Ants & Termites Identification
When warm weather hits, ants and termites feel the need to leave the colony to expand their territory. During this time, they grow wings and fly away. Sometimes these winged insects numbering in the thousands fly out of a cabinet or crack in the wall right into a home. While ants are simply a nuisance, termites are something to worry about. Identifying whether the swarm is an ant or termite invasion is quickly done by looking for a few key parts.
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Examining the Insects
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To examine the insects a few will need to be captured to get a good look at them. Usually they are fairly easy to catch by hand or by using a paper towel to scoop some up off the floor or counter. Place the insects inside a plastic sealable sandwich bag. Do not kill or swish the bugs, this will distort the insects' features, making identification difficult or impossible. Good eyesight is needed to see the details of the insect's body characteristics. Some people may need a magnifying glass to examine the insects. Any one of the main physical differences can be used to distinguish a flying ant from a flying termite.
Antennae
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The antennae of ants are bent looking like and "L" on the left and a backwards "L" on the right. The antennae of termites are much straighter, lacking the bent formation. Both ants and termites have beaded looking antennae although in termites the beading is more obvious.
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Body
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Like any insect, both ants and termites have three body segments and six legs. Both ants and termites also vary in color depending on the species. They may be black, red, yellow or brown. It is the overall body shape that is different between the two. The body of the ant will have a pinched midsection, giving them almost an hourglass figure. Termites have a more uniformed body structure from head to abdomen. The termite body does not vary much in width at any point.
Wings
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Two sets of wings sit on the thorax (midsection) of both the termite and the ant. Upon careful inspection, you can see that the ant wings vary in size. The top set of wings in the ant appears longer and wider than the bottom set. Termite wings lack any size difference.
Control
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Once the swarm has been identified, damage control is the next step. Homeowners can control ant infestations using store bought insecticide products or non-toxic homemade solutions such as a borax and sugar ant bait. For termite infestations, a professional pest control company will provide the best advice and protection for a home.
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References
- Photo Credit house image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
