A house may be spotted with a winged insect, but the owner may fail to distinguish between a winged termite and or a winged carpenter ant. Both these insects are a problem in the house due to their destructive nature. But termites are known to be a bigger problem.Regardless, if you have spotted winged ants at home, call us to schedule an inspection for ant control.
Most of the species of ant family do not have wings. But in some species, the male and female reproductives do have wings. They usually leave their nest to start their own colonies. Sighting and knowing the kind of winged insect in your house, is important in developing strategies for controlling them. The two winged insects are easily differentiated by their anatomy.
Winged termites are pale yellow brown to black of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. The hind and front wings of termites are equal in length They do have straight antennae. Winged termites swarm every year and disperse to start their own colonies. After swarming, the winged termites drop off their wings and search for new nesting sites. Swarming takes place during spring. Appearance of swarm of termites indicates a nearby nest. Termite swarmers are poor fliers. When they are above the ground, they usually flutter some few yards before falling.
Carpenter ants are brown or black and may have a reddish brown area at the middle of their bodies. They can measure up to 1 inch in length. They have elbowed antenna and pinched elbows. Mostly found in cool and damp climates and can cause significant structural damage. Workers are a 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The winged reproductives or swarmers are 1/2 to 3/4inch in lenghth. A winged carpenter ant has a pair of wings that are of unequal length and have a pinched waist. The presence of the winged swarmers indicates that the colony is at least three years of age. At some point in time the queen must die, if she is not killed, she will survive to reproduce and the colony would grow.