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Photo#397297
What is this?? - Coptotermes formosanus

What is this?? - Coptotermes formosanus
New Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA
Size: about a centimeter long
Help!! They swarmed inside and outside yesterday and now they won't leave!

Moved
You must not have lived in New Orleans for long. The main swarm of the Formosan termites has yet to come- probably within the next month, often just after a rain near the time of a full moon. At that time there will be clouds of these termites fluttering through the air. It is amazing to watch. If you turn off your lights, fewer of them will enter your home.

The native termites in this area are darker. The yellowish color seen here is typical of the Formosan termites, which are also a little larger than the native species. Looking at the wings is the best way to separate this one from the native.

I was surprised to see that there are no images yet in BugGuide for this species, although there was an empty Guide page. I’m not sure if there were images here in the past that are now deleted, but to put something there, I’ve moved these images to the Guide. Once better pictures have been added, this picture may be “frassed” because it is blurry and doesn’t show the characteristic hairy nature of the wings that would be useful. If you are able to take better pictures in the coming swarm, please feel free to add them to BugGuide.

Moved from Isoptera (Termites).

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Maybe alates of the Formosan Subterranean Termite.
Info here.

I think
Isoptera (Termites)

 
Definitely.
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