Experts say normal this time of year

Over the weekend, you may have seen what looked like ants with wings. These bugs are Formosan subterranean termites and they are out in full force in our area. These half-inch insects can cause quite a bit of trouble if they get out of hand. 

Kenny Redd of Redd Pest Solutions said there is a little insect swarming around that's creating a lot of havoc for homeowners. 

"The telephone has rang off the wall today. We have got several calls and a lot of people really concerned about seeing these termites," said Kenny. 

They're called Formosan subterranean termites and they are making quite an impact in our area, particularly in west Mobile. 

"This time of the year, around Mother's Day, a week before, and a week after Mother's Day, Formosan termites are swarming and you're going to see then swarming at night usually around 8:30-9:30 at night," said Kenny. 

At that time of night, they're hard to keep away. 

"They're attracted to maybe a street light or maybe a lamp or a flood light around your home. Maybe a porch light. We've had a lot of calls today where they've swarmed to the kitchen window because the kitchen light above the sink was on. So it's good to keep all the lights dim this time of year. Try not to have too much lighting," said Redd. 

Kenny's son Brandon sees these termites and the damage they create first hand. 

"They'll give us a call, and they might have 10-15-20 termites. When you have that it's really nothing to worry about. If you're seeing them by the hundreds, maybe by the thousands, then you have something to worry about," said Brandon. 

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Kenny said the Formosan termites are 10 times worse than the Eastern Native termites. Formosan termites are not harmful to humans, just harmful to wood structures. 

While baited and liquid treatments are available to deter reproduction, these insects are here for one thing: to give homeowners a hard time. 

If you currently do not have a termite bond for your home or business, search for a company that covers both regular and Formosan termites. And read your contract carefully. Not all agreements cover the cost of repairing termite damage. 

The project began a year ago, but it wasn't until last month that several of the high-pressure sodium lights in four different neighborhoods were replaced with Light Emitting Diode ones, according to Southern California Edison spokesman Ben Harvey. 

Southern California Edison provided about two dozen lights -- four different types for each neighborhood -- and paid for the installations, Harvey said. City Light & Power, the utility company that operates and maintains the street lighting system in Long Beach, installed them. 

Utility officials say the LED lights last longer and use 40% to 50% less energy than the high-pressure sodium lights currently in many of the street lights of Long Beach. 

"We're always looking for ways to be more financially and environmentally efficient, and use technology to improve services to the community," Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster said.