Termite swarmer or flying ant
In spring, winged termites called swarmers leave the colony to start new ones. They look a lot like flying ants. Three things tell them apart.
- Antennae. Termites have straight antennae. Ants have bent ones, like an elbow.
- Waist. A termite is thick from end to end. An ant is pinched in the middle.
- Wings. A termite’s four wings are the same length. An ant’s front wings are longer than its back wings.
Termites also drop their wings soon after they swarm. A small pile of wings on a window sill is often the only sign left behind.
Signs of termites
- Mud tubes. Termites build tunnels of soil about the width of a pencil to travel from the ground up into the wood. Check piers, foundation walls and the crawl space.
- Shed wings. Piles of small, even wings near windows, doors and lights.
- Damaged wood. Wood that sounds hollow when you tap it, or that gives under a screwdriver.
- Swarmers indoors. Winged termites inside the house mean a colony close by.
Spraying the swarmers you can see won’t reach the colony. Call Morgan’s instead.
Signs of roaches
- Droppings that look like pepper or coffee grounds in drawers, cabinets and along baseboards.
- Egg cases, small brown capsules tucked in corners and behind appliances.
- A musty smell that hangs around the kitchen or bathroom.
- Roaches at night that scatter when the light comes on. Seeing one in the daytime often means many more out of sight.
Spiders
Webs collect in upper corners, around windows and in rooms that don’t get much use. Spiders also follow the insects they eat, so a house with spiders often has other bugs too. Morgan’s sprays corner to corner. One customer’s review: “They sprayed every corner of my house. I haven't seen any spiders.”
When to call
Call when you find mud tubes, shed wings or swarmers, when you see roaches more than once, or when the webs keep coming back. Morgan’s is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Not sure what you found? Describe it on the phone or in the form when you reach out.