Every spring, subterranean termite colonies in central Texas produce winged alates — the “swarmers” — that emerge in mass dispersal flights to start new colonies. The flights happen during the first warm, humid days after spring rain, typically March through May. They last only a few hours. They are how most homeowners discover that they have a termite problem.
What’s happening biologically
The species responsible is Reticulitermes flavipes, the eastern subterranean termite, with smaller contributions from Reticulitermes virginicus. These are not single-house pests — a single colony can span hundreds of feet underground and contain a million workers. The alates are the colony’s reproductive caste, produced once per year and released to disperse.
The alates fly only briefly. They mate, shed their wings, and the female (now a “primary queen”) begins excavating a chamber to start a new colony. Most of the alates fail — they get eaten by birds, dry out, or never find a mate. A small fraction succeed. Within a few years, a successful pair has produced a functional colony with workers, soldiers, and the beginnings of structural-damage potential.
What a swarm in or near your house actually means
If you see alates emerging from inside your house or from foundation cracks adjacent to the house, the colony is established somewhere on or in your structure. This means active termite activity has been present for several years. Subterranean termite colonies need 3–7 years to produce alates after founding. By the time you see swarmers, the workers have been feeding on something for a while.
If you see alates flying outdoors near your house but not emerging from it, that’s ambiguous — they could be from a neighbor’s colony or from an undeveloped lot nearby. It still warrants inspection because the conditions that support neighboring colonies often support colonies on your property too.
If you find shed wings indoors but no live alates, this also indicates emergence happened recently and the colony is established. Wings shed in the same general location (around windowsills, on tile floors) are a stronger indicator than wings scattered randomly.
The 48-hour response
1. Don’t treat it yourself. Bug spray on alates achieves nothing for the underlying colony. The alates are about to die anyway — what matters is the colony underground or in the wall.
2. Vacuum and save samples. Vacuum up the alates (they’ll be dead quickly regardless). Save 5–10 in a baggie for the inspector to confirm species.
3. Photograph the emergence location. If you saw alates coming from a specific crack, joint, or wall area, photograph it. This is the first thing the inspector should look at.
4. Call a termite-experienced company within 1–2 days. Not a general pest company offering termite as an add-on — a company with real termite expertise. The inspection takes 60–90 minutes minimum if done properly.
Common misidentifications
Flying ants. Termite alates and flying ant alates look superficially similar. The differences: termite alates have straight antennae, equal-length front and back wings, and a thick straight waist. Flying ants have bent (elbowed) antennae, larger front wings than back, and a pinched waist. Photographs help an inspector confirm species over text or email.
Other swarming insects. Carpenter ants swarm too, often in spring or summer. Their alates are larger and have the elbowed antennae and pinched waist. Carpenter ant infestations are also structurally damaging but are addressed differently from termite infestations.
What the inspection should look like
A real termite inspection on an Austin home takes 60–90 minutes. The inspector should: go into the attic and look at framing and any termite tubes; check the crawl space if accessible; inspect the perimeter foundation for mud tubes, conducive conditions (wood-to-soil contact, moisture, leaks), and any visible activity; probe suspicious wood with a screwdriver or moisture meter; document with photographs.
The deliverable is a written inspection report identifying any evidence of current or previous WDI activity, conducive conditions, and treatment recommendations. A 15-minute “inspection” producing a one-page generic form is a sales call, not an inspection.
Treatment options
If active infestation is confirmed, the two effective treatment systems are Sentricon bait stations ($1,500–$3,000 install + monitoring) and liquid termiticide barrier ($1,200–$2,800 install). Both work in Austin soil; choice depends on landscape disturbance tolerance, budget structure, and the specific property. A good company explains which fits your situation rather than defaulting to one.