fly straight at lights. Drywood termites swarm at dusk too, and can come from inside the wood of the house itself.
Termite or flying ant?
- Wings: termites have four wings of the same length. Flying ants have two big and two small.
- Waist: termites are straight from front to back. Ants have a pinched waist.
- Antennae: termites have straight antennae. Ants have bent ones.
What to do
- Don't spray them and forget it. The swarm is a sign, not the problem.
- Save a few in a zip bag or take a close photo.
- Look for piles of wings on sills and mud tubes on the block walls.
- Book an inspection. A licensed tech checks the whole house and shows you what was found.
A swarm inside the house means the colony is close. The good news: found early, termites are a treatment, not a rebuild.
