# Insect identification needed (nazi insect from hell?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288 "2002-05-29T03:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/1 "2002-05-29T03:17:00Z")
[http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/cropped\_insect.jpg](http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/cropped_insect.jpg) The last two evenings at dusk they have appeared out of thin air in the house. Last night there was about 30 or so in about a 6 square inch area in the dinning room and probably about 30 or so more scattered through the rest of the dinning room and the kitchen. Tonight there have been probably about twenty of them scattered throughout the kitchen but no mass assemblies like last night. They kept showing up for about an hour a few at a time and then we saw no more until tonight. Dusk seems to be when they clock in. They seem to have stopped teleporting in for tonight. They are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. The closest thing I have found online is [http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/eastterm.html](http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/eastterm.html) However it says termites are pale and these are quite dark. Also my wife says these have “pointy” butts, unlike the termite pictured. The house is nearly completely constructed of wood. I have seen no damage anywhere and an inspection at the time of purchase was clean for termite evidence. That was less than a year ago. The house was built in 1915. Thanks in advance for any and all help! ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/2 "2002-05-29T03:41:19Z")
[http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef603.htm](http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef603.htm) Winged Carpenter ant maybe? We had a part of our roof infested by carpenter ants, but I never saw them in the house. We had to get a new roof. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/3 "2002-05-29T03:42:21Z")
IANAE, but your picture looks like it might be a [winged ant](http://images.google.com/images?q=%20%22winged%20ant%22&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&sa=N&tab=wi) ? ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/4 "2002-05-29T03:53:20Z")
Thanks for the links! I’m starting to think these are swarming termites because I learning that the winged termites have dark bodies so my original post was inaccurate on that. The links you guys provided point me to termites because these have straight antanae. I’m still wondering about that pointy butt thing though. I’ll catch one tomorrow night if they show up and try to get a better picture. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/5 "2002-05-29T03:54:41Z")
Columbia, MO? Boone County? Ask the Coop Extension Service–take a sample of the bugs down there in a baggie in the morning, they’ll be able to tell you what they are. Recognize the building? [http://outreach.missouri.edu/boone/](http://outreach.missouri.edu/boone/) [http://outreach.missouri.edu/boone/homegarden.shtml](http://outreach.missouri.edu/boone/homegarden.shtml) 1012 N. Highway UU Columbia, MO 65203 Phone: 573-445-9792 Fax: 573-445-9807 Your Tax Dollars At Work. 😃 If you can’t catch the bugs in a baggie, catch them in a big paper grocery bag, fold the top down, and stick it in the freezer overnight. ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/6 "2002-05-29T04:27:28Z")
Oops, Sorry Duck, I moved to Colorado. I’ll fix my profile right after this post. I know exactly where their building is though. I have emailed this same querry to a friend that used to work for extension (in a different building) as a matter of fact. We had a late comer show up so I could see if what the CU extension folks in Boulder think. Also I got some much better pics: [http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/insect\_2.jpg](http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/insect_2.jpg) [http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/insect\_3.jpg](http://www.peakpeak.com/~brianrieck/insect_3.jpg) I’d say this one is in the 90th percentile as far as size goes. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/7 "2002-05-29T04:45:42Z")
Termites. No doubt about it. [http://www.securitypest.com/images/Tsideview.jpg](http://www.securitypest.com/images/Tsideview.jpg) [http://www.securitypest.com/Swarmworker.jpg](http://www.securitypest.com/Swarmworker.jpg) [http://www.securitypest.com/neworker.jpg](http://www.securitypest.com/neworker.jpg) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/8 "2002-05-29T13:24:35Z")
I didn’t think we had termites here in Colorado. On a completely different subject, how 'bout them Miller Moths, Retsin? You got them, too? I wake up every morning to 2-3 fluttering around the house. Yik! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/9 "2002-05-29T13:42:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Athena \* > I didn’t think we had termites here in Colorado. [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05532.html](http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05532.html) 😉 > [@](#): > > On a completely different subject, how 'bout them Miller Moths, Retsin? You got them, too? I wake up every morning to 2-3 fluttering around the house. Yik! [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05572.html](http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05572.html) 🙂 - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification-needed-nazi-insect-from-hell/111288/10 "2002-05-29T14:15:49Z")
Oh yeah every morning when I go get the paper I’m greeted by five or six Miller moths that have taken up residence in between the front door and storm door. Perhaps I can train them to eat termites. Also, have you noticed the swallows feasting on the moths at street intersections? Pretty cool. Well, I suppose the good news here is that this is likely a relatively new infestation, and it doesn’t appear that there is a substantial damage yet. Thanks for the help Dopers!