Flying ants vs termites both are cringe. But people are unable to differentiate between them due to their resemblance to each other. As they both can damage the infrastructure it is very essential to know them and to determine what type of damage they can do to your property. We probably think any flying insect is a termite but its not the case some are insects.
How to tell the difference between flying ants and termites
The ants and termites can be differentiated on the basis of structure appearance and their behavioral properties.
Structure:
On the basis of antennas, we differentiate the ants and termites as the ants have bent antennas whereas termites have antennas that are sleek. Discussing the thorax area, ants have a concave abdomen while termites do not. Termites do not have shaded wings also their wings do not differ in size whereas ant’s wings are faded mostly yellowish in color plus they plus their wings are present in the conjunction of two pairs.
Personality traits:
Their habitat is generally very similar to each other. Termites are usually found in the trees which are dying and in wood detritus. On the other hand, ants are also found in woods of decomposing trees but the main distinction is that termites first decompose the wood and then inhabit so they impose a real danger to the infrastructure whereas ants do not eat the tress instead they make burrows or holes in them and then they inhabit it.
Ants Feed:
There is a very clear difference in their eating patterns. Ants can eat whatever they find nutritious for them meaning that they are omnivorous in nature whereas termite eats wood which is digested by a parasite inhabited in their gut.
How can I tell if those are flying termites or ants?
You can see a number of flying insects in your home or in your surroundings. Basically these insects flew from one place to another to build another colony and for this process, we use the notion “swarming”. There are broader level differences present between swarming termites and ants. The first one is that an ant’s waist and abdomen are connected through a very narrow waist whereas termites are broader in appearance. Similarly, termites have single pair of wings whereas ants have two pairs in which the front one is bigger than the back pair. Also, the major recognition is the wood damage. Ants that are swarming do not damage wood to a greater extent as compared to termites they eat the wood and destroy it completely. Also, ants like to inhabit the wood making holes so there will always be wood reside if the building is affected by ants whereas termites like to inhabit damp or warm soil or wood and through tunnels, they reach the infrastructure and will ultimately destroy them.
Identify what is ant or termite damage
As summer season approach insect swarming also get started and the obvious insect which you see in the American states are flying termite or ants. As the temperature gets higher their breeding season comes to a start and they fly from one place to the other to formulate new nests.
Damage done by the carpenter ant:
As carpenter ants are omnivorous in nature they don’t eat or consume the wood instead they make tunnels through it. It is one thing that they like to inhabit the damp wood but that does not mean that they are not capable of destroying the wood which looks completely sound. The obvious signs of the presence of carpenter ants are the residue of wood scratching and chewing detritus and piling of the sand dust made due to making holes and burrows in the wood structure.
Damage done by the termite:
Termites are among the major contributors in destroying the infrastructure why? Because they eat wood and living completely on tit. They make the wood structure hollow from the inside while it may appear okay from the outside but as soon you apply the pressure on eaten up wood structure the whole thing breaks down. The main characteristic of the termite damage is that it is way much similar to the damage caused by water like sagging and pulping.
Winged termites and flying ants
As soon as winter ends summer season approaches and that Is the time for the swarmer to renew their reproductive cycle. But many people misinterpret the swarming insects. So to be protected from them we have to know the key differences which are:
- Antennas: Ants have bent or twitched antennas whereas termites have straight antennas.
- Wings: Ants have shaded wings which give a faded texture and they have two pair of wings in which front one is larger than the posterior one. On the other hand, termite’s wings are almost of equal size.
- Body: Ants have a very thin waist that connects with the thorax or abdomen part so the waist can be easily distinguished from the abdomen area whereas termite abdomen and waist are of almost equal size and they are much broader than the ant.
Do I have flying ants in my home?
Ants only fly or have wings in their life cycle only when they are able to breed. Breeding season basically starts from the spring season after winters. But to see flying ants in winters are way more problematic. In colder countries as the temperature is not much warmer or suitable for breeding so some species have evolved themselves to breed even in winters in closed areas so inhabiting areas in your home destroying or damaging the infrastructure. The worst condition is that they can be inhabiting your home in a very large number in the form of a colony. Do you want to know about Ant’s brain system?
Carpenter ants are black and reddish-orange in color and they inhabit the wood by making holes in it. So if you see any materials that can be formed due to wood destruction is the sign of carpenter ant. Also, carpenter ants are more commonly seen outside other than the termites because they have a more sound and strong body structure made for attacking the predators and for working.
Flying ants v/s termites in house
As explained earlier, ants do not pose a greater threat towards damaging the infrastructure of buildings rather than termites. This is because termites eat the wood and digest it with a parasite inhabiting their gut whereas ants just use wood as a shelter. It explains that damage done by ants is somehow repairable whereas damage done by the termites is irrevocable. Also, termites are so fine in hiding and getting to their desired place by making tunnels in the soil.
Flying ants or termites in the pool
You may be surprised to know that ants inhabit water as well. They are basically inclined towards the sunshine of the pool. And when you assume that they are dead but they are not and can bite you if they get angry so to evacuate them from the party scene is necessary. You can keep the ants away by using this technique of mixing vinegar in a bucket of 5-gallon water. Fill its quarter portion with vinegar and dish soap and remaining with water and fill it with the rest of the water in the pool. It will kill the ants without damaging anyone.