Eastern Subterranean Termite (Alates/Swarmers)
Scientific Name: Reticulitermes flavipes
Order & Family: Order: Blattodea; Family: Rhinotermitidae
Size: Approximately 3/8 inch (10 mm) long including wings; body without wings is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
Natural Habitat
Found in soil and moist wood. These winged forms (swarmers) emerge from underground colonies or infested structures to mate and establish new colonies.
Diet & Feeding
Cellulose-based materials, primarily decaying wood, structural lumber, paper, and cotton.
Behavior Patterns
The winged alates swarm in large numbers during spring mornings following rain to find a mate and start a new colony. They quickly shed their wings after landing. They are social insects with a caste system (workers, soldiers, and reproductives).
Risks & Benefits
Risks: They are the most economically significant wood-destroying pest in North America, causing severe structural damage to buildings. Benefits: In nature, they are essential decomposers that break down dead wood and return nutrients to the soil.
Identified on: 4/17/2026