Published: June 02, 2009 12:01 pm      

Let’s get growing

Finding winged termites is a red flag

Q: Can I bring in some insects for you to determine if I have termites in my house? B. W. Whitestown

A: Spring is the prime time of the year when Boone County residents bring me samples of bugs in jars, wondering if they are termites, or if they are ants. Both ants and termites have wings at certain points in their lives. In most cases, the samples in question are ants, but sometimes I have to break the unpopular news that they are indeed, termites.

Finding winged termites in a home or other building is a near-certain sign that the structure is infested, according to Tim Gibb, Purdue entomologist. Normally termites stay hidden, either underground, inside wood or in mud tubes in order to maintain the humidity that they need to survive. It is only when the winged reproductive forms are produced that they become plainly visible, and this only happens sporadically.

Winged termites are about 1/4 to 3/8 inch in length and vary from black to yellow-brown in body color. They have four equal-sized, smoke-gray to brown wings that extend past the length of their body. Winged termites are also known as “swarmers” because they come out in large numbers all at one time — usually during the springtime, and after rain.

Many people confuse winged termites with winged ants. It is very important to know the difference between swarmer ants and termites. Winged termites have a thick waist, straight, bead-like antennae, and a pair of long, equal-length wings. Winged ants have a constricted waist, distinctively elbowed antennae, forewings that are larger than the rear wings (unequal size). The narrow waist (ants) versus broad waist (termites) is, in my opinion, the easiest way to tell the difference between an ant and a termite.

Swarmer termites also keep their wings attached only for a short period of time. After that, the wings break at their base and are discarded, sometimes in large piles. The presence of winged termites, or their shed wings, inside a home should be a warning of a termite infestation.

Ants can be a nuisance, but termites can be down-right destructive. They must be controlled in order to save the home, according to Gibb. For more information, see the Purdue publication, E-4, available at the Boone County Extension Office, and online at http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-4.pdf

Can I Remove Daffodil Foliage Now?

Q: Now that the daffodils have bloomed, can I remove the foliage without harming them? C. T. Zionsville

A: Cutting off daffodil foliage before it has died back naturally, may prevent the plants from storing adequate food in the bulbs. The best advice is to allow the daffodil foliage to die completely before removing it. A rule of thumb is that it should remain for at least six weeks after the daffodils have bloomed. If the unsightliness is a problem, you can likely get a jump of a few days by removing it as soon as the foliage starts yellowing. But, that won’t occur until well into the month of June.

Doug Akers is an Extension Educator for the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Agriculture & Natural Resources department. He can be reached at (765) 482-0750.