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Termites swarm in the South as their mating season begins

This undated photo provided by Thomas Chouvenc of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), shows young hybrid termite offspring eight months after the light-colored female Formosan termite, bottom right, mated with the darker male Asian termite, bottom left, in Florida. The Asian and Formosan termites, two of the most destructive termite species in the world, invaded Florida, probably through cargo shipments, several decades ago. Now they may be breeding where their habitats overlap in South Florida, according to a University of Florida study published Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in the journal PLOS ONE. (AP Photo/Thomas Chouvenc, University of Florida/IFAS)
This undated photo provided by Thomas Chouvenc of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), shows young hybrid termite offspring eight months after the light-colored female Formosan termite, bottom right, mated with the darker male Asian termite, bottom left, in Florida. The Asian and Formosan termites, two of the most destructive termite species in the world, invaded Florida, probably through cargo shipments, several decades ago. Now they may be breeding where their habitats overlap in South Florida, according to a University of Florida study published Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in the journal PLOS ONE. (AP Photo/Thomas Chouvenc, University of Florida/IFAS) This undated photo provided by Thomas Chouvenc of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), shows young hybrid termite offspring eight months after the light-colored female Formosan termite, bottom right, mated with the darker male Asian termite, bottom left, in Florida. The Asian and Formosan termites, two of the most destructive termite species in the world, invaded Florida, probably through cargo shipments, several decades ago. Now they may be breeding where their habitats overlap in South Florida, according to a University of Florida study published Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in the journal PLOS ONE. (AP Photo/Thomas Chouvenc, University of Florida/IFAS)

By Associated Press 1 min read

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) – Thick swarms of termites are appearing nightly throughout south Mississippi, signaling that their mating season is underway.

The winged insects – often called swarmers – are likely Formosan termites, The Sun Herald reported.

The species arrived in Mississippi in the mid-1980s, according to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Formosan termites are also found in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas, according to the Louisiana State University College of Agriculture.

The Formosans swarm at dusk and are strongly attracted to lights.