Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-05-11

more prevalent pests.
We can start by asking a
very pertinent question: Can
you tell the difference bet
ween termites and flying
ants? If you can, fine; you
can save yourself a great
deal of worry, or the expense
of having q professional
Identification.
Termites are world famous
for the kind of destruction
they can cause to any wood
house, particularly If they
can do their gnawing without
being discovered for a time.
Flying ants, despite their
somewhat threatening SINH
larity to termites, cause no
real damage at all.
Unfortunately for the
peace of mind Of many peo-
pie, the habits are outwardly
similar. In the spring. you
see swarms of each. After a
while, each sheds its wings,
and seems to have q liking
for wood. This is enough to
start the inexperienced doing
some real worrying.
Positive Identification
But If you'll take a good
look, you can make an in
slant, positive Identification.
Flying ants have an old
fashioned "hour-glass" fig
ure, with a really pinched
waistline. Additionally, their
front wings are a little larger
than the rear pair.
Termites have q one-piece
body. There's no pinching In
at all at the waistline. Their
wings, too, are all the same
size both front and back.
So, next time you see Q
black bug with light-colored
wings, don't panic until you
examine 1t closely-it may
only be a flying ant. But II
you determine it's q termite,
waste no time whatsoever In
having the exterminator take
care of any infestation before
extensive damage can result.
Another EoteF
Another destructive bug is
the carpenter ant, which is
large. black and very fond Of
wood. The sooner you can
trace them back to the nest,
the better. II one of their
nests really gets established
in your woodwork, 1t can re-
suit In appreciable damage,
as well as the nuisance Of
having these big black crawl
ers around.
A few years ago, In our
weekend cottage in the
woods, we finally located a
nest. It took my wife's ears
quite q bit sharper than
mine) to trace the sound Of
rustling behind the pine wall
paneling. 1t led to the space
over our bedroom door. So I
started to pry off one end Of
the Intel, enough to peek in
side with the help Of o flash
light.
One look was enough; I
hastily pushed the board
closed again. We assembled
the vacuum cleaner, dust pan
and brush and q spray bomb.
Then I pried the end Of the
Intel loose again, and shot
the spray into the space be-
hind. That sure did stir up
activity - with what seemed
like Z million big black antsl
Sproy Finished Ants
In short order, the spray
took all the starch out of
these ants and I pried the
Intel board completely off so
I could get at the nest,
which almost filled the en-
tire space (the width Of the
door, at least 8 inches high,
and the depth Of the wall
space. What few ants were
still wiggling got more spray,
including the enormous
queen.
I whisk- broomed most of
the collection into a large
brown paper bag, and
secured up the remains with
the vacuum cleaner. Then,
after taking the paper bag
outside and soaking 1t with
kerosene, I burned it.
Goodbye yellow Joekets
I recall another time when
I was spending o summer in
a small Connecticut town. A
big colony Of short-tempered
yellow-jackets nested In the
ground, Just where 1t was
nice to sit outside on q sum-
mer afternoon. After they'd
delivered q few unpleasant
stings, 1t became time for
us to do something.
The old-time druggist knew
the remedy. but wouldn't sell
me any; much too danger
Gus for you to handle" But
he said he'd help me II (a)
I'd locate both entrances to
the underground colony. and