Flying Ants or Termite Swarmers?

Identify The Differences Between These Pests

This is a popular question that many of our clients in the Charlotte Metro area have, especially during warmer weather. With the rise in temperature, both of these types of insects are active and thriving again. Not to worry — we’ll help you identify the insects you’re seeing in and around your home.

Similarities Between Flying Ants and Termite Swarmers

Flying ants and termite swarmers have a lot in common. They both build nests indoors in homes and outdoors in the soil. Winged insects of either species are called alates. These alates scout, get food for the nest, and establish new colonies. They swarm to reproduce, and after mating, they shed their wings.

Anatomical Differences

Flying ants and termite swarmers have a number of anatomical similarities. They both have a head with antennae, a thorax, six legs, and four wings. Because of this, many people find it hard to tell them apart.

Luckily, they also have a variety of differences. Here are a few key characteristics of ant swarmers:

Flying ants’ bodies are pinched, clearly displaying the three different regions (head, thorax, and abdomen). Flying ants have bent antennae. Ant swarmer wings differ in length—their front wings are longer than their hind wings. Ant alate wings have a brownish or yellowish tint with noticeable veins. Flying ant coloration ranges from reddish to brown to black.

Termite swarmers have the following characteristics:

Their body regions are not as clearly divided—their bodies appear straight and uniform in width. Termite swarmers have straight antennae that look like they’re composed of tiny circular beads or balls. Their front and hind wings are of equal length. Termite alate wings are clear and look more delicate. Termite swarmer coloration varies based on type—some are red or brown, while others are pale yellow or tan.

Lifecycle Differences

Ant queens typically live for a few years, and workers can live for several months. Termite swarmers live for three to four years, and queen termites can live for over 30 years, constantly increasing the size of their nest. This results in nightmarish infestations for homeowners.

Identifying Flying Ant Infestations vs. Termite Swarmer Infestations

Diet

Flying ants have a diet of food scraps, tree nectar, other pests, and seeds. While carpenter ants bore tunnels into wood by gnawing away at it, they don’t actually eat any of it.

Termites, on the other hand, live on a diet of the cellulose fiber that makes up wood, plants, cotton, and paper. Unlike carpenter ants, they can create extensive damage.

When carpenter ants gnaw away wood, they cause smooth and clean damage. When termites eat wood, the damage is much worse. The wood can become darker or develop blistering, and it can be severely weakened.

Habitat

Because ant alates love moisture, they’re typically found inside near moist wood (or sometimes dry wood), leaks, bathtubs, sinks, and unsealed doors and windows. They can also be seen outside near swimming pools.

Termite alates usually build their nests close to their food source. Nests are indoors in walls and outdoors in tree stumps, lumber piles, storage sheds, gazebos, and decaying trees. They also make nests underground.

People often notice flying ants in their home, while termite swarmers tend to hide in their tunnels and are usually only seen while they’re swarming.

Ant alates are often flying around ceilings, doors, walls, and floor joists, along with near other tiny crevices. It’s best to check in moist areas. Hill-topping behavior can also be seen. These aggregations of mating flying ants are common outside around trees, bushes, and chimneys.

Termite alates typically swarm around light fixtures, since they’re attracted to light, and around window seals, since they’re trying to leave and create a new colony.

Timing

Flying ants typically swarm during late spring and early summer. They prefer warmer weather and sometimes swarm after it rains. It’s important to note that certain species prefer to swarm at night, so it’s best to keep an eye out for them then.

Certain termite species swarm in the spring, when it’s at least 70 degrees out, while others swarm in the fall.

Signs

There are numerous signs of a potential ant infestation. Ant nests are a major sign, as are ant trails, discarded wings, and dead ants. You might hear noises coming from your walls, and you may also see tiny piles of moist wood shavings (frass) from carpenter ants.

Signs of a termite infestation include clay mud tubes on the house’s foundation or on floors, walls, or other wooden surfaces. Subterranean termites travel inside these mud tubes. Holes in the wood (called kick-out holes) are common, often with frass nearby. You might also notice a lot of shed wings—termite alates tend to shed them in much higher quantities than ant alates.

Drywall that looks faded or discolored, sags, or has holes is a common sign of a termite infestation, as are loose floor tiles, peeling paint, and floorboards that buckle. Wood in your home might sound hollow when tapped, and floorboards might start to sound much squeakier.

Preventing Flying Ant and Termite Infestations

To prevent flying ant infestations, it’s crucial to take proactive measures to eliminate conditions that attract them. Seal all gaps and cracks, address sources of excess moisture, and move any brush that’s in contact with the walls of your home.

To prevent termite swarmer infestations, regular annual termite inspections from the pest control professionals at Noosa Pest Management are essential. Termites often go unnoticed until significant damage has occurred, making annual termite inspections crucial for early detection.

What to Do If You See Flying Ants or Termite Swarmers

If you see flying ants in your home, you can vacuum them up and then empty the bag into an outdoor trash can. If you’ve noticed carpenter ants, it’ll help to replace the rotted or damaged wood.

There are also various pest-control product options, including ant bait traps and sprays. There are also DIY mixtures of home products like dish soap and essential oils (note that many of these are not pet-safe).

If the ant swarmer infestation is feeling impossible to deal with, contact Noosa Pest Management. One of our ant control experts will pay you a visit and take care of those swarmers.

If you see termite swarmers in your Charlotte, NC, home, call us immediately for termite treatments. Termites mean business, and we don’t want them to make your home their next meal! Our termite exterminators will design a termite-control strategy that works best for your specific case based on several factors, including the exact species you’re dealing with.

Even if you don’t see swarmers, at Noosa Pest, we strongly recommend that every homeowner establish a service agreement with a properly licensed pest control firm. This will help you feel confident that you’re protecting your investment from termites and the serious damage they can cause.

Contact Us to Learn More

If you’re still unsure about which insects you’re seeing around your Charlotte, NC, home, send a clear and distinct picture to appointmentdesk@noosapest.com. We’ll be able to identify the exact pest for you and determine the best method for control and prevention.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch—we’re here to serve you and your family! Give us a call today at 704-499-9922.