Generally speaking, homeowners are never thrilled about seeing insects flying around the house. It becomes even more frustrating when you’re not sure what the winged insects are. Aside from easy-to-identify house flies, two of the most common culprits are termites and flying ants. Here’s how you can tell these two types of pests apart: 

Physical characteristics

The most distinct characteristic of the flying ant and the termite is the shape. Like any ant, flying ants have narrow waists at the center, while termites appear more oblong in shape. Ants are also a reddish brown color, where termites can be light brown and are sometimes a creamy white color. 

Some characteristics, you have to be a little closer to recognize. You may also notice that termite wings are the same size in the front and back, while ant wings have shorter back wings. They also have different antennae. Ants have bent antennae, while those on termites are straight. 

Behavior patterns

Termites avoid the light, so if you spot one, it will likely be at night. They also appear more in April and May, during their swarming season. Ants can appear at any time of the day and any time of the year. 

Carpenter ants and termites use the wood in your home differently. While termites eat the wood they use to build their colonies, carpenter ants dig into it and push it out of their way. If you see wood shavings, it’s a sign of carpenter ants. Termites are more likely to leave behind frass, which they excrete after eating wood. Where carpenter ants seek moist, damaged wood, termites are less picky and will chew through healthy wood, as well. 

Getting rid of an infestation

If you spot flying ants in your home, you’re more than likely dealing with carpenter ants. These ants are relatively easy for pest control professionals to conquer. They can treat your house with insecticides or baits to take down the colonies, as well as outside perimeter treatments that stop them from coming in.

Termites, depending on the severity of the infestation, can be much more difficult to treat. A pest control company will perform  an inspection, then help build a strategy to remove the termites and keep them out. This can involve trench-and-rod treatments with termiticide, tenting your home, and removing potential entry points.  

Knowing what kind of flying insect has infested your home will help you decide the best course of action for treatment. If you’re in need of Ankeny termite control or help with flying ants, Pro-Staff can help. Call us at 515-279-7378 or contact us online.