Winged swarms are termites

Q. There are a ton of insects swarming in our living room. After cleaning them up, they returned a few days later. What are they? Help!

Richard from Boardman

A. The insects Richard brought in were small (just about º -inch long) and had broad waists. There were some with wings and some without. The key, though, was that there were four wings on each wing and all the wings were of equal size. The insects were termites!

If the insects had four wings that included two larger wings and two smaller wings – the insects are ants. Also, ants have a pinched, slender waist with antenna that are elbowed instead of straight like a termite. We tend to see ant swarms this time of year as well.

This is the time of year when termites spread their wings to start new colonies. The warmer temperatures of spring trigger them to do this. After swarming, they shed their wings and start to mate as the start of a new colony.

Once you find a swarm inside the home, you know it is time to seek a treatment.

There is no easy solution to controlling termites, though. Treating the home requires someone who is trained not only in pesticides, but in the area of construction so they understand where treatments need to be made. There are pesticides that kill termites and there are bait systems. Alternate termite controls range from treated wood to physical barriers.

Hiring a trained professional is not easy, as most people don’t hire one on a regular basis. Be sure to make two to three calls and get quotes along with details of what they plan to do at your home to control these insects. You should ask the company how long they’ve been in business, ask for references and go through the list of questions in the fact sheet below before you make a choice.

The adage “haste makes waste” applies to this situation. Waiting a few weeks or months to make a decision on what to do and whom to hire is not going to make a difference. Be sure you hire the right person and feel comfortable doing so.

Termite ID and control for homeowners: http://go.osu.edu/termitecontrol

To learn more about ants, go to: http://go.osu.edu/ant

For information on hiring a professional pest control company, go to: http://go.osu.edu/hirepestcontrol

Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Winter hours for the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic vary. Submit questions to the clinic at 330-533-5538 or drop samples off to the OSU Extension Office in Canfield.