Ants vs. Termites: How To Tell the Difference
Knowing whether you've got ants or termites tells you how fast you need a pest control company. They look similar, but they do very different amounts of damage.
The difference between ants and termites
Ants and termites have some similarities, but they are strikingly different overall. Carpenter ants and termites both do damage to homes made of wood. They both swarm in the spring, and the species that swarm have wings that make them look alike.
Either way, the pest control team at Stampede is ready to clear them out of your home. And with a magnifying glass and the guide below, you can usually spot the difference yourself.
Ants vs. termites, point by point
Appearance, antennae, wings, diet, and behavior all give the two pests away. Here's what to look for.
Appearance
If you use a magnifying glass, you’ll see the subtle differences. Ants are usually dark colored, while termites are transparent or lightly colored, and you’ll only see them if something disturbs their nest.
Body shape
Segmented ants have narrow waists, while termites have a broad shape. The constricted abdomen is the first sign of an ant, while termites have a rectangular shape.
Antennae
Both insects have antennae, but the termite antenna is easy to recognize thanks to the straight shape and the little beads or balls at the end. Ant antennae have a distinctive bend.
Wings
Reproductive carpenter ants and termites have wings they use to find a new colony. Termites have two sets of wings that are uniform in size. Ants have asymmetrical wings: the front pair is large, the rear pair is tiny. Eventually both insects drop their wings. Same-size wings on the ground mean termites. Different sizes mean ants.
Diets
Termites eat wood to get cellulose. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they excavate it to make their nests within wooden structures, and they eat other insects. Both damage homes, but termites do more.
Visibility
Many homeowners don’t realize they have termites until they hear them or see droppings or wings. Subterranean termites make mud tubes near home foundations, and you might hear termites in your walls, especially if the colony has grown. Carpenter ants you’ll actually see, since they leave the nest to forage, and you’ll spot wings and the occasional droppings too.
Attractants
Moisture and wood attract both ants and termites. Carpenter ants look for food, so they’ll crawl on window sills and baseboards, looking for other insects to eat.
Life cycle differences
Ants and termites move through distinctive life cycle changes. Ants move through egg, larva, pupa, and adult, while termites have the egg, nymph, and adult phases. Ant queens live for several years, while the workers have a lifespan of a few months; termite queens can live for decades, and worker termites live for a few years. Both insects have fertile winged members that move to new nests to mate and begin a new colony. The male ants die after mating, while male and female termites live and grow their colonies. Once they breed, ants and termites lose their wings.
Flying ants vs. termites
Carpenter ants fly when they are swarming to mate and start a new nest. If you see a flying ant, it could be a carpenter ant, which looks a lot like a flying termite. The best way to tell them apart is to look for wings on the ground or to look closely at the insects with a magnifying glass to see their body shape, color, and antennae.
Not sure if you have ants or termites? Give us a call!
Carpenter ants and termites both do damage to homes behind the scenes. While termites eat structural wood, ants excavate it to build their nests. Contact us today for a free quote for pest control that is guaranteed to work.
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