[kija21]

I was just in my yard and felt something on my foot, when I looked down I saw this pile of orangish bugs with flies emerging. When I looked around I noticed that they are everywhere. I can look out my front window and see the little flies beginning to fly up and some birds diving for them. I this normal or something in the lawn. We are doing some digging and have a lot of black dirt spread, but they only seem to be in areas of grass.

[kija21]

I was just outside and noticed these piles of orangish bugs with small flies emerging. I looked around and they seem to be everywhere.

[Catsmine]

Since your questions are both related, I have joined them to make one thread.

As for the bugs, can you post pictures or collect some samples to take to get identified? Places for an I.D. would be your local college Biology Dept. an exterminators' office, or your local Agricultural Dept. Extension office.

[gnahcd]

I am guessing that you might be seeing a mound of lady beetles. I am not sure if this is the right season for this to be occurring, but I have seen this swarming behavior in lady beetles (family Coccinellidae). Apparently, this is common with Asian lady beetles in the fall, to the point where they become household pests because of their sheer numbers. Otherwise, they feed on aphids.

[J_9]

TErmites?