It’s a common sight in the warmer months, often after rain when it’s humid, swarms of flying ants around lights above your head, but why do they grow wings and leave the nest?
When it’s time to reproduce, the young queen ants will grow wings and fly off to mate and start a new colony, and the male ants soon follow which is why you always see large swarms, but only for a short time. Within a day or two the male ants die and the queens lose their wings and continue on to start a new nest. While the ants are so active and can travel greater distances they can pose a threat to home owners by getting inside buildings, or establishing their colony on your property.
Ants or Termites?
While flying ants can be a nuisance, flying termites can cause a lot more damage if they get into your home, so have a look and decide which one you’re dealing with. Flying ants are dark in colour with a defined waist, antennae bent at right angles, and both sets of wings are different sizes, with the smaller pair at the back.
Ants Love Light
Ants mostly swarm at dusk on warm nights, and they’re attracted to heat and light, which is why you’ll find them flying around your exteriors lights, and your inside lights if they can get into your home. It’s important keep doors closed and well-sealed, and have proper insect screens on your open windows.
Ants Love Sweet Foods
The warm weather means there is a high risk of flying ants coming into your home because you’ll have doors and windows open, and once inside they’ll be attracted to any sweet foods you have lying around. As most of us know, where there’s one ant there’s likely to be many more on the way so keep things like sugar and honey in tightly sealed containers, and keep floors and bench tops clean.
Higher is Better
Flying ants are also attracted to high places, so you’ll often see them swarming around chimneys, towers, treetops, and windows on two-storey houses. Ensure there are no cracks and crevices where they could get inside the building and cause problems, especially if they decide to nest in there.
Professional Pest Control Services
Ants and termites both like damp, rotting wood although the termites eat it, while the ants only nest in it. Still, if you have any concerns about either pest swarming around your home, it’s best to call in a professional pest inspector who will conduct a thorough search for pests and advise on the best treatment to eradicate them.
Termite and Pest Control
Critters Pest Management is a family-owned and operated business that provides a range of professional pest control services for residential and commercial properties.
As well as specialising in termite control, we also ensure our treatments are gentle on the environment, which means they’re safe for your family and pets.
Call us on 1300 342 592, email us at admin@termitetreatment.com.au or contact us online for expert advice on all your pest control enquiries.