Every year about this time we start getting phone calls about “flying ants”. More times than not though what they are actually seeing are termite swarmers. As winter starts to fade and warm days approach a clock goes off for termites letting them know it’s time to head out and start a new colony. Typically termite colonies do not produce swarmers until they are at least 3 years old.
Once the colony has matured it will begin to produce alate nymphs. These nymphs develop into termite swarmers with wings. These swarmers will then fly up and pair with a mate. Once they find a new location to establish their own colony the wings will fall off and the pair will then mate.
The female becomes the queen of her new colony. She may lay up to a million eggs in here lifetime. Some of these newly hatched termites will develop into workers while others become soldiers protecting the queen and her colony.