Drywood termite alates (swarmers)

Natural Habitat

Drywood termites live inside wood with low moisture content and do not require contact with the soil. They are found in structural timber, furniture, and dead trees.

Diet & Feeding

They feed on cellulose from sound, dry wood; unlike subterranean termites, they extract moisture from the wood they consume.

Behavior Patterns

Alates (winged swarmers) fly out from established colonies in large numbers to mate and start new colonies, typically in late spring or summer. Once they land, they shed their wings and seek out a wood crevice to enter.

Risks & Benefits

They pose a significant risk to residential and commercial structures by causing structural damage. While they are ecologically important as decomposers in nature, they are costly pests in human environments. They do not bite or pose a direct health risk to humans.

Identified on: 4/27/2026