Well, as the season of spring continues to flourish, so does the emergence of flying termites. Their mating season usually occurs in late February through May, peaking in early April. They tend to show up after the rain or when it’s warm/humid.

Of course, if you’re starting to see termites in the area, that means a colony is nearby. They don’t travel very far, only to about a 100 feet radius to where their colony is located.

Flying termites live very short lives, only up to a few hours to a single day. They are born to reproduce, start new colonies, and decease. This lifestyle perfectly describes the category of termite/ant, most known to be as ‘swarmers.’ 

The termites look for any place to land, so if one just so happens to land on you, don’t worry, they aren’t targeting you, they’re just finding somewhere to settle. Although, they are attracted to bright surfaces, so if you’re wearing any bright colored attire or reflective material, you may draw attention to the termites. 

One student who spends her lunchtime in the Rattler Den shares her reaction to seeing the sudden abundance of termites.

“I started feeling claustrophobic because they were getting everywhere,” senior Gauhar Bakhytzhan said. “On our backpacks, on the tables, they were crawling in our hair, and I could not have a single moment of peace where I didn’t think that they were just going to fly up my nose and into my lungs.”

You usually will take notice of a major key component of the termite lifestyle is that they shed their wings, about four to be exact, why’s that?

A thing to note is that when they land, it’s because they’re either finished mating or about to. To begin this process, the swarmers begin to slough their wings on purpose because they do not need them anymore. It is also in their benefit to preserve energy, this is called dealation. After they break their wings, they instantly look for a mate and start a new colony.

So from all this gathered information, should we be worried from the appearance of flying termites?

Quick answer: No.

Although incredibly annoying and a massive inconvenience to those sitting outside, this is a totally normal seasonal occasion that can be easily steer cleared from.

You can avoid encountering these critters by wearing darker clothing, avoiding wearing reflective material and jewelry. Or just simply sitting inside the cafeteria for the next couple of days.

“[A word of advice, for the month of] April, either go inside or do not sit under the trees because that’s where all the wasps and all the termites are apparently,” Bakhytzhan said.

As annoying flying termites can be, they are just a reoccurring phenomenon that is just a small part of the circle of life. So love it or hate it, they’re here, and for quite a while.