How to identify ant and termite swarmers

With warm temperatures being more regular, swarming insects will soon arrive on the scene.  This is a common springtime- and sometimes fall- occruence where reproductives emerge from their colonies and fly into the air in search of a mate.  This most often happens on warm days after a significant rainfall event, but for some species like Formosan termites, they may swarm at night.

“Swarmer” or “alate” are terms used to describe the reproductive stage of ants and termites.  Swarmers have wings when they initially leave the colony, but wings are either shed or chewed off once they land on the ground but before they form a new colony.  So, how do you tell ant and termite swarmers apart?

There are three morphological characteristics to look for.

1.     Antennae

2.     “Waist” – where the thorax and abdomen join

3.     Wings- if the insect still has them

Ant swarmers have antennae that are bent at a ninety-degree angle and are said to be “elbowed”.  The “waist” area is constricted, narrowed, or pinched.  If you find a reproductive that still has wings- they chew off their wings once they have mated and land on the ground- the front wing will be larger than the hind wing.  Ant wings will also have few wing veins. If wings are missing from the ant swarmer, there will not be a wing stub left on the thorax from where the wing was attached.  Male ant swarmers retain their wings after landing on the ground, but they die after mating.

 

                        

Fire ant swarmer (female) without wings.     Fire ant swarmer (male) with wings.

 

Termite swarmers have antennae that are straight and a thorax-abdomen area, or “waist”, that is broadly joined together.  Termite reproductive wings are similar in size and shape and tend to have a lot of veins.  Sometimes with termites you may find only wings that have been left behind due to shedding when the termites land on the ground or you may see the termites themselves with or without wings still attached.  If you find a termite reproductive without wings, there will be wing stubs, called “scales”, left behind on the thorax. Male and female termite reproductives shed their wings after landing on the ground, pair up, and find a site to begin a new colony.

 

Termite swarmers with and without wings.