Going Nuts, Need Help with Bugs!!!
 

I have a lantana and the second bedroom or den has one window. For the past few weeks, at night, there are hundreds of little bugs that seem to come out of the seams along the frame of the window. The window has plantation shutters. The bugs are a mixture of tiny specs to slightly larger. I don't think they fly or at least I don't see them flying but the larger bug has wings because they seem to flutter.

I don't have pest service, I stopped that last year. My husband sprays the outside around the window with home pest spray; he put down pest stuff under the window, he's sealed around the windows.'

Last night I used non chemical insect repellent inside when I saw several scattering about. This works but I just don't want to do that every night. The mixture is lemongrass oil and the smell isn't nice so I couldn't sit in the den last night.

Short of hiring a pest service, is there any other suggestions out there. The bugs seem attracted to the white crown molding because they crawl around up near the ceiling where the molding is. If I shut the light, it doesn't deter them or make them go away.

This is the only window its happening to. We did have new landscaping put in right before this started (stone work) so I been thinking this may have caused it. But we sprayed the stone several times with repellent.

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You need to find where they are coming from. Go outside the window, at night, when they are coming in the window. You will most likely find a LONG trail of them. Follow the trail to the end and you will see the nest. We had the same problem with ants coming in a kitchen window. I couldn't believe how far away the nest was.

My husband did this. He couldn't find a trail but initially there were hundreds on the outside of the window - it's the weirdest thing, it's almost like they are coming out of the solid wood! We are using round up home pest spray - is there anything better that you know of?

you had better get a sample of the winged ones to someone in the know to determine if they are termites. If they are, just like the ants, the nest is not neccessarily any where near where you see them.

If you dropped your bug service and if you do not keep up your annual termite inspection and if they are termites......you will soon find out how INEXPENSIVE it is to keep these services in FL!!!!!!!!!!!!

btk

As our termite and pest control inspector said, "it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when' somebody in a neighborhood gets termites, because they refuse to spend a couple of hundred dollars on termite protection. Then the neighbors will get them too if not protected. I have seen our service co. stand behind the termite damage warranty and it can cost $15-$20,000 to tear out walls and replace them if you don't have these inspections and warranty."

So if not for yourself, do it for your neighbors. When somebody sells their house, the last thing they need is to have everything come to a screeching halt because termites were found to have eaten away huge areas inside walls.

First of all, I have termite protection and will always keep that. And the pests I have are not termites.

I cancelled the pest service because I do not like chemicals sprayed indoors period. I have cats, if the solution is killing bugs, it's not healthy period. I only had pest service for my lawn and outdoor areas.

I let them go because I was tired of calling them for diseased plants (part of the service). I don't think I can mention who I contracted but if others know of a good, reliable service, please pass it on. I had two since moving here. Both were big named services that you see through out the Villages.

Thanks

Our pest control service has never "sprayed chemicals indoors".

Here's a link to some natural pest repellents.

Natural Insect Pest Control: Safe, Non-Toxic Methods & Solutions | Eartheasy.com

Can you tell me who you use?

We have never had a pest service that sprays indoors either.....anywhere we have ever lived in the South. We use Munn's here in TV and they treat the outside quarterly. No bugs in 9 years.

btk

I have absolutely NO bug problem in my Lantana. I use Massey as my bug guy and they do not spray indoors at all.

I would bet they are the swarmers (termites) that come out now looking for a new food source. Have had them in 2 different homes and at one point it looked liked they were dropping right out of the wood - which they were when we found the little opening!Google termite swarmers and see if this is what they look like. Good luck.

We use Massey, too. Never have had bugs inside. They are meticulous about checking and sometimes put granular stuff outside along the foundation. And the price is a no-brainer.

I thought the same thing, that maybe they are swarmers. We had them about once a year in Los Angeles but if I remember right, they had wings but they would show up by the thousands from out of no where and swarm for a bit and then disappear. So not sure those are the bugs she has, but I really think Nanci that its important to get a professional in there to tell you what kind of bug it is. You don't have to hire them to spray, but at least you'll know what they are. It sounds a little serious to me.

Unlike the others, I have had to spray inside my house quite a few times in the past 6 years. I was infested with ticks that my dogs picked up in a boarding facility and it took 3 months of spraying to finally get rid of them. Each time, myself and the dogs had to leave for 4 hours at least, so I put them in day care at my vets to also have them checked for ticks. Not a pleasant experience, but I didn't think it would be prudent of me to try to control this infestation by myself and my doggies were suffering. I use 1 800 PEST CONTROL and I do love them. They are very efficient and thorough.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution to your problem. I hate BUGS!!! UGH!!