Flying ants and termites are not the same thing. Here are the differences and what you can do about an infestation.
Flying Ants vs. Termites
House pests such as termites or ants can be some of the most unwelcome guests in your home. Termites and carpenter ants are the most concerning, as an infestation left untreated can cause major structural home damage. A tell-tale sign of a termite problem is a swarm of flying insects and trails of sawdust around wood structures. But not all swarming insects are termites. It can be easy to mistake flying ants for termites and vice versa, but neither one is desirable in your home.
Effective treatment begins with correctly identifying which wood-tunneling pest you’re dealing with. Read on to learn important differences and identifiers between flying ants vs. termites with help from Steven Rossetti from Florence Pest Solutions.
Flying Ants
Flying ants are not confined to any specific ant species, as ants develop wings to reproduce. “All ants that are reproductive are flying ants,” Rossetti says. Reproductive-age males and virgin queens sprout wings to fly and find mates with which to reproduce. Large swarms of mating, winged ants are often mistaken for termites, but a closer look reveals physical differences. Winged ants have elbowed antennae, pinched waists and hind wings smaller than their front wings. Their bodies can be black, brown or a reddish color. While worker ants die after mating, the queens can live for years. These pests feed on nectar, seeds, other insects and food debris in and around the home.
Flying carpenter ants can be seen out in the open, and nest in wood, in which they tunnel. They are most commonly found nesting in wet, damp and/or rotting wood, but may also be present in dry wood. If you spot a cluster of flying red ants or a full-blown flying carpenter ant infestation, the first thing you’ll want to do is repair or replace the rotted wood. Next, you’ll want to use an insecticide to kill the ants if they have built their nest indoors. If you can’t get to the nest, use ant bait, available at home center, hardware stores and online.
Here’s more information on how to get rid of flying ants, as well as other pests.
Termites
There are two types of termites: the worker and the swarmer. The workers are creamy colored and measure 3 to 4 mm long. Meanwhile, swarmers are the reproductive type, measuring about 4 mm long and are dark brown or black in color.
Check out these 13 must-know tips for DIY termite control.
In general, they have straight antennae, wide bodies without pinched waists and equal-length wings. Workers survive a couple of years, while queens can live for decades.
Like ants, termites swarm as part of the mating process. The males die soon after, while the queens drop their wings to find a nesting site. The sudden appearance of swarming termites in flight is a good indicator that there is an infestation nearby.
Termites can cause extensive damage to a home, as they mainly eat wood, paper and other cellulose-based products. They are most commonly found when mud foraging tubes or infested wood is broken open. “Termites are sneaky,” Rossetti says. “You often don’t notice them until they’re a real issue.” If left untreated, termites can hollow out structural wood in a home, compromising the integrity of floor joists and support beams. “I’ve witnessed extreme termite damage in homes,” Rossetti says.
About the Expert
Steven Rossetti is the owner of Florence Pest Solutions in Florence, Massachusetts. He has over 30 years in the pest control industry.
Photo; Courtesy of Amco Pest Solutions, Inc.
