When the alates (adult, winged ants and termites) receive the proper cues (warm temperatures, bright sunlight, low winds, for example) they will leave the colony and fly away to start their own colonies. This exodus is commonly referred to as swarming

Male and female termites shed their wings and will pair up when a suitable mate is found. Then they will search for a suitably damp piece of wood or soil where they will start their new colony. Swarming in ants is different. Male and female ants leave the nest and after the female is inseminated, the male dies. The newly fertilized female then searches for a suitable nesting site – the choice of where to nest depends on the species.

Three simple characteristics separate ants from termites. These may be seen in the photo above (termite on left, ant on right):

ANTS:

• Elbowed antennae
• Fore wings larger than hind wings
• Constricted abdomen

TERMITES:

• Straight beaded antennae
• Fore wings same size as hind wings
• Full or broad abdomen

After termites, wood-boring beetles are the most important wood-destroying insects in homes. The amount of damage that wood-boring beetles cause depends on many factors. The type of wood (hardwood or softwood), the moisture content of the wood and the environmental conditions at the infestation site all affect the severity of beetle damage.

Wood boring beetles fall into two major categories, those that infest only live trees or recently harvested wood and those that infest dry, seasoned wood. For all practical purposes, it is not necessary to treat wood for beetles such as round head borers, flat head borers, ambrosia beetles, or bark beetles since they will not re-infest dead wood. However, emergence holes on exterior surfaces should always be filled to prevent water from penetrating into the wood, causing decay.

The most commonly encountered wood boring beetle infestation is caused by the anobiid beetle. Although often called a “powder-post” beetle, it is not a true a powder-post or lyctid beetle. One reason for its widespread presence is its ability to infest both hardwoods and softwoods.

The true powder-post or lyctid beetle attacks only hardwoods such as oak, ash, hickory, walnut, and mahogany. Infestations are most likely to occur in hardwood flooring and paneling. Other common infestation sites include bamboo furniture and trim and picture frames made from tropical hardwoods.

Old house borers present the greatest control challenge to the pest management professional. They are large insects with a life cycle that can extend to 10 or more years. The old house borer attacks only softwoods and the initial introduction typically occurs while lumber is being stored in a lumberyard.