Yikes! I've never actually seen a house tented like that before, besides tv of course.

I hope all the roaches or whatever don't come running over your yard to die! Keep your cat inside for awhile.

Wow - that's freaky. Sorry you have to go through this - hopefully will be over soon. You could always walk over, introduce yourself, and politely ask when it'll be over. ? Probably better whatever bugs they do have that they're getting rid of, they're getting rid of!!!

Lynn, that is quite a sight to encounter from your back deck! Like a circus but without the tickets and cotton candy. It would have been courteous for your new neighbors to give you a heads up!

It's likely a dry wood termite situation. Maybe post beetles. I would keep my pets inside for awhile. I know that some fumigants produce quicker effects than others, and some critters live longer than others, but I don't know what the odds are of an exposed rodent entering your yard following fumigation.

The tent is designed to contain the toxins during fumigation, but there will be residue, which is why many home owners choose chemicals instead of heat treating for termites--in hopes of preventing a reinfestation. I think I'd call the number on the tent to learn exactly what toxin was used.

I wish I could offer a reply that's more helpful. I do feel your moment of panic and sympathize. I'd be displeased, too, to discover that scene next door over my morning coffee! Please let us know how the adventure plays out for you and your thrips and your unicorns. Carol

They usually do that for termites so hopefully it will stay contained to the house, fingers crossed. I have no clue what to tell you to expect. Good luck! Keep us posted

@reese Right??? And this is New Orleans, we are a buggy town! What on earth could be this bad?

@SJN That very thing JUST occurred to both of us. I mean we’ve had termite swarms for 2 weeks now, our roaches are 2 inches long and have the gift of flight, it’s not like we don’t have bugs here. But I’ve only ever seen these on TV and once or twice from the highway. The cat has responded to every introduction to a litter box by smooshing around and taking a nap, so it’s hard to keep her inside. But I have pork chop leftovers and I’m not afraid to use them!

@Karen well nobody’s home, presumably because of the DEADLY POISON ; ) But yes, I hate confrontation, these are our neighbors! I’m not gonna come out swinging yet. H works from home and he makes it his business to know what’s going on but this took even him by surprise.

I’ll assume termites. Most people have the ground treated, I believe it’s a requirement for home insurance even? An actual infestation is an emergency for sure. But the movie people film stuff on the next block probably once a month, and they put notes in the mailbox, and as far as I know they don’t use poison, so you know. Neighborly courtesy! Even just for the eyesore part.

Thank you! I feel better!

EDIT cross post! @boncrow @veggie @portlandmysteryrose you are all correct. Almost certainly termites, it’s true, and an infestation is an emergency and probably the fault of the previous homeowner for failing to keep up with the treatments. We’ve just NEVER seen this before! And didn’t get a heads up, but hey, I’m sure they’re distracted. I’d think the company would have a form letter at least though.

I avoid confrontation at all costs, so thank you all for encouraging me to chill out, which was my initial request! My backyard is a way less stressy place with you folks around for many reasons.

I just had a horrid thought..bedbugs!! Apparently they are becoming more common. I guess they would heat treat for that.

@Carol (can you actually tag people here?) I forgot to mention it’s extra funny because we are RIGHT on the train tracks and were just talking about how excited we were when the circus train rolled by a couple years ago. There were binoculars involved. Thank you for your always encouraging words.

I’m on the front porch now and every pedestrian/cyclist is taking the time to go WHOA!!! So that makes me feel better too. Termite swarms? Sure, every year! Termite treatment? Same! Circus tent? That’s new.

Maybe southern California is a termite's idea of paradise, but I've often seen these tents, or should say I saw them when I lived in an actual town and not out in the boonies. No one payed any particular attention because everyone knew what it was.

I'm also of the strong belief that avoiding confrontation with neighbors is to be practiced at all costs. If they're reasonable people they won't do really stupid things, and if they're not there is not a thing you can do about it. I was surprised, though, when I lived in Sacramento and came home from work one day and saw at least a dozen people in front of my next-door-neighbor's house carrying rifles, with the word "Police" on the back of their jackets. Turns out the neighbors were big-time dope dealers, and clueless me just thought they had an awful lot of friends and a spiffing social life.

Those termite-treatment tents are fairly common around here (NoCal, z9b, Sunset 14), too -- often associated with the sale of a house.

@ingrid @catspat We have Formosa termites, whose females have been swarming street lights for 2 weeks or so now looking for homes. Very few porch lights on in town.

For some reason they respond to soil treatment, so every few years you get a perimeter treated around your house about a foot deep. No wood mulch, no wood stored anywhere unless it’s cypress or cedar, etc. But no fumigating tents either! Not sure why. Apparently the tents are common in Albuquerque as well, since they were a huge genius subplot in Breaking Bad (which everyone should watch obviously).

But yeah, probably time to call the termite guy. ; )

We also see them a lot where we live - usually termites, and usually right after a house sells & before the new owners move in - the bugs were likely flagged in the home inspection. I would give the new neighbors a break, as they were probably advised to do it as part of buying the house. (And if they previously lived in an area where it was more common, it wouldn't seem shocking to them.)

They are probably the right g for termites, especially if the house just sold. The tent is sealed and the Oisin becomes inert after it has done its job and they remove the tent. It should t impact your good bugs.

The bright side is that if the house HAD termites they won't swarm over to your house now.

I wouldn't worry- they use the tent so that the treatment is confined to that house and doesn't affect anyone else.

No harm in calling to ask if you need to take any precautions though.

Thanks folks. It was just a surreal sight to drive up to! I was mostly annoyed we didn't know about it - the neighborhood is pretty good about that, note in the mailbox saying "hey just a heads up, we'll have a dumpster/roofers/film crew" etc. But I'm sure they're distracted! It's fine, and a good reminder to make sure we're up to date with our termite guy.

Also, that original post up there definitely reads like a lady who hasn't had her porch wine yet.

Next up to fret about: Suptropical Storm Alberto! Just water my plants and move along por favor!

LOL @ porch wine.

FTR, I loathe clowns and most things circus-y. A titch ironic considering where I live. If a clown comes outta that tent... can't nobody help you ::shivers::

Here, every house that is sold must be checked for termites.

And most houses have them.

Orange Oil can be used for spot infestations, but in reality most houses are tented.
I've never heard of any damage to adjoining property --- though most plants die if they are INSIDE the tent.

Every so often, a REALLY stupid burglar enters a tented home to steal things -- which is a good way to reduce the burglar population.

HA! I texted some photos to a friend who said "Oh well, looks like your new neighbors are deadly poison murder clowns. *sadmoji*"

@jeri, here too. See above re: SWARMS, currently underway. I just haven't ever seen one of these tents around here - no idea what the difference is except that I think a termite contract is a requirement for home insurance (?) so everybody kind of has to take preventive measures. Every now and then there will be a board that was too close to a tree and you just treat and replace it, etc.

The house was rented on one side but vacant on the other for about a year, so I can see how an infestation could get out of hand during that time!

The reason that house was bagged was for an infestation or multiple colonies of Formosan Termites.
Formosans are a different termite than the ones that live in the ground and are controlled by bait IN the ground.

Formosans live UP IN THE HOUSE and subsist on wood, etc. and water that comes through leaky roofs, leaking pipes, gutters that overflow. Bagging is the only way to kill them.

Several decades ago a Formosan termite expert was experimenting with baits, etc. in the Quarter. Unfortunately after a home owners meeting, he was walking a lady home on Barracks St (500 block) and was murdered by a thug who didn't even take his wallet. That murder was never solved. His research wasn't followed up on as long as we lived there.

Bagging is a way of life. If it makes you uncomfortable, there's not much you can do beside move to where Formosan termites aren't yet.

Sorry to be blunt, but Formosans are that serious a threat.

If I were But you, I would also have my house checked for termites. But don't be surprised if you are told you need a different kind of treatment. Because as you have already seen on this thread people have stated that they had their ground treated. some have used oils, and others have had theirs tented. I had termites in my garden and put down baits to kill them. It did not kill them at all. Then the house next door had their house tented. Not long after that I found some termite damage in my house. I called the same people that my neighbor used and had them come out. I thought maybe some of their termites had escaped and came to my house. Nope. I had a different kind of termite. They had to drill holes in the slab of my house to poison them. We didn't even have to leave the property because the poison they put down would only hurt the termites... unfortunately because I was hoping it would get rid of the palmetto bugs as well. I had asked about the termites in my garden and he gave me some stuff to put down and said I needed to keep the pets off for 12hours. A few years after that I had a wind storm take down a live tree, when we went to cut the tree up to remove it we found termites in it. I had been under the impression that termites only ate dead wood. WRONG. And guess what it was even a different kind of termite from the one in my house, my garden and the neighbors house...... So I guess there are many various types of termites and different kinds of treatments....... So I tell everyone, have their house checked..... not just because their neighbors have them because you may have them and have a totally different kind..... Good luck.

Oh dear, what an adventure! How awful for you. It gets so scary when you lose control of your own home. We’ve been lucky/vigilant so far. It’s definitely part of life here (swarms still raging as of last night, no wings in the house yet) but it’s easy to become complacent. They are insidious.

I’ve lived around here my whole life and I’d never seen one of the tents up close! My first thought was to panic about my bugs and my roses, so I came here for wise words to calm the hell down, and I got them. This is a precious resource.

Note to self, don’t panic in “public” until at least one glass of porch wine. (Covered with an inverted coaster to keep the bugs out, of course.)

...and there go the street lights, time to hunker down and obsessively monitor Alberto! Thanks again everyone and here’s another palate cleanser, SdlM being a superstar.

Hi my nam'es Joshua...my neighbors just did this w/no warning & took off. I now have a large cockroach influx out of the blue & put 1 & 2 together.. I'm truly disturbed & don't know how to handle this. My neighbor is a Iraq/Afghan vet & has a wife w/4 children. This is not a joke.

I’ve seen this tenting done in Louisiana and TX for termite fumigant. Dry wood termites are the most difficult to get rid of compared to damp wood termites and subterranean. I’m constantly checking for termites as I have so many plants around the foundation of my house and whole yard actually. Hopefully the wood eating vermin are gone and the tent comes down soon!

How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? That won't win me many friends but really, we as a nation have changed to the point that we condemn instead of console. Many folks don't even know the last name of their next door neighbor....sad, for sure!!

Our house was tented when we bought it 29 years ago, and once again four years ago at the start of the pandemic, both times for termites. Here pretty much every house needs to be tented every few decades. If they don't, well, good bye house. The good news is that they use a much less toxic chemical than they used to use. Oh, it will still kill you if you are foolish enough to ge into the tent,, but the envirmomental hazard is much reduced. The bright color is supposed to be a warning. Works pretty well, I would say.