Eastern Subterranean Termite (Alate/Swarmer)

Scientific Name: Reticulitermes flavipes

Order & Family: Order: Blattodea; Family: Rhinotermitidae

Size: 3/8 of an inch (approximately 9-10 mm) including wings

Found in soil or near moisture sources; swarmers are often found indoors or near windows during spring months after leaving their colony.

Cellulose material including wood, leaf litter, and paper. They use protozoa in their gut to digest wood fibers.

Emerge in large groups (swarms) during daylight hours to mate and establish new colonies. Once paired, they shed their wings and seek soil.

Structural pest that can cause significant damage to wooden homes and buildings; ecologically beneficial in forests for breaking down dead wood.

Identified on: 5/18/2026