I live in an old 1900's farmhouse and lately I've been
noticing flying bugs inside. I can easily identify the
usual "attic fly" and the box elder, but this latest one has
me stumped. It looks similar to an ant, but a much narrower
body and doesn't have the hourglass shape that ants have.
It does have wings and is black. I feel they may be
termites, but my husband doesn't believe they are as 1)
"termites fly in groups" and 2) "there are no termites in
Pennsylvania as it's too cold". Can anyone help me?

Call an exterminator and ask him to take a look.

It would appear that your know-it-all husband is in denial.


Beth Pierce wrote in message
...
I live in an old 1900's farmhouse and lately I've been
noticing flying bugs inside. I can easily identify the
usual "attic fly" and the box elder, but this latest one has
me stumped. It looks similar to an ant, but a much narrower
body and doesn't have the hourglass shape that ants have.
It does have wings and is black. I feel they may be
termites, but my husband doesn't believe they are as 1)
"termites fly in groups" and 2) "there are no termites in
Pennsylvania as it's too cold". Can anyone help me?

Sorry to be the bearer of (possible) bad news, but it could indeed be
termites. This is the time of year when the reproductive members of the
colony swarm. The lack of an ant "waist" is an identifying characteristic.
The swarmers themselves are harmless, but they are concrete evidence that
there is a termite colony present.

Ask me how I know....I had the same experience last March, and did a lot of
research. One of the exterminators who came to give me an estimate told me
I was *lucky* to see the swarmers, because I then knew there was a problem.

I am also in Pennsylvania--termites are actually quite common here--and live
in a 20 year old suburban bi-level. Even new houses can be infested, but an
old farmhouse sounds like termite heaven.

There are some relatively new and less toxic (to mammals) treatments on the
market now, as well as baiting systems, and there are a lot of pros and cons
to them all. My advice would be to put a few bug in a baggie, for ID
purposes, (you can often find them dead on the windowsills) then call some
exterminators for inspection and estimates. It will not be cheap, but you
have no alternative other than to deal with it. And don't panic--your house
will not fall down around you in the next few weeks, so don't let a salesman
pressure into acting before you've had time to do some research.

Good luck,
Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Beth Pierce" wrote in message
...
I live in an old 1900's farmhouse and lately I've been
noticing flying bugs inside. I can easily identify the
usual "attic fly" and the box elder, but this latest one has
me stumped. It looks similar to an ant, but a much narrower
body and doesn't have the hourglass shape that ants have.
It does have wings and is black. I feel they may be
termites, but my husband doesn't believe they are as 1)
"termites fly in groups" and 2) "there are no termites in
Pennsylvania as it's too cold". Can anyone help me?

They could be carpenter ants or termites, yes as far north as you are.


On Fri, 14 Mar 2003 00:47:40 GMT, Beth Pierce
wrote:

I live in an old 1900's farmhouse and lately I've been
noticing flying bugs inside. I can easily identify the
usual "attic fly" and the box elder, but this latest one has
me stumped. It looks similar to an ant, but a much narrower
body and doesn't have the hourglass shape that ants have.
It does have wings and is black. I feel they may be
termites, but my husband doesn't believe they are as 1)
"termites fly in groups" and 2) "there are no termites in
Pennsylvania as it's too cold". Can anyone help me?