With few similarities, termites and carpenter ants insidiously damage wood within the structures of homes and businesses among other wooden and cellulose materials, but they are often mistaken for one another. Both carpenter ants and subterranean termites both prefer to burrow through damp rotting wood, making them especially a plague to your home’s framing as well as being roughly the same size. When they are spotted, both species have swarmers that are sent out from the colony to mate and homeowners frequently confuse the two. However, at a close inspection, their physical characteristics as well as their attributes differ and with this in mind, we at A Five Star Termite & Pest Control would like to discuss the differences. Between carpenter ants and termites having different identifying characteristics is noticed with closer inspection that are listed below.
What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?
– The ant’s antennae are elbowed.
– A carpenter ant has the back, hind wings shorter than the front fore wing set, giving them a total of 4 wings.
– The carpenter ants possess a very well-defined narrow and constricted waist.
Termite Identification
– The termite has equal size and shape wings that are longer than its body with four wings in total.
– Indicating no waist, a termite’s body is more rectangular and does not have any narrowing at the center.
– The termite’s antennae are straight, beaded.
Behavioral Differences
A few other characteristic and behavioral difference between the carpenter ant and the termite are listed below.
Wood: Carpenter ants merely excavate the wood and push the wood dust fragments out of the tunnels, where the termites will eat the wood they forge galleries through as previously mentioned. Below the holes in the wood, carpenter ants can often be found around the sawdust piled. Carpenter ants prefer consuming eating sweets and insects, termites included.
Color: Carpenter worker ants are dark, reddish color and can be openly seen foraging for food. The termite workers are a transparent, light or creamy white color, and termites avoid light. Termites are not typically noticed foraging but since carpenter ants eat other edible food apart from wood, they can be seen foraging.
Tunneling: The carpenter ants leave their tunnels very smooth and finished. The termite tunnels are rough, ragged, and compacted with soil.
Mud Tubes: Because they even pack the wood galleries with soil as well, termites using the mud tubes as they require the damp soil to travel between soil and wood.
Wings: The carpenter ants and termites will shed easily since both reproductive castes, and swarmers, have wings. Another indication of these pests is discovering discarded piles of wings.
Insect Pest Inspection, Control & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
Every year, both of these insects cost millions of dollars in damage to businesses and homes in the U.S. as they weaken the structure and destroy the wood frame and supports but termites cause more destruction. However, both require professional assistance to get rid of and the sooner the better before they cause extensive damage, no matter if carpenter ants or termites. A solution fitting for either species that will ensure they are effectively eliminated, our professionals can assess the infestation and execute a plan. Call A Five Star Termite & Pest Control if you have termites or carpenter ants and we will take care of the rest.
