What are these insects?

Small Talk Mama
by Small Talk Mama
I found these little guys swarming at our back door a few days ago. What are they?
  15 answers
  • I believe they are swarmer ants. They leave the nest every couple of years to find a new place to nest and create a new colony. I had them in my house a few years ago and used the ant traps to remove them. I haven't had a problem since! Hope this helps!
  • Small Talk Mama Small Talk Mama on Oct 13, 2013
    Whew, I'm glad they aren't something worse. Thanks, Cher.
  • Carole Carole on Oct 13, 2013
    Ants. Some ants fly and your first photo is a flying ant. If you don't want them in your house, lay ant sand around your doorways and any little cracks where they might get in. The ants don't like crossing the ant sand. Ant baits also work, but I think the sand will keep them out of your home, rather than kill them.
  • Keller Pest Control Keller Pest Control on Oct 14, 2013
    They are what is called a reproductive they are going to create more ant colonies and one will become a queen and start more colonies around your home, This should occur every year from now on at the same time for this particular ant. It takes a few years about 3-7 years for the colony to be large enough to produce reproductive ants. (king queen) . Carole Australia can you please tell me what in the heck is ant sand I have never heard of it what is it ,made of and where do you get it. Because ants will crawl over sand so I am amazed.
    • See 1 previous
    • Carole Carole on Oct 14, 2013
      @Debi Hi, it comes in little drums and looks exactly like sand. No doubt there is something in there that the ants don't like. I should read the packet more thoroughly as I did not know that it kills them, just that they won't cross it into the home. Thanks for your input Debi. At any rate, we have used it with great success.
  • Ann Daley Ann Daley on Oct 15, 2013
    I think it contains borax, which is a dessicant. The ants eat it and dry up. But be sure it is safe for animals. Even if you don't have pets, consider any animals outside that may come in contact with it and try to use it in areas only ants can get to it.
  • April E April E on Oct 17, 2013
    NO ANTS ANT SAND copied from their msd sheet 3. COMPOSITION CHEMICAL DESCRIPTION: C.A.S. NUMBER: PROPORTION: Pyrethroid insecticide 82657-04-3l < 1 % Sand 14808-60-7 <95 % Non toxic surfactant 9016-45-9 < 5 %
  • Small Talk Mama Small Talk Mama on Oct 18, 2013
    Thanks for all the good advice. We have a small child and pets, so we try to use very little toxic chemicals around the house, but sometimes you just have to do it. The ants actually were not in our home, but they sure looked menacing.
  • Rita Wozniak Rita Wozniak on Aug 17, 2014
    FLying ants a pain no matter what.. only good aint is a dead ant dead ant dead ant dead ant dead ant.. PINK PANTHER MOVIE... make a mess when they drop their wings.. and decide to stay in your house.. had them coming thru the sofett. from the outside.. guess they elected a new queen and she decided to live at my house.. TERROR ant killer.. they eat it take it back to the nest and then they are gone.. March was a busy month for Ants..
  • Cat King Cat King on Aug 18, 2014
    termite
  • Patricia Kwan Patricia Kwan on Jan 13, 2015
    Could be termites; they can look like flying ants. Best to have these critters checked out.
  • Karon Taylor Karon Taylor on Feb 11, 2015
    look like termites to me too...they only swarm once, better get rid of them fast or your deck could be infected...soon your house!
  • Christine Christine on Jul 02, 2015
    They don't look like termites to me at all. At least not Maryland termites. They're far too long. They actually look more like borers! But cavorting with ants, I'm not certain.
  • Marylou45 Marylou45 on Apr 06, 2016
    There are flying ants and they do as much damage as termites, you need to fined the tree they are coming from and cut it down and get rid of the wood. You can find sprays over the market to treat the outside of your house to help get rid of them but you need to keep a watch on any trees in your yard to make sure they didn't move from the tree you cut down and into another one. The best way to check for flying ants is to look on the ground under your trees for what looks like saw dust laying on the ground, if you find it, you have a real big problem that you need to take care of right away.
  • Oluwasegun Abe Oluwasegun Abe on May 27, 2019

    The yellow ones are termites and the black ones, flying ants.

    https://verminkill.com/how-to-get-rid-of-termites/