Which weather conditions are associated with termite swarming?

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Learn how termites use salivary secretions to cement debris to decaying wood nests in their rainforest habitat — termite A termite nest in a tropical rainforest.

Termite swarming, which involves the dispersal of winged adults known as alates, is primarily triggered by specific environmental conditions. The emergence and flight of these insects are typically associated with high atmospheric humidity combined with specific temperature, climatic, and seasonal factors that vary depending on the species.1

These swarms, often referred to as mating flights, are synchronized across many colonies in a given area to facilitate intercolony mating. Following the flight, the termites seek out nesting sites in soil or wood that has been softened by rain.1