To protect your home against a termite invasion, it’s important to understand how termites spread. There are two different types of termites in terms of spreading, each with very different methods and protective measures to take.
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Winged Termites – Swarm Season
Drywood and dampwood termites are the same in terms of reproduction and spreading: Once a year, during termite swarm season in spring, winged termites fly out of the colony and attempt to establish a new colony far away.
These flying termites can be seen in swarms, often dozens or even hundreds of them gathering near houses and other wooden structures.
These winged termites, called Alates, usually find a partner and try to dig into a suitable location, burrowing into wood and starting a colony there. The two alates are the new queen and king, producing eggs that will turn into worker termites to grow the colony.
Subterranean Termites
While subterranean termites do have a swarm season and alates that start new colonies, they also spread by digging long underground tunnel networks. A colony beneath your neighbor’s house may eventually find your house and start invading it.
Additionally, once the colony is large enough to support multiple queens, secondary reproductives are hatched and start laying eggs to support the primary queen.
Since these secondary queens are usually separate from the primary one, they may eventually turn into their own colony, splitting up from the original colony. This process, called budding, is another way that subterranean termites may spread from one area to another.
A Subterranean Termites’ attack strategy (source)
Can Termites travel from House to House?
Termites cannot travel from house to house above ground, as they die within minutes if exposed to direct sunlight, especially in summer. The sun and heat dry them out and desiccates them.
However, subterranean termites can travel from one house to the next through underground tunnels.
If there is a direct connection, like a shared wood wall, a wooden fence, or other wooden connections, termites may dig through these and move from house to house that way.
Can Termites jump from house to house?
Typically, termites don’t spread from house to house like a virus. However, during swarm season, the entire vicinity of one termite colony becomes a potential target for the swarmers looking for a location for a new colony.
This way, one termite colony in the neighborhood may spread to many other homes nearby – so keep a lookout for flying termites during swarm season!
In a more literal sense, termites cannot jump at all. They can’t move above ground, especially outdoors, for long. Only the winged termite alates are evolved to survive leaving the colony. Regular worker termites cannot spread the colony to a new home.
Can Termites be carried on pets or clothes?
While rare, termites may be carried on pets or clothes from one household to another. However, termites prefer to stay hidden and protected in their colony, so you will rarely find them on you or your pets.
Termites can’t really travel in or on your clothes or in luggage. They want to stay in their tunnels as much as they can and won’t leave them by choice.
Additionally, a single or small number of termites cannot start a new colony. That’s why they have the alates, the reproductive termites that are specifically evolved to create a new nest.
So if you ever carry a termite into someone else’s home, there is minimal risk of spreading an infestation.
