I recently discovered a bunch of dead flying ants in my basement, mostly clustered around the walls and perimeter. We've treated for pests before but have never encountered this issue. Has anyone else dealt with something similar?
6 Answers
Most likely, you could be dealing with termites. They can be tricky since they look a lot like ants. A quick Google search for images of ants and termites might help you confirm if that's the case.
Are you sure those flying insects are actually ants and not termites? I had a similar situation when I was younger; after treating for termites, I found ants moving in to feast on the dead ones. In the spring, a bunch of winged ants came out from the walls. I spent quite a bit of time vacuuming them up!
If you're positive they are ants, try to locate their den near the perimeter of your home. I’ve seen them swarm when their den gets big enough, and they sneak through gaps in the foundation. You might want to check out a guide on ant swarming for more info!
Good advice! If you find the den, that could really help out.
I manage an apartment building that faced this issue for three years. Each spring, we’d have weeks of flying ants swarming inside, especially on the grassy side. This year, we had a local service do a perimeter treatment, and it really worked. They used deltamethrin, and it seems to have done the trick—no signs of those ants since. It might be something seasonal, so I’d recommend a similar exterior treatment early next spring.
Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely investigate further and look into treatments.