How to Identify Termites

Most home-owners are concerned about the damage that wood-loving termites can cause to their property. However, many people are not able to identify termites upon seeing them. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Consider the current time of year if you see insects swarming. Termites swarm in the spring.

2. Look at the insects you think might be termites. Termites have straight bodies and no waist.

3. Look at the wings. Termites have four wings that are equal in size and twice the length of their bodies.

4. Determine whether the termites are inside or outside of your house. If you have identified termites inside of your house, determine how widespread the infestation is and contact a pest-control specialist.

Tips & Warnings

• Termites are sometimes confused with carpenter ants, but they are fairly easy to tell apart. Carpenter ants have pinched waists instead of straight, and larger wings in the front instead of four wings all the same size. Also, winged termites are more fragile than winged carpenter ants, and flutter when they fly.
• To keep termites from settling down in your home or yard, divert water from your home's foundation, properly ventilate crawl spaces so that they dry out and make sure that the wood of your home does not come in contact with the soil.