Swarmer (aka Flying) Termites

Flying termites are eaten by a large variety of predators like lizards, birds, and ants, because they are loaded with fat stores designed to last them for months without having to eat. So this makes them a nutritious meal, even for humans, in some parts of the world like Africa. There, the termites are dried and roasted as a snack.

Swarmer termites (also called alates or reproductives) are the reproductive form of subterranean termites, the future kings and queens of new kingdoms. Unlike worker termites, swarmers have a hard, dark brown or black cuticle that protects them. They also have two pairs of wings of equal size that break off shortly after their first, rather weak flight. Winged termites don’t damage wood like worker termites. Their sole purpose is to leave the ground colony, mate, and begin new termite colonies.

Termite diversity is tremendous, more than 1,000 of the 2,600+ recognized species occur on the African continent