Ok...so weird occurrence at my apartment in Chiang Mai.

Tonight I was just sitting at my computer when a huge swarm of insects appeared out of nowhere. No open windows or doors, but they just materialized and swarmed around the apartment, particularly near lights. There must have been several hundred of them at least.

But within 15-20 minutes all of them were dead on the ground. Many seem to have lost their wings, plummeted to the ground, and died. Their wings are lying separate on the ground.

So anyone know what these things may be and why they're suddenly dead?

Funny thing is that the day I moved in these things there were a dozen or so already dead on the floor and I just cleaned them up, but I've been here for a few weeks now and they hadn't reappeared before this swarm.

Any thoughts/advice? How do I stop these things? They're a pain to clean up, even if they die quickly.

Thanks.

-Andrew

Flying Ants. If you have had some rain lately they will appear.

Flying Ants. If you have had some rain lately they will appear.

Or termites...there was a recent thread a month ago or so about "flying ants" and my previous experience with these types that lose their wings and die were termites. If you live near water, or as transam said about rain lately, probably termites and just an occasional problem....I hope.

mario299

Have had these horrible little monsters before, always around sunset after some rain this time of year. They can get through the tiniest crack, have to have everything sealed tight to keep them out. They're attracted to light so they're going to be going at any windows you have trying to find a way in.

I did my monthly napalm run on the ant nests in my garden a week or so ago. I found that they were full of the winged ants ready to alight. It must be that time of year.

They could be termites coming out of colonies in your apartment. We had them in a former rental condo. The entire building was infested with them. We had friends who warned us not to lean against their kitchen counter when we visited because the termite infestation was so bad. If you don't own the place, the solution is simple. Turn off all the lights in your apartment and open the door into the hallway. Make sure the hall light is on. They'll soon swarm into the hallway and then you can close your door and begin to look at the internet ads for a new place to live.

If the termites are inside your house, you better arrange pest control to spray your house as soon as possible and then at regular period. If you have termites nearby, it safe to do it too. For a house, you have to put chemical in the ground around your house to avoid the termite to invade your house from the basement. In an appartment block, management has to do it because it's useless to clean your flat if the other flats stay infected.

When it's too late, and it comes very fast, you have no other choice than to strip your house of all the wood and build again.

Flying termites

There you go. All explained.

Be thankful that they are not swarming from the inside of the house to get out.

Early season this year, I think.

The Geccos love them.

My cats also enjoys them for a snack.

Edited March 23, 201115 yr by PoorSucker

They are Termites and after the termites come the ants after the wings for dinner .

I think you will find that they are MENG MOW - they are related to or actually are termites, they come out after the rain, and are nice to eat........apparently????

I think you will find that they are MENG MOW - they are related to or actually are termites, they come out after the rain, and are nice to eat........apparently????

Yes, put a water bowl under the lights and they will fly into it and drown.

Fry with vegetables.

Termites had the same problem in Belize I sprayed did everthing and finally after a month or two they found another place .the wings all over cause ants

Yes, they are small termites and thankfully they only appear an hour or so after dark. Fortunately, they don't last long and by 9 o'clock they are almost all gone. We had a hatch of them a few weeks ago and I thought they were all finished, but I see they've returned. They can't hurt you so just close all windows and turn on the air con. You can open the windows again by 10:00.

Dude...... is it me or you guys are feking oblivious to the swarm I had to endure today at the BTS station....

these little bastards are invading the BTS trains, lights, lamps, my white t-shrit, my ears, advertisement lightboxes and anything that glows white.

everyone on the entire train had to brush it all off their shirts and hair....

Edited March 24, 201115 yr by Steele404

I think the thread title should be changed to 'suicidal flies...' as opposed to 'suicide flies...'

They are annoying, but after 20 plus years in the tropics, you learn that they come with the territory. They are seasonal, and they usually don't last for more than an hour or so right about sunset. They swarm after the dry season when the humidity increases or after a good rain. Turn your inside lights off and turn an outside light on and relax in the dust for a few minutes.

If you have a canister vacuum cleaner you, can clean them up pretty quickly. You can even have a bit of fun trying to pull them out of the air with the suction tube as they fly around your light fixtures. Otherwise leave them for the ants. They will clean them up pretty quickly - both the corpses and the wings.

If your out and about, remember sunset is usually happy hour. Its a great excuse to dive into an air conditioned watering hole.

Edited March 25, 201115 yr by Pacificperson