News Article for April 20, 2009 from LSU AgCenter County Agent Kenny Sharpe:
While sitting on my patio reading my paper recently I kept noticing something flying into my face. After it made several annoying attempts to fly into my mouth, I looked down and noticed that the white shirt I was wearing was covered in small winged black insects.
As I looked into the sky I could see insects flying all over the yard as they glimmered in the sunlight. Closer inspection revealed that they were native subterranean termites. At church the next day I had several reports from other people who had a similar experience.
We are in termite swarming season, and most of what are swarming now are native subterranean or dry wood termites. While termites are a cause for concern, there is no reason to panic. The swarm can fly several hundred yards on a calm day, and with the wind we have been having there is no telling how far they can go.
The first thing to do is to positively identify that you have termites and not ants. Many people worry needlessly over winged ants.
There are several characteristics that can help you distinguish between ants and termites. Ants have a constriction between the head, thorax and abdomen like a wasp, whereas a termite appears to have a long, slender, continuous body.
Ants and termites both have wings at certain stages of their lives. The difference is that ants have larger front wings and smaller back wings. The termites’ wings are the same size.
The third characteristic are the antennae. The termite’s antenna is bead shaped and is straight with maybe a slight curve. The ant has a 90 degree elbow in its antenna.
The termites that I saw are everywhere in our environment and even if you have a protection system they can swarm in from surrounding properties. Your objective is to keep them out of your house where they eat the wood products and structure of your home.
To accomplish this you need to do a physical inspection each year. The native subterranean termite will establish a corridor to enter the house from the ground and will need to get back to the ground to get water. Walk around your home and look for possible entry points. If you have a concrete slab construction then look for mud tunnels, which would be about the size of a No. 2 lead pencil. The tunnels will emerge from the ground up to the exterior wall. If your house is on piers, then check them for the mud tunnels coming up to the floor.
Also look for termites entering by climbing up any shrubbery that is touching the exterior walls.
Should you find evidence of termites entering the home, get a termite inspection. If, however, you find a swarm outside on your patio or carport, treat the swarm with a pyrethrin or other broad-spectrum insecticide used for ants. Termites are not that hard to kill if you can see them and spray right on them.
If you notice termite swarms outside, keep your doors and windows closed and treat any that land on the house or other buildings.
For more information on this or related topics, contact Kenny at 225-686-3020.