When swarms happen in Central Florida
Subterranean termite swarms peak in spring — roughly March through May — usually on warm, humid days after rain. Drywood termites swarm later, often late summer into fall, and frequently at night. Formosan termites (present in parts of Florida) swarm on humid summer evenings. If you see a swarm, note the date, time, and where they came from — it helps identify the species.
What swarmers look like
Termite swarmers are dark-bodied with two pairs of equal-length wings that extend well past the body. They're often confused with flying ants — the difference: ants have a pinched waist and elbowed antennae; termites have a straight waist and straight antennae, and termite wings are all the same size while ant wings differ front to back. A photo settles it fast.
What a swarm means
A swarm means a mature colony is nearby — swarmers are the colony's reproductives leaving to start new colonies. If they're coming from inside your home (window frames, door frames, baseboards), the colony is in your structure. If they're outside around the yard, the colony may be in a stump, fence, or mulch — still worth investigating, since it's close.
What to do (and not do)
Do: vacuum up the swarmers, save a few in a jar or baggie for identification, and note where they emerged. Don't: spray the area with insecticide — it scatters the colony and complicates treatment. Don't assume the problem left with the swarm — the colony stays behind, and it's still eating.
A swarm is actually useful: it tells you exactly where to look. Send us the form with a photo and the location, and we'll inspect. Our termite inspection and treatment page explains what happens next.