Termites and ants often get mistaken for one another. This can seem strange at first since most people assume ants are black insects that crawl around while termites are a light cream color that enjoy burrowing in all kinds of wooden surfaces. The truth is that there are many different types of ants and some of them have wings just like termites do in their swarming phase. They also like to nest in wooden spaces so it is very easy to confuse the two. You can count on your pest control experts to determine which type of insect is infesting your home. They will be able to identify exactly what type of ant or termite is infesting your home, and this will have a lot to do with the type of treatment they recommend. If you would like to learn additional facts here is more info.
When trying to determine for yourself which pest is responsible for causing the infestation there are a few things you will need to look for. Both ants and termites have similar shapes and sizes. But termites are decidedly cream colored while ants come in shades of black, brown and sometimes white. Termites have straight antennae while ants have antennae that are bent or elbowed. Both types of insects have four wings but the termites wings are all the same size. Winged ants, however, have larger wings at the front of their bodies and smaller wings in the back. You will be able to notice that a termites wings are twice the size of their bodies. Ants have wings that are more in proportion to their bodies. Ants also have distinctive body shapes which include thinner waists than the termites. Termites look more uniform.
Ants are commonly found in the home near sources of food. Termites naturally gravitate towards wooden areas, but when they have their wings it is not uncommon to see them on window screens. Carpenter ants will burrow into wood but they do not eat it like termites do. Ants will also travel in order to find food. They fly during the summer months in order to start new colonies. Termites shed their wings but flying ants don’t. These discarded wings are used as additional sources of nourishment. No matter which type of flying insect is impacting your home environment, contact your pest control expert immediately for help. They will be able to determine which types of ants or termites your home has and recommend an effective treatment.