I’m Matt Peterson, an entomologist and Orkin’s southeast division technical services manager. Swarming termites in March isn’t really breaking news. In fact, it’s typical to see termite swarms in places like Florida in the spring — even as early as February some years. Because of the wacky weather this year, swarms have followed a roller coaster pattern, emerging when it’s warm, only to disappear from sight when the cold fronts come back through.

Few homeowners think about termites when it’s unusually cool, but they should. Subterranean termites are active year-round. Swarmers begin to emerge after the last winter freeze, when the temperatures rise to the low to mid-70s. Besides swarms, one of the other most common warning signs for termites is mud tubes, which are tunnels made out of soil that subterranean termites use to travel to wood sources around homes.

If you live in Florida, Georgia, or other parts of the Southeast, you should be on the lookout for signs of termites now. Homeowners in the Northeast, Midwest and Northwest also may begin to see swarms in the weeks ahead if spring temperatures rise to the 70s; however, there are steps you can take to help prevent and control infestations — before or after swarming takes place.

For more information on termites’ spring activity, click here.