Drywood Termite Alates
Drywood termite swarmers are light brown in color and can vary from dark brown to a light yellowish tan.
Drywood termite alates. When they are in swarming mode the alates shed their wings very quickly. These flying termite swarms are best regarded as a natural phenomenon which are likely declining in urban areas as the numerous street lamps and other light sources disperse swarms and isolated termite alates are easy prey for ants birds lizards and other predators. Drywood termite swarmers also known as alates have wings that are the same length. Drywood termites have a thick waist short legs and straight antennae.
Reproductives have one pair of wings of almost equal length which lie flat against the termite s back when it s at rest. These termites are most commonly encountered by homeowners because they leave the nest when they swarm. When they do they excavate a chamber big enough for both close up the entrance and proceed to mate. Signs of drywood termite infestation.
Their bodies are darker in color than soldiers or workers and alates do have functional compound eyes. Winged termite alate closeup. The alates or reproductive can be black or brown. What do drywood termites look like.
Subterranean drywood and dampwood. Subterranean termites typically have two prominent veins in their wings while drywood often have three or more. Alate males and females pair up together and then land in search of a suitable place for a colony. Drywood termite alates have two pair of hairless membranous wings that are about equal in size and shape and have three or four darkened and enlarged veins subcosta and branches of the radial sector in the leading costal margin of each wing.
Termite alates only leave the colony when a nuptial flight takes place. Termite soldiers have mouthparts mandibles with teeth. They are either males or females that are 1 4 to 1 2 of an inch long with pale brown or grey wings depending on the species of termite. The drywood termite alates two sets of wings that are both the same length.
These winged termites or alates also have a pair of smoky gray wings. There are three distinct groups into which termites are divided. A termite king and queen do not mate until they find such a spot. Drywood termites on the other hand have straight antennae a thick waist and short legs.
Very few survive to start a new colony. Alates or drywood termite swarmers feature wings that have similar length whereas the soldiers have mandibles mouthparts with teeth. The reproductive termites called alates look quite different from workers or soldiers. Drywood termites facts identification control latin name.