Is this a termite, or just a flying ant?

[TripleDigitRide]

I know the picture isn't the greatest, but I was hoping someone may be able to identify it.

 

[DaveS]

Looks more like a termite to me. The wings are equal length and the antenae are not quite "ant like". Ants wings are different. Where did you find it? It may be worth calling a bug guy.

 

Dave S

Edited May 20, 2013 by DaveS

[TripleDigitRide]

I just walked outside, and there was a ton of them swarming near my deck. 

[TripleDigitRide]

Based on pictures I've found, it looked more like an ant, but I wanted to be sure.

[homeagain]

Can't tell from the angle for sure, but it appears that the 'waist' is symmetrical to the 'body'....wings same length, antennae straight.  Yup....looks like a woodeater to me.

[DaveS]

[TripleDigitRide]

Based on that photo, it appears what i have here is one of those termite swarmers. We had the home inspected for termites before we bought it in September, so hopefully they just came from the nearby woods.

[peejman]

 

 

Ding!  Flying ants have clearly segmented bodies.  Termites don't.  The OP's pic looks like a termite to me.

 

Lots of rain this time of year tends to drive ground dwelling termites out to swarm and look for a new home.  It's not a reason to panic immediately.  If you've had the home treated recently you should be fine.  Be wary for a few days and make sure they've moved on.  I had swarms at my house a couple times in the first few years we owned it.  I treated it every time I saw them (always this time of year) and they've been gone for the past several years.

[TripleDigitRide]

Ding!  Flying ants have clearly segmented bodies.  Termites don't.  The OP's pic looks like a termite to me.

 

Lots of rain this time of year tends to drive ground dwelling termites out to swarm and look for a new home.  It's not a reason to panic immediately.  If you've had the home treated recently you should be fine.  Be wary for a few days and make sure they've moved on.  I had swarms at my house a couple times in the first few years we owned it.  I treated it every time I saw them (always this time of year) and they've been gone for the past several years.

How did you treat for them? How much did it cost?

[peejman]

How did you treat for them? How much did it cost?

 

 

We had a pro come the first year (included in home warranty).  When the swarmers returned the next year and the year after,  I treated it with Ortho Home Defense Max.  I gave it a "less than label recommended treatment" the first time because I'm cheap and lazy.  When they came back, I followed the directions to the letter and haven't seen them since.  Whether that's due to the method of treatment, that I did it 2 consecutive years, or just blind luck, I don't know.

 

http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?tabs=general&proId=prod220002&itemId=cat50088&id=cat50008

[45guy]

It usually takes more than one treatment to get rid of termites. The company I used had a guarantee so they came back and retreated the next two years. I have not seen any after that.

 

The problem is they only swarm this time of year so you do not know if they are all gone until you go a spring without any.

[MacGyver]

Yep, that's a termite. 

[homeagain]

It usually takes more than one treatment to get rid of termites. The company I used had a guarantee so they came back and retreated the next two years. I have not seen any after that.

 

The problem is they only swarm this time of year so you do not know if they are all gone until you go a spring without any.

 

Yup...with the crap they had to use for a few years in between chlordane and fipronil (Termidor) retreats were commonplace.  If you were lucky enough to have an older property where chlordane was used, you probably won't have termite problems.  Fipronil's about as effective.  If you have a property that was treatefd with Dursban or Demon or something of the like, you'll have to retreat at some point.  They were good for about 5-7 years if you're lucky.

[TripleDigitRide]

This home was built 8 years ago, and I have no idea what they used. I have someone coming to do an inspection in the next week or so.

[DaveS]

This home was built 8 years ago, and I have no idea what they used. I have someone coming to do an inspection in the next week or so.

If your deck falls down...time to treat! J/K...you should be good.

 

Dave S

[Poor_Dog]

Termites like to get under concrete, rocks and such. Concentrate on those areas around that deck as well as the house foundation.

[Guest TankerHC]

MIL lives right off RIchland Creek in Dayton, about a bazillion of those things swarming around yesterday (Before the big rain) and double that amount of made up number of skeeters, which were driving me crazy.

[TripleDigitRide]

The home is only 8 years old, and was inspected when we bought it about 9 months ago.

My cousin has worked pest control for 10+ years in Little Rock, and he says those swarms are common this time of year. He suggested having it inspected again, just in case. Assuming they properly treated when the home was built, he would be surprised if we had a terminate issue. Unfortunately, he claims that some companies don't properly treat at that time, so it's best to have it inspected yearly. He also mentioned something about possibly paying a yearly fee, in the event we eventually have termite damage. Basically it's an insurance policy for termites.

[peejman]

The home is only 8 years old, and was inspected when we bought it about 9 months ago.

My cousin has worked pest control for 10+ years in Little Rock, and he says those swarms are common this time of year. He suggested having it inspected again, just in case. Assuming they properly treated when the home was built, he would be surprised if we had a terminate issue. Unfortunately, he claims that some companies don't properly treat at that time, so it's best to have it inspected yearly. He also mentioned something about possibly paying a yearly fee, in the event we eventually have termite damage. Basically it's an insurance policy for termites.

 

Some (most?) pest control companies offer an annual contract where they come treat periodically and then cover some extent of any damage if the treatment didn't work. 

[Jonnin]

The home is only 8 years old, and was inspected when we bought it about 9 months ago.

My cousin has worked pest control for 10+ years in Little Rock, and he says those swarms are common this time of year. He suggested having it inspected again, just in case. Assuming they properly treated when the home was built, he would be surprised if we had a terminate issue. Unfortunately, he claims that some companies don't properly treat at that time, so it's best to have it inspected yearly. He also mentioned something about possibly paying a yearly fee, in the event we eventually have termite damage. Basically it's an insurance policy for termites.

 

That is the winner.   The insurance if the treatment fails to stop them.... that is a good investment if your home has much wood in it. 

[Guest TankerHC]

Our morning news just had a piece on these. They are coming out of the ground by this millions in MS this morning. Reporter said they are Flying Formosan Termites and come out, only live 3 days and thats it. No Major threat to wood. These are different from the non flying Formosan Termite that live for months and are extremely destructive.

 

She is right, those Winged termites are not destructive, because those are the Formosan Reproductives. They are not, the the workers and soldiers that spawn from them are called Super Termites and are the most destructive termite invasive species in the Country.

 

"Considered one of the most aggressive and economically devastating termite species in the country, the Formosan subterranean termites were introduced to the United States in 1956. These termites are native to Central America and the Far East.

Like other subterranean termites, Formosan termites feed on materials that contain cellulose, but because of their larger colony size, they attack a greater variety of wood at a faster rate than do native subterranean termites. They have an enormous reproductive capacity and a typical colony may exceed 1 million insects."

 

 

http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/wdi/termites/formosan.html

Edited May 23, 2013 by TankerHC