Termites/red ants - found a small area possibly attacking my house

[joefrompa]

Hi all,

Yesterday I found a ~1-2' stretch of very quick moving termites/red ants crawling butted up against my house and concrete foundation. They were heavily infesting the wet mulch that sits right there, but were also crawling up under some siding. I have no known or suspected leaks in that area, so I'd think the area under the siding would be dry.

I sprayed it vigorously with a insert killer/insect guard by Ortho and they all died. I scraped up the area again and sprayed again thoroughly. This morning, I went outside and there appeared to be no living bugs in the vicinity.

Should I be concerned or were they most likely just after the mulch? As a side note, some of my concrete foundation was actually pitted where they were and looked like they were crawling into it - can these guys burrow into concrete?

 

[CJ-SR4ever]

Not that I know of. I dont think any kind of bug can make a nest and burrow into concrete. Sounds like they were just after that mulch.

 

[thinkxingu]

If they were going in the house via concrete, they'd need mud tunnels- subterranean termites need to be moist. Though I also thought termites weren't fans of mulch because of the color chemicals.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not that I know of. I dont think any kind of bug can make a nest and burrow into concrete. Sounds like they were just after that mulch.

Aliens can burrow through concrete . . . but only with their acid-like blood. Of course if the OP has an infestation of Aliens we're all in trouble unless Sigourney Weaver is around.