These insects have been turning up in our house. What are they? They don't resemble termites that I have dealt with before, but I want to know if I need to call in an exterminator.
That is a winged, reproductive, subterranean termite (Reticulitermes sp.) after it has dropped its wings. The winged forms are dark-colored-- not pale like the worker termites. Here is a photo of another winged Reticulitermes specimen that dropped its wing for comparison.
I have seen the winged forms of these termites flying in Corvallis in the last week or two, so this just may be the right time for them to swarm. For that reason, if I just saw one or two of these in my house, I would not necessarily be worried. However, if you are seeing a number of these, you might have a household infestation.
As a precaution, you may want to have a knowledgeable, licensed pest control operator do a termite inspection. Hopefully, you don't have an infestation and these just accidentally made their way in from outdoors. The following resource has important considerations for hiring a pest control company: Selecting a pest control company, National Pest Information Center
