The quick answer is no. Flying ants and termites are not the same thing but it’s easy to confuse both insects because of their very close similarity.
Many people have heard horror stories about thousands of dollars of damage termites can do to your home. However, only a few people know what to look for when it comes to spotting the signs of termite infestation.
Termites are one of the most invasive and destructive pests in the world causing billions of dollars of damage to Australian homes every year. Knowing the difference between flying termites and ants is crucial when giving the right solution. So don’t be too complacent when you see a swarm of flying insects. Just as you think they are ants as they could be flying termites. In this article, we will look at the difference between flying ants and termites.
The Spring Swarm – What You Should Know About Flying Termites
Each spring, just after the weather begins to get warm, reproductive termites called “alates” will take their nuptial flight and swarm in one giant mating ritual. They often gather in low-wind skies and fly to a diffuse light, which is why they are often mistaken for flying ants. Alates will find mates to reproduce more termites. Once they find their mate and are ready to lay eggs, they shed their wings and move on to their nesting area.
In most cases, they would leave their wings on the windowsills, doorways, and wherever they have access to the light. So how do you know if what you’re seeing are termites and not ants? In the following section, we will share with you a rundown of the difference between flying ants and termites.
What to do when you see flying termites?
When termites swarm indoors, it means it is their mating season. As soon as they shed their wings, they are ready to relocate to other areas of your home that are made of wood. They could start from baseboards, door frames, posts, ceilings, and even on your floors. The first thing you should do is to contain them. You can do this by shutting the door to the room where they are swarming or trying to put a clear plastic bag to the exit hole, so swarms fly into the bag. Once you’ve sealed the room, you can vacuum them up and throw the full bag into the trash can. Since termites can only eat wood cellulose, they wouldn’t be able to feed on plastic bags and will eventually die of a lack of oxygen.
A termite swarm will last about 30 to 40 minutes all over a light source. Even so, we don’t recommend spraying them because some of them can still escape, and make their way to the wooden structures inside your home. If you have a bug spray, note that this could only be a temporary solution. Either way, you should save a bag full of insects to show a trained inspector. A trained inspector will be able to make a positive identification of the type of termite and recommend the best termite control method.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to spot the difference between ants and termites, especially if you haven’t seen them often. The best way to check your home for termite infestation is to contact a professional termite technician to conduct a full-house inspection.
Meanwhile, you can look for evidence of insect-damaged wood. Most ant species do not damage wood, but termites would leave evidence of wood damage such as frass or sawdust on the foundation of the wood where they have infested.
Most termite species also prefer soft or water-damaged woods, so try to spot them in some parts of your home that are made of softwoods. Look for darkening or blistering wooden structures, claylike tubes, or traces of decay. When you see this, make sure to call a termite technician so proper remedies can be given to driving the termites away.
Termite remedies are not only meant for existing infestation. Long-term treatment can be given to prevent termites from living in your home for the next years to come.
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites almost look the same as ants, which is why you should properly identify them to ensure that you’re not just dealing with ants. Generally, termites have a thick waist, straight antennae, and shorter legs. They have a creamy body and their wings are of the same length. On the other hand, winged ants have pinched bodies, bent antennae, and darker bodies. Their two front wings are longer compared to the back.
Moreover, subterranean termites have the main portion of their nest underground. But nothing can stop them from getting to your home once they see an opportunity. Subterranean termites become apparent with their mud tunnels. The mud tunnels serve as their protection from prey but during spring, which is their mating season, they can swarm into your home. It is important to clearly identify the difference between subterranean termites and other types of termites to ensure that the right treatment is applied.
Conclusion
Since termites feed primarily on wood, they are capable of destroying the structural integrity of an entire home or building. Based on the layout of your property and the degree of termite infestation, we can create a customized termite treatment plan. This can include different treatments such as Thermidor Liquid, Dry Foam, or baiting. But first, we will assess how severe the infestation is.
Ongoing prevention is your best bet when it comes to completely eradicate termites in your home. Since homeowner insurance plans do not usually cover termite damage, our goal is to help you leverage an economical termite solution. If you’re concerned about termites in your home, schedule an appointment to get a free termite inspection from The Local Guys.
What Services Do We Offer?
We offer a bunch of services and treatments to control pest infestation for the masses all across Australia. Our pest control services can manage:
- Flying insects (wasps, bees, flies, mosquitoes, etc.)
- Crawling insects (termites, spiders, cockroaches, ants, etc.)
- Birds and rodents (rats, mice, birds, etc.)
Our team of experts works towards returning your home back to you just so you can resume your life without any disruption or hassle, which is exactly what makes The Local Guys Pest Control the absolute best in the game!
