Is it a termite swarm or flying ants?
The two are often confused. Termite swarmers have a broad, straight waist and two pairs of wings of almost equal length, and the wings break off cleanly. Flying ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae and a longer front pair of wings.
The easiest test is the wings. A termite swarmer sheds its wings after a short flight, so a pile of wings with no body nearby and a clean break at the base is a strong sign. Ant wings are usually found attached to or near a body, and the front pair is longer than the back. If there is any doubt, a sample taken to the inspection is worth more than a description on the phone.
Timing is useful too. The swarm season in the parish runs from late April into June, with the peak in May and June, and the AgCenter notes a large peak around Mother's Day. A swarm in that window, with the right wings, is a good reason to inspect. A swarm in the middle of winter would be unusual and should be described to the technician in detail.
Do not spray the insects or sweep up the wings before the inspection. Both can remove the evidence that tells the inspector where the swarm came from.
Why does the AgCenter ask for the trees to be inspected too?
Because a swarm can come from a colony outside the house. LSU AgCenter advises inspecting both the home and the trees, and the reasoning is simple: a colony that releases reproductives may be in a tree, a stump or a fence line rather than in the structure.
A swarm is a colony sending out winged reproductives to start new colonies. The colony that produced them is not always where the swarm lands. Winged insects can travel from a neighbor's yard or a wooded edge, and a light on the house can draw them in regardless of where they started.
For that reason, a swarm inspection widens from the house to the surrounding trees and stumps. Dead wood near the ground, old stumps, cracks in trunks and soil built up against a stump can all be signs of activity. The inspection does not claim a colony is in a tree until the evidence points there, but it does not skip the trees either.
The owner can help by noting where the swarm was seen relative to the trees and by keeping a rough record of the date and the place. That information lets the inspector test the most likely source first.
What does a swarm inspection look at, and what can it not tell you?
It looks for the evidence a swarm leaves behind: wings, mud tubes, soil contact, damage in the wood near the swarm and the trail from the swarm to a likely source. It cannot see inside every wall, so a clean first look is not the end of the question.
The inspection covers the outside of the house, the inside of the rooms where wings were found, and the trees and stumps in the yard. Moisture readings are taken where the wood is wet, because moisture helps the colony and shows where to look. The wood is sounded and probed where it is accessible, and the crawl space or the slab edge is examined for tubes and soil bridges.
A limit is worth stating plainly. An inspection can find the trail and the most likely feeding sites, but a colony can be hidden inside a wall, under a floor or in a tree that cannot be opened without damage. The honest report says what was found, what was ruled out and what could not be checked.
The result should lead to a decision, not to a verdict. If there is evidence of feeding, the next step is a treatment plan. If there is no evidence, the next step is a monitoring plan for the rest of the swarm season, with a date for the next look.
What should the homeowner do between the swarm and the inspection?
Keep the evidence, close off the most obvious entry points and do not disturb the trail. Waiting a few days is fine if the swarm is over, but a swarm that is still happening should be reported the same day.
Collect the wings and a few insects in a closed jar or bag and write down the date and the place. Keep them out of the sun and away from the children and pets. A photograph from a few angles is also useful, especially one that shows the wall or sill where the wings were found.
Turn off or dim outdoor lights if the swarm is at a porch or garage, because light draws the swarmers in. Close the door and window nearest the swarm if the weather allows, and check screens for gaps. Do not block the trail with new mulch or stacked firewood against the house while the inspection is waiting.
If a swarm is still happening when the phone is answered, say so at the start of the call. The line is answered 24/7, so a swarm at night can be reported when it happens rather than the next morning.
