Do Termites Fly?

A simple question, do termites fly?

The answer however, is not quite as clear as you may like. Our response to said query is yes… and no. To expand a bit, not all termites fly but there are members of a termite colony that will spread their wings and… you guessed it – fly!

Do Termites Fly?

The termite colony

According to the entomology department at the University of Florida, a single subterranean termite colony may house anywhere from 100,000 to 1,000,000 termites.  That’s a lot of bugs in one nest; you’d think there might be fighting but in reality, every member of the colony knows its function and benefits the colony in one way or another. 

Every termite colony contains three primary castes; soldiers, workers, and reproductives.

Soldiers

As their name would suggest, soldiers are defenders of the colony. They protect against enemies like ants (yes, they have ant problems too) and do so without the ability to see.  You might think blind insects are easily overtaken but termite soldiers have large mandibles that they use to kill their enemies. Lack of sight or the ability to feed themselves does not stop termite soldiers from doing their job in the colony.

But termite soldiers do not fly.

Workers

Termite workers are responsible for performing all the work in the colony. They make repairs on the colony, build tunnels, and procure food as well as feed, groom and care for the young.  In addition to those responsibilities, older and more experienced workers forage and build nests. 

Workers are the caste many of us are familiar with. That’s because we’ve found them in our homes and in the soil around the foundation as well as elsewhere on our properties. They are the ones responsible for the termite damage we’ve uncovered. They are the termite infestation we dread.

But termite workers do not fly. 

Reproductives 

As you may have guessed, the reproductive are the termites responsible for growing the colony.  Male and female reproductives mate in order to produce eggs that eventually become workers, soldiers, and reproductives.

Mature termite colonies will send out a large number of reproductives, also known as alates, on a short flight to find a mate. Did you notice, the word flight? That’s because termite reproductives are winged termites.

Reproductives do fly.

More on flying termites

When winged termites take to the sky, this phenom is called a termite swarm.  Here in New Jersey, termites typically start swarming around March. It is also common to witness termite swarms in April and again in June, depending on the weather and your type of home.  For example, if you have a slab home, you may see termites swarming anytime. If your home sits on a basement, you may see termites swarming in April.  Termites also swarm in June in our part of the country.

The location of the swarm is very important

Termite swarms occur in two places – outside and inside.

If you notice a termite swarm occurring on your property, that means a termite colony is nearby. It does not necessarily mean the colony is on your property or that you have a termite problem on your hands.  It is a good idea to call a local termite control company to schedule a termite inspection. You cannot be too careful when it comes to these destructive pests.

Now, if you notice winged termites inside your home or discover discarded wings around windowsills and on the floor, there is cause for concern. If a termite swarm takes place inside then you definitely have a termite problem and you should seek help right away in order to stop the termite damage from growing.

Arrow Pest Control offers comprehensive termite treatments

At Arrow, we’ve been offering New Jersey homeowners with termite protection for over 40 years and proudly service Montclair, South Orange, and all of Essex County as well as several New Jersey counties.

When you contact Arrow for termite control, we’ll start with a thorough inspection to determine if termites are present, and if so, how severe the problem is.  We’ll also identify termite damage, conducive conditions, and how they’re getting in.

Upon completion of your termite inspection, we’ll explain our findings and make recommendations for termite treatment.

Termite infestations can be stressful, not to mention costly if you allow these wood destroying pests to carry on.  If you’ve witnessed a termite swarm or simply want to make sure your home is protected against termites, please reach out to us today!

Arrow Premier

If you’re looking for a program that protects your home and family from common household pests PLUS termites and other wood-destroying insects, we recommend Arrow Premier. With this program, you get quarterly pest control and a wood-destroying insect program in one package! 

  • Protects your home all year long.
  • Consists of full interior and exterior inspections and treatments.
  • Covers your entire property* including the attic, mailbox, play set, shed, and fence.
  • Includes a certified termite inspection and ongoing termite control.

Pests targeted with Arrow’s Premier includes cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, earwigs, clover mites, millipedes, centipedes, crickets, ground beetles, boxelder bugs, ants (including carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), fleas (inside only), pillbugs, sow bugs, fruit flies, stored product pests, bees, wasps, hornets, carpenter bees (no higher than 10ft), mice, and rodents PLUS termites

*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.
The Arrow Promise

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‟I have a service plan with Arrow and use them quite often. Never disappointed, always friendly and knowledgeable and come right out and address the matter. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them at all.”

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Marlboro, NJ
Jared L.

Testimonials

‟We have a quarterly service plan with Arrow. They are not only focused on addressing issues they put preventative measures in place to prevent issues from happening, like looking for and sealing the places where bugs can get into the home. The team are professional, friendly, thorough and provide details about every step of their process. We have had several different technicians over the last 2 years and each follows the same process and guidelines. Definitely recommend for treatment and prevention.”

Jared L.
Manalapan, NJ
Jeff K.

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‟My family has used Arrow since the early 80's. In our new home we use them as well. Jason came yesterday and did a great job. Thanks again for your great service to our community!”

Jeff K.
Farmingdale, NJ
John C.

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‟Best customer service and the owner is the most honest business man. He will tell you the truth and not scam you like the rest of the big named pest control companies. Highly recommend Arrow has my business for life.”

John C.
Bloomfield, NJ
Joe F.

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‟I used Arrow Pest Control for the first time today and I was totally satisfied, I reached out to them on Sunday and spoke to Beatrice and she set me up an appointment for Monday morn for an estimate and Monday afternoon the technician came and serviced my house.....I wish I could have gave them 10 stars, very helpful, right to the point, very professional, on time and no games.....I highly recommend arrow pest control in Morganville.......thank you J.F.”

Joe F.
Matawan, NJ
Lauren C.

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‟With Covid hitting everyone, the exterminator that helped us was respectful of the safety with a mask, boots and gloves. He was very informative and explained everything as he did it.”

Lauren C.
Old Bridge, NJ
Renee R

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‟We’ve been using Arrow for the last 4 years. We have a monthly plan, so they come and service the interior and exterior regularly. We can also call them anytime for anything we see...wasp, wasp nests, rodents, ants, whatever...our coverage literally includes the mailbox at the curb all the way to the furthest point of our backyard fence and everything in between. All the technicians we’ve had, including Jason, were friendly and knowledgeable. But, Jason, goes above and beyond with his service and willingness to do more for his customers. Highly recommend Arrow Pest Control!”

Renee R.
Short Hills, NJ
Lisa M.

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‟Tom is amazing! Arrow is the best company! Love their services. They truly care about their clients. ”

Lisa M.
Port Monmouth, NJ
Elena C.

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‟Today was my first appointment with Arrow and Jason made everything seamless and efficient. Not only was he knowledgeable, he took his time explaining everything to me which proved he cared. I’m happy to have found Arrow and will continue to request Jason for my services! Thank you!”

Elena C.
Manalapan, NJ
Deb C.

Testimonials

‟All the professional qualities a business such as Arrow Pest Control would expect a service technician to exhibit, Brian, effortlessly presented. From my standpoint, he offered GOLD STAR ”

Deb C.
Jackson, NJ
Mary F.

Testimonials

‟Recommended to us by neighbors, Arrow arrived promptly to treat our new to us home. The house is built on a slab which small ants love to nest in.

Their program is such that they return til the problem is solved. Today was their third visit. Steve was very thorough, professional and had a great sense of humor. I am hoping not to see him again this season! I would recommend based on our current relationship.
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Mary F.
Lakewood, NJ
Kathleen F.

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‟I’m so happy we went with Arrow! We had been using another pest control company and still had a lot of spiders and crickets!! We switched to Arrow and after the first use with them, all the bugs were gone. They do a great job, very thorough, professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend using their services if you have any bug issues!”

Kathleen F.
Toms River, NJ
Deborah S.

Testimonials

‟We were very pleased with how easy it was to schedule a first appointment with Rob and how reassuring and thorough his inspection was. A few hours later Josh arrived for the first treatment and was professional and took the time to answer all our questions. We didn’t hesitate to sign-up for Home Protection Program after seeing the quality and level of service we will receive.”

Deborah S.
Monroe, NJ
Dr. Lisa L.

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‟Arrow and Brian with Arrow were amazing! He came same day when we heard scary noises in our attic. He found mice and a loose wire and even took a photo so we could see. He worked hard to crawl into a tiny space and we are so appreciate!! We can sleep tonight thanks to him.”

Dr. Lisa L.
East Brunswick, NJ
Thomas N.

Testimonials

‟Extremely professional and always on time. I was having an issue with mice and decided to call Arrow. They were able to get here next day and have an inspection. I set up with one of their monthly contracts and they were out to my home once a week continuously monitoring the situation until it was fully taken care of. I truly couldn’t recommend them more.”

Thomas N.
Monroe, NJ
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