pest id: non valk...

[hubcapsc]

My little building has some wood eating bug that leaves sawdust behind attacking it. Last week, these bugs
swarmed inside the building, perhaps they're responsible. I figured termites, so I got under the building and
checked the piers and poked at the wood around the piers with a screwdriver and otherwise looked around
down there, couldn't find any termite evidence. I wondered if they were coming up inside the electric service
conduit, and took the front off the main panel, no evidence there... I'm about to ask the electric company to
send the little man over to cut the lock off the meter box and look there, but now that I have these pictures
it seems like the swarmers were ants (please correct me if you know...)...  I still wonder what they are and
are they wood eaters?



http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~hubcap/bugs/  <------- scaled pictures of bugs

-Mike

[solo1]

I think that those are winged carpenter ants (queen and males)that are swarming.   If so, they don't eat wood but make tunnels in wood.  The sawdust is from those tunnels.

Definitely not a termite IMO.

[Chili Pepper]

http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterants.htm

The first sign of a carpenter ant infestation is usually the sighting of numerous workers throughout the home; occupants often complain of big black ants.  However, the presence of workers alone is not conclusive evidence that a colony is established within a structure.  Carpenter ant workers tend to roam far and wide looking for food, and some transient workers are sure to enter any home located in a wooded area.  Signs of an active infestation include the presence of fibrous sawdust beneath slit-like openings in wood members and faint, rustling noises in walls and woodwork.  A positive indication that an active, mature infestation is present is the emergence of large winged ants from walls, ceilings, or crawl spaces.

Quick! Grab a case of Raid!! 

[hubcapsc]

http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterants.htm

The first sign of a carpenter ant infestation is usually the sighting of numerous workers throughout the home; occupants often complain of big black ants.  However, the presence of workers alone is not conclusive evidence that a colony is established within a structure.  Carpenter ant workers tend to roam far and wide looking for food, and some transient workers are sure to enter any home located in a wooded area.  Signs of an active infestation include the presence of fibrous sawdust beneath slit-like openings in wood members and faint, rustling noises in walls and woodwork.  A positive indication that an active, mature infestation is present is the emergence of large winged ants from walls, ceilings, or crawl spaces.

Quick! Grab a case of Raid!! 

I never see ants in this place (but I always see new sawdust), and these swarmers were only 3/32's of an inch long...

-Mike

[RoadKill]

Termidor SC  ! Check it out.  I even spray it on the dogs and carpet..kills fleas too !

http://www.termidorhome.com/FlyingAnts.asp

http://www.termidorhome.com/CarpenterAnts.asp

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Pictures help to see the difference between the flying ant and swarming termite. Hope this helps.

[hubcapsc]

Pictures help to see the difference between the flying ant and swarming termite. Hope this helps.

I think they're some kind of ant, maybe some kind of small carpenter ant. I've read a bunch
of info today, if they were carpenter ants they would be attracted to my building by having
"moist wood"... I'm starting to put 2+2 together... that little building is my prototype building, it
has the first standing seam roof I made on it. As long as I've known there was some kind of pest
in the building, I've thought it seemed like it was in the ceiling... anyhow... the ends of the
standing seams are cut plumb right at the drip edge... I made the seams run past the drip edge on
my house... I found when I first made the roof that  water could be sucked up into the seam ends by
capillary action, but I thought I had "painted the ends shut"... for a number of years there has
been a "temporary" ceiling of 1 inch foam board in the prototype building... I bet when I pull it
down, I'll find ant nests and moisture getting in from the standing seam ends... I'm thinking
"Ants are better than termites!"

-Mike

[Ramjet]

                      Nanobots!   

[RoadKill]

Termidor fixes it either way. Kills ants ans termites plus a whole lot of other things...I dont even see spiders anymore!  Plus it is very safe 

[The Anvil]

They ate the rear fender offa yer bike dood!