Termites and flying ants are two completely different species of insect, but they can be easy to confuse when they have infested your home. Their wings are also of equal length on either side of their bodies. 2. She loves writing about her travels, health, wellness, home decor, food and drink, fashion, beauty and scientific news. A flying ant’s wings are uneven in length and are more pointed on the ends. Termites do not have a pinched waist, and their antennae are straight. Also, termites have beaded antennae, while ants’ antennae are smooth. • Antennae are … The first thing you'll notice--if you're looking at a termite--is that the wings are about ⅓ or ½ inch longer than the body and completely rounded on the ends, as mentioned earlier. One of the hardest parts of termite control is trying to figure out is it termites or winged ants your dealing with. As you can see, termites pose a severe threat to your welfare when they are eating your home for dinner. Termites will also have two sets of wings, but they’ll both be the same length. Ant & Termite Appearance. The two rear wings of a flying ant are shorter than the front wings. Today I’m going to help you determine yourself what is the difference between an ant and a termite. Termites: Termites have straight antennae. Flying Ants: What Is the Difference? One way to determine if they are termites is if there are discarded wings lying around windowsills or other areas of your home. Whether the winged ant you see is a carpenter ant or a termite, however, the wings mean that the insect is a reproductive male or queen—the only members of an ant colony that can reproduce. Like all winged insects, termites and flying ants have four wings. Both flying ants and termites swarm as part of the mating process. Meanwhile, swarmers are the reproductive type, measuring about 4 mm long and are dark brown or black in color. Termite workers, by comparison, are transparent, light … Both termites and flying ants can cause significant damage when they take up residence in your house. A termite’s wings are generally longer than its body and are rounded on the ends. The sight of swarming insects is enough to alarm any homeowner. Flying ants are often mistaken for winged termites. More about what a termite looks like. If you spot a cluster of flying red ants or a full-blown flying ant infestation, the first thing you’ll want to do is repair or replace the rotted wood. Termites are one of the most infamous, with an infestation easy to spot by a swarm of flying insects. Termite vs Flying Ant: Key Differences. Photo; Courtesy of Amco Pest Solutions, Inc. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. When they are mating, you typically will not see termites without wings mingling with termites that have wings. Contrary to popular belief, these swarming insects are not always termites — they may be flying ants. Natural dust, such as diatomaceous earth. Their bodies can be black, brown or a reddish color. will have a pinched waist in the middle, with bent antennae and two sets of wings. Have you considered flying ants? The sudden appearance of swarming ants or termites in flight is a good indicator that there is an infestation nearby. Termites sometimes have wings, but lose them soon after they mate. Termites have straight antennae, a uniform abdomen, and their wings—when they have them—are of equal length on both sides. When trying to determine if what you are seeing are flying ants with wings or termites, there are two things you need to consider: their appearance and their behavior. An easier way to distinguish a termite from an ant is to examine the body. Finally, termites and flying ants have different wings. Wood, fabric, and even carpet can all be a part of a termite's well-balanced diet. Pretty much all ants can spread bacteria or even pathogens into your home, so you could be at risk of contracting some nasty illnesses. Termites undergo what is called a “gradual metamorphosis”. The two differ, so let’s help you decipher difference between flying ants and termites. The workers are creamy colored, measure 3 to 4 mm long and are most commonly found when mud foraging tubes or infested wood is broken open. The loose wings can often be seen near the opening of a termite nest and can be used to identify a termite infestation. Many species of driver ant are known to coordinate and carry out "raids" on neighboring colonies of insects, like termites. Learning the differences between these two distinct insects will allow you to adequately defend against the unique threats that they pose. In set one, you can see that flying termites have 4 wings all of equal length, while flying ants have 2 sets of wings (front and back) that are different lengths. Swarming Months. To avoid making the critical mistake of misidentifying a termite as a flying ant you should know two things: 1. Notably, the front wings are longer than the back wings. Both of these species – flying ants and winged termites, are seeing swarming around sources which emit light when it is dark. Antennae. Termites usually swarm during spring while ants are known to fly during the summer season. • Termites have equally long pair of wings while the forewings are longer than hind wings in termites. They contain cellulase, an enzyme that is required to breakdown cellulose into a reusable form. Watch this short video to find out! Flying ants can be a little more tricky to deal with than termites, as multiple species of ants have wings when they are mating. Termites have been known to cause so much damage to the structure of buildings that the buildings had to be condemned until the damage was repaired. Flying Ants Swarm to Mate . Once you have a basic idea of how ants and termites are different, identifying which one you have will be much easier. OeKc05 Post 8 @Perdido – Yes, flying ants do bite. In general, they have straight antennae, wide bodies without pinched waists and equal length wings. If you find that you have a swarm of flying ants in your home, you most likely are dealing with an infestation of carpenter ants. Ants’ antennae have a 90-degree bend in the middle, while termite antennae are straight. Ants are almost always easier to find. Winged Termites…. House pests such as termites or ants are no fun. Is It a Flying Ant or a Termite? To answer the question of “termite vs flying ant,” there are three simple ways to differentiate. Check out these home disaster prevention tips, including inspecting your foundation for termite tunnels. Check out why you should install wood foundation, which contains arsenate which is toxic to pests like flying ants and termites. Their wings are also of equal length on either side of their bodies. So when left to their own devices within their natural habitats, ants can be a positive force for the ecosystem. In set two, notice that the antennae are subtly different–but different nonetheless. Additional methods to differentiate flying ants from winged termites. Most people have had all types of flying termites and luckily not even a single kind caused any harm. When they are mating, you typically will not see termites without wings mingling with termites that have wings. If you’re looking at a creature with two wings, the top being longer than the bottom, then you’re looking at a flying ant. Much like termite swarms, ant swarms can be seen throughout distinct periods during the year depending on species as reproductive ants seek to establish new colonies. The damage that can be caused by ants who are nesting inside is different depending on the species of the ants. Termites have straight antennae and wide bodies without pinched waists. Flying ants also have the typical pinched waste that all ants have, and their … The best way to tell what insect you're looking at is to catch one and look at it up close and personal. Flying Ant vs Termite Food Sources. Flying ants, also called carpenter ants, are winged swarmers with elbowed antennae, pinched waists and hind wings smaller than their front wings. From a distance, you might not be able to tell which one is swarming, but up close, you will be able to distinguish between the two. We recommend our users to update the browser. Carpenter Ants Infestation (Photo Credit: Rest … Note not all stages / forms of termites have the wings and that darkish flying ant look to them. Termites are one of these creatures. There are two types of termites: the worker and the swarmer. Experts call termites and flying ants “swarmers”, and these may come with almost similar qualities such as the black color of the body and their wings. Alexa is an experienced lifestyle and news writer, currently working with Reader's Digest, Shape Magazine and various other publications. Though termites can be similar in size to certain species of ants, when observed up close, they have very distinguishable characteristics. Cellulose is plentiful in the fibers of many different plants, but very few creatures on Earth have the ability to break down cellulose. Once they have mated, both species shed their wings, adding more confusion as to which creature you are observing. Flying ants are more likely to be seen out in the open than termites are. Carpenter ants are the most common ant species to be mistaken for termites due to them living inside of homes and causing damage similar to what termites cause. Swarm Season – Termites vs. You don’t have to be an entomologist by any means! Flying termites don’t have the potent mandibles which soldier termites have. That is why, if you notice flying termites outside your property don’t be afraid to get rid of them. Now you know how to identify termites vs. flying ants, you will be better prepared to protect your home and your family. In short this means that termites transform from egg to nymph and then adult stages. Once they have mated, both species shed their wings, adding more confusion as to which creature you are observing. • Flying ants have a distinct waist with an arrow-like body profile, whereas termites have a straight or cylindrical body without a distinct waist. However, both pairs of wings are of equal length. 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