Help! I just saw flying bugs in my home. Are they flying ants or termites? How do I know what the difference is?
This is a very important distinction to make since the first sign of termite infestation is a swarm of flying insects. Termites do major structural damage to a home.
For clues to help distinguish termites from ants, examine the insects’ wings, waist, and antennae.
WINGS
Flying ants and flying termites both have two pairs of wings.
Difference is that termite wings are relatively equal in size. Ant wings tend to be longer in front and shorter in back.
WAISTS
Ants have a narrow, pinched waist, with three separate body parts.
ANTENNAE
Termites’ waists are thicker and less distinct. In addition, ant’s antennae are elbowed, while termites are straight.
APPEARANCES
Termites are typically black or dark brown.
Ants can be black, brown or red. They have two pairs of brown-tinted wings that differ in size.
BEHAVIOR
Both termites and ants live in large colonies.
Termites can be found in lumber, wood debris, decaying trees, and stumps. Because they eat wood, Termites can cause serious structural damage.
Carpenter ants inhabit wood structures. They typically do not cause structural damage because they do not eat wood.
FOOD
Termites feed on nutrient-rich material found in plants which is called cellulose. Termites also devour wood and paper.
Ants are omnivores and primarily eat nectar, seeds, other insects, and food debris found around and inside homes.
REPRODUCTIVE
Termites go through the life cycle of an egg, nymph (larvae), and adult phases and survive for a couple years. The Queen termite can live for decades. After mating both male and female termite partners live on and continue to expand their new colonies.
Ants’ life cycle goes through an egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Queen ants live for years. Worker ants live for a few months. The male ant partners typically die after mating with the females.
During warm months, both fertile winged ants and termites fly from their nests to mate and establish new colonies and both ants and termites lose their wings after mating.
If you start to see flying insects, call in the experts to make sure they don’t multiple and cause major damage.
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