SLIDELL, La. — What lengths would you go to rid yourself of a Louisiana swarm?
It's unfortunately termite season, and one Slidell man is choosing to light up the night with some unique ways to fight off the pesky bugs.
He and firefighters will warn: don't try this at home.
Those in the New Orleans area see swarms usually about three times a year right around Mother's Day. The Formosan termites come out when it's humid and after some afternoon rain.
Kenny Bellau tried to attack a swarm with a bug zapper and didn't have much luck so the next time they came out, he blew a blow torch to them.
"Termite swarm versus something a little more lethal," he said in a video fighting off the termites.
"It's all a joke. Don’t do this at home. The St. Tammany Fire Department has warned me already," Bellau said.
St. Tammany Fire District 11 posted to Facebook: "If ever a "What NOT To Do" video was going to exist, this is the one. Termites are going to do what termites are going to do. This option poses a big risk for fire damage and serious injury. No knock on this gentleman, we feel the frustration but please be careful everyone."
Bellau agrees.
"It just rained here. Everything was pretty wet," Bellau said.
He said the experiment didn't work too well.
"It doesn’t work but sure was fun," he said.
"I wouldn’t recommend any methods of blow torching or electricity," said Entomologist Joe Martin with Terminix.
Most in the New Orleans area surely feel Bellau's frustration with the pests, but Martin said instead of fighting back, use the swarm sighting to learn if you home could be infested.
"A lot of people say turn off the lights. We say leave the lights on. This is the one opportunity you get in the entire year to walk around your house and see where the termites are coming from. Are they coming out of a tree? Are they coming out of firewood next to your house? Are they coming from your house?" Martin said.
He explained what we are seeing is young kings and queens leaving their mother colony.
"What they are looking for is a moist place to start a new colony," Martin said.
While Bellau promises fire won’t be used again, termites… be warned.
"The next swarm the termites are in trouble with me," Bellau said.
Martin said this is their busiest time of year and every day they are finding termite colonies in homes and trees. He said termites are part of the reason some oak trees don't make it through rough storms, so it's worth checking if any are near your home.