All ant species send “Alates” from the nest two days before and after rain and around the full moon. They can travel up to 3klm from the original nest. These flying ants are sent out to find a location to set up a new colony. When they land they drop their wings and if they find the perfect conditions and a “mate” they will start a new colony, usually taking 12months for that colony to reach the size of a soccer ball. The Alates are attracted to your home because of the lights and will squeeze in through any opening they can find. If you find them inside your home this is usually not overly concerning as they pose a very low risk to the inside of a dwelling so don’t panic! We would recommend your advise your technician when he comes for your Annual Inspection that there were Alates and where you saw them. Google has more information if you are interested and can be used to identify if you have Ant or Termite Alates. The shape of the body and the shape of the wings are different… See the image below from Google for reference.
If you see termites in your home please cover them back over and call a licenced termite specialist to come and treat them. Many of the “DIY” solutions create longer term issues by alerting the colony to an issue and they will seal off sections of the colony they feel are threatened and then continue multiplying unhindered. In some cases the colony will split off and now you have multiple nests to deal with. It isn’t very expensive to deal with a colony.. Usually only a few hundred dollars so its best left to the professionals to ensure the whole issue is dealt with.
Termite Prevention and Protection is the best course of action for any home whether you have had termites or not. A chemical prevention barrier or an always active bait system or sometimes a combination of both is the best way to protect your home from subterranean attack. These options can cost a few thousand dollars and require an assessment of your property to provide a quote. Stevie Redback provide Free Risk Assessments to assess the soil type, construction type, best method and type of installation recommended for the individual sites needs. Call our office on 1300 665 665 if you would like more information on a Termite Barrier.