How to Differentiate Between Termites & Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are commonly mistaken for termites in Sevierville TN - Learn the differences from Johnson Pest Control.With spring upon us here in Sevierville TN, swarming insect season is coming! The most dangerous insects to be wary of this time of year are termites and carpenter ants. These two wood-destroying insects are commonly mistaken for each other in the swarmer stages of their lives. Although they are similar in appearance and habits, there are a few key differences to be aware of. Read on for tips from the experts at Johnson Pest Control for how to tell the difference between these insects.

How to Tell the Difference Between Termites & Carpenter Ants

It can be difficult to tell apart termites and carpenter ants in the swarmer stage. It’s important to look at the size of their wings in proportion to their bodies:

  1. Carpenter ant swarmers: These are black in color, with some species having slightly red coloring. Carpenter ants measure 1/2″–5/8″ with antenna bent at a 45-degree angle. Their wings are translucent with a reddish brown hue, laying over the posterior of the ant. Carpenter ant swarmers are bigger than termite swarmers!
  2. Termite swarmers: Usually, termite swarmers are black to brown in color and measure 3/8″ long including the wings. Their wings are a translucent to slightly milky or smoky color. Their wings may overlap, and are typically as long as or slightly longer than the body; this is the best way to differentiate them from carpenter ants.

Winged ant vs. termite in Sevierville TN - Johnson Pest Control

Termite Damage vs. Carpenter Ant Damage

Termites typically cause more damage than carpenter ants. Some of the things to know about these wood-destroying insects include:

  • Termites make their way into a structure around basement windows, doorways, under siding, porches, or any structure in contact with the soil.
  • Established termite colonies can range from 60,000 to over a million workers and can consume nearly 5 grams of wood per day.
  • Carpenter ants establish nests in wood that is already in decay, and later expand into normal wood, insulation, or wall voids.
  • Excavated termite galleries appear to have been sanded. For the most part, carpenter ants do not create the extensive damage termites do. 

Wood-Destroying Insect Extermination

Without a doubt, wood-destroying insects cause a lot of damage for property owners. However, termites can cause much more damage in the same period of time as carpenter ants. Regardless, it’s important to enlist professional help for either of these insects. At Johnson, our termite exterminators will conduct a thorough inspection on your property to determine whether you’re dealing with carpenter ants or termites. From there, we will work to exterminate these wood-boring insects with the most effective, fast-acting treatments!

Do You Really Have Termites?

Termites cause an immense amount of damage to homes and businesses across the world. Their colonies will eat 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year long. So it is important to keep a watch for possible termites in and around your home. Luckily termites do not do immediate damage that is irreversible.

It is, however, when termites are ignored or not found and allowed to eat freely that they do their most damage.

But how do you know if you have termites? Here’s our handy checklist of items to be aware of and look for so that you know what termites look like.

Colonies: One does not come across a termite colony in the same manner as an ant colony. Termite colonies will remain underground and only emerge to the surface to find a food source or to swarm and create new colonies. If you have a colony of termites on your property you likely will see termites regularly. Colonies will expand so even if you have not seen them in recent years it is good to keep vigil. Termite colonies tend to invade areas that are not occupied by other colonies. This is why an old adage goes around that “It’s not if you will get termites, but when.”

A thick cluster of termites gathered on a wooden log - keep termites away from your home with Johnson Pest Control in TN

Swarmers: If you go for a walk around the house then you may notice some masses of flying insects that were not there the day before. Termite colonies will create swarms of termites to mate and create newer termite colonies. Termites will sprout equidistance wings and start to fly around in the hundreds (feels like the thousands). Swarmers are generally not dangerous at this point. If they do not find a mate to create a new colony with then they will die off in a short period of time. The appearance of a swarm though does indicate the presence of an established colony and will need quick attention.

 

A termite nest made from mud - keep termites away from your home with Johnson Pest Control in TNMud Tunnels: Subterranean termites, as mentioned before, will remain underground and emerge to find food sources. Termites need the ability to move without drying out and being exposed to predators so they will create mud tunnels that allow them to move from the ground towards & through a food source. Tunnels will often be found in moist & cool areas of ground. Crawl spaces, shaded areas of a home’s foundation, and wood piles are popular spots where termites surface and start feeding. Tunnels in the earliest of stages can be difficult to spot because of their size, so it is important to look carefully around the house for mud tunnels.

Termite Cement: Termite cement is the next stage of mud tunnels. Termite mud will harden in cracks and other areas they are feeding in order to seal off predators and seal in moisture. Where the tunnels are long and thin and lead to a specific point, the cement would cover a wider area of a food source.

Damaged Wood: Termites will eat just about anything with cellulose, so any wood based product is game for being eaten by termites. Every year there are some fantastic stories of termites eating someone’s fortune by actually eating away at their money. If you go looking around in those moist areas of the home and find some termite tunnels or cement, then it is probable that you will find damaged wood. Damaged wood is also one of the signs that can often be misdiagnosed. Water damaged wood will be more broken apart in chunks breaking at lines of the wood rings. Termite damaged wood will have mud evidence as well as a very erratic destruction pattern. Carpenter ants will eat into wood, as well as termites, but you will leave a dry sawdust versus the moist mud.

 

A cluster of drywood termites on a chunk of wood - keep termites away form your home with Johnson Pest Control in TN

Active Termites: Last but not least you may find termites themselves. Termites are small white/cream insects to an orange brown color. They are, generally, slightly larger than a common ant. There are different types of termites in a colony, you would likely spot a worker or soldier termite. The soldier termite often has a claw at its head and is designed to protect the colony. The workers take care of the soldiers and the queen of the colony.

Do You Wanna Eat Some Termites?..

So if you are planning some travel in the coming weeks, or maybe in the summer. You might want to prep yourself for some really unique foods that you could experience in your travels.

But, hopefully you wouldn’t get so unique that you’d need to figure out how to cook termites. Though, apparently they are quite tasty.

A plate of cooked insects

Yahoo Travel news found some of “The Weirdest Foods in the World”.

“When I was in Mexico City with Afar Experiences, I got the chance to eat ants, crickets, and beetles at Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City. And I would eat them again in a second! They were good: salty and crunchy. kind of like sunflower seeds. I had always wanted to try food like that, especially now that bugs are being talked about as an increasingly important food source, but I guess I’d never had the opportunity. It was definitely easier to go to the market with a guide, Lesley Tellez, who knew where to find this stuff (the market was gargantuan, I never would’ve made it through there on my own) and who could hold our hands a little, explaining what the stuff was, and taking us to a vendor who didn’t mind a bunch of gringos making funny faces as we tried everything.” — Jeremy Saum, executive editor

“I lived with a family in Kenya in a rural village just north of Lake Victoria. I was teaching English and Biology at the local school and my family took care of preparing most of my meals. EVERY DAY for at least two meals we ate the same corn porridge (ugali) and greens (sakuma wiki), so when the opportunity to try roasted and salted termites was offered, I jumped. They were crunchy, nutty, and—most importantly—different!” —Jordan Robbins, corporate & donor relations development officer, Learning AFAR

So what has been some of the weirdest stuff you have eaten? Do you think you would eat termites, ants, caterpillars, grubs, etc.? I am not sure I could bring myself to doing that, but as the one correspondent, Jordan, mentioned if there wasn’t much to be eating I might jump at the chance for something new, even if it is probably gross. It is all protein isn’t it. Why not?

Why Termite Awareness Week?

This week is Termite Awareness week. There seems to be a day and week of awareness for just about everything, so why not termites. Entomology today has a really great interview with our friends at National Pest Management Association about the why of Termite Awareness Week and what you expect with termites.

Termites Awareness Week was created a few years ago to help bring attention to the extensive damage done by termites and the steps homeowners can take to prevent them. Throughout the year the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) provides consumers with education about termites, but they really strengthen their voice as spring approaches. This year Termite Awareness Week, which is recognized by Chase’s Calendar of Events, will be held March 15-21, 2015. We recently contacted the NPMA with the following termite questions.

What are the most important things people should know about termites?

Termites cause over $5 billion in property damage each year, damage that’s generally not covered by insurance. Homeowners need to understand that these insects – known as silent destroyers – can eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact, a very large colony of subterranean termites can eat through a cup of wood in two hours’ time. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recommends that homeowners have a professional termite inspection done every one to three years, depending on the level of termite activity in the region. Generally, warmer weather climates see more termite activity.

Can you tell us a bit about swarmers? What are they exactly and when should we look for them?

Swarmers, also known as reproductives, are young female and male winged termites. In the springtime, after the last freeze, termite swarmers will emerge from their nest to mate and search for a new location to start a colony, which typically includes our homes. As such, termite swarmers, or their discarded wings near windowsills and doors, are often the first (and only outwardly visible) sign of a termite problem.

What are some signs that your home might have termites?

Termite activity can be very difficult to detect; however, here are some possible indicators:

  • Termite swarms
  • Mud tubes (used by termites to reach a food source) on the exterior of the home
  • Soft wood in the home that sounds hollow when tapped
  • Darkening or blistering of wood structures
  • Cracked or bubbling paint
  • Small piles of feces that resembles sawdust near a termite nest

READ MORE AT ENTOMOLOGY TODAY