Subterranean Termite Alate (Swamer)

Natural Habitat

Found in soil or moist wood. Indoors, they often emerge near windows or doors after a subterranean colony has matured.

Diet & Feeding

Cellulose-based materials, primarily wood, paper, and cardboard.

Behavior Patterns

Alates are the reproductive members of a colony. They swarm in large numbers, often in spring, to mate and start new colonies before shedding their wings.

Risks & Benefits

They do not bite or sting humans, but they pose a significant structural risk to buildings due to their ability to damage wooden supports. In nature, they benefit the ecosystem by breaking down dead wood.

Identified on: 2/23/2026