What Are These Bugs Swarming My House?

[LostInTranslation]

We had a pretty big rain storm last night, and today there are what seems to be 1000's of these winged ants all over the windows and ground. What I first thought were some kind of flower petal, my wife now tells me that they are the ant's wings. Does anyone know what things are? Are they ants or termites? Just a little strange as I have never seen so many flying ants.

[Deke]

Malaeng Mao? They are attracted to the lights and lose their wings.

They're not termites but sure are annoying when you're sitting outside and they swarm around.

Edit: spelling

Edited April 17, 2010 by Deke

[jubby]

That'll be a Termite bloom. Common after the first rains. they seem to get everywhere even up your nose and are attracted to lights.

Some Thais see them as a delicacy.

[PhilHarries]

Some Thais see them as a delicacy.

Is there something the Thais do not see as a delicacy? Hel_l I've even seen them eating McDonalds stuff .

Pain in the butt those bugs are but harmless.

[jubby]

Some Thais see them as a delicacy.

Is there something the Thais do not see as a delicacy? Hel_l I've even seen them eating McDonalds stuff .

Pain in the butt those bugs are but harmless.

Sorry Phil I was stating the obvious .

I find it helps to put a towel or something down to stop the gap under the door and use the lights to your advantage

[gotlost]

Sweep them up chicken and fish love them.

[kandahar]

If you are keeping an eye on the yard, you'll see them pouring out of the ground from little holes that lead to their runs, usually in the afternoon and especially, but not always, after a rain. Feel free to shoot ant/termite spray into those openings as you witness the exit. You will get the majority of them in that run but there are LOTS of runs and lots of exits.

As soon as it gets dark, I close all of the outdoor lights and light large candles. I place the candles around the yard, in low tree branches and on the porch. They go straight to the candles and quickly meet their demise. I don't have problems with them getting into the house; they all head for the candles. Don't use candles that are very small because they will extinguish the flame as they hit it. The bloom should typically last only for a few nights and then it is back to normal life.

Edited April 17, 2010 by kandahar

[PhilHarries]

Some Thais see them as a delicacy.

Is there something the Thais do not see as a delicacy? Hel_l I've even seen them eating McDonalds stuff .

Pain in the butt those bugs are but harmless.

Sorry Phil I was stating the obvious .

I find it helps to put a towel or something down to stop the gap under the door and use the lights to your advantage

I wasn't having a pop at you I just couldn't resist it having pataken of some of those Issan "delights"

Yes, the towel, wet is best, is a good idea. I'm not keen on kandahar's chemical warfare though, poisoned bugs get eaten by other more friendly critters. Let's apply a bit of live and let live.

[kandahar]

Some Thais see them as a delicacy.

Is there something the Thais do not see as a delicacy? Hel_l I've even seen them eating McDonalds stuff .

Pain in the butt those bugs are but harmless.

Sorry Phil I was stating the obvious .

I find it helps to put a towel or something down to stop the gap under the door and use the lights to your advantage

I wasn't having a pop at you I just couldn't resist it having pataken of some of those Issan "delights"

Yes, the towel, wet is best, is a good idea. I'm not keen on kandahar's chemical warfare though, poisoned bugs get eaten by other more friendly critters. Let's apply a bit of live and let live.

They are termites, Phil. Kill them. If there is anything in Thailand eating termites, it isn't doing a very good job of it and probably won't be missed if it does eat a poisoned one. Thias excluded, of course, but a guy ought to know if he has a mound that is ripe for raiding by a Thai neighbor.

I recently lived in a house in the center of an orchard. That was a termite metropolis. I have never seen anything like it. Every place that I happened to dig a hole or trench was already halfway dug by the termites underground. My house was brick and concrete. The neighbor's house was wood. As much as he sprayed and sprayed, the things just seemed to prosper. That place was a buffet. There wasn't much left of his house. It looked good but the wood was a dry mush that you could poke your finger through. He finally gave up, almost completely tore it down, and started over. With wood. Go figure.

[PhilHarries]

If they're the ones I'm thinking of, maeleng mao as said already, they're not termites.

But heck yes, termites get given no quarter.

[Jonathanpattaya]

Malaeng Mao? They are attracted to the lights and lose their wings.

They're not termites but sure are annoying when you're sitting outside and they swarm around.

Edit: spelling

Correct, and they often appear before rain in their thousands.

[Artisi]

And if you live somewhere surrounded by rice paddies - there are millions of them - not thousands.

They are capable of pushing their way thru' fly-screens - so put on the outside lights and turn off the inside lights.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Artisi

[kurnell]

I noticed those bastards flying around last week after the rain. A few days later they had eaten 2 of our outdoor shoe cabinets. Today I found them eating some of the wood cabinets in our kitchen. We have had the pest controllers out but it has done no good.

Should I keep one of those insect zappers on at night?

[villagefarang]

There are at least two main types. The big flying ants with slightly smaller wings and the big flying termites with bigger wings and different body shape and color. The locals here eat both varieties. (Maeng Mao and Maeng Mun) We turn on a light over the pond and sweep the sala in the morning to add something to the fish diet. That is, if the MIL or the neighbors haven't gotten to them first.

[CMX]

maeleng mao

Dumb farang first experience of them. Hilarious! Had some lights on and a double sliding door open, except for the screen (supposedly closed at the base) listening to the rain. Relaxed. Good book. Look up, and there are scores moving in. More, a hundred with more outside!

Clear thinking: Are these toxic? Attack fabrics? Is it not time to turn off the lights and retire? Close the door first. Lights inside out (some flew up). Lights outside then. But look, they have quit moving. Why die?

In the morning, I swept them up and ejected them onto the tiles outside. In exchange, I got a bird show, some new species to me, calls. A swell assembly except for thos bigger bullies (now named bully-birds, but clear defined call). Later came medium-large ants (farang has seen ants) to clean up. A mouse/rat/vole - something dark brown, somewhat fuzzy tail - came along and cleaned within the door rails, where the birds had missed. Inside, the mini-ants got after one I had not seen. Heckuva fine system and a swell free show.

Farang speculation: Since I wash up all the time after eating, I just don't have enough geckos - maybe buy some at a pet store?

[Thunderbird4ever]

They have them at my favourite Isan restaurant down in Pattanakarn in Bangkok. We had a meal of them last in May I think. You wont know the taste of them in a spicey thai soup, but down they go with wings and everything.

[stgrhe]

Swarming termites. The loose their wings shortly after they have landed.