Termites and carpenter ants have similar skills and behaviors. Both live in nests and are organized in castes of workers, soldiers, and queens. Once a year, queens and males leave their nests to mate and set up new nests, extending their territory. Workers and soldiers collect food, defend the nest and queen, and lead violent attacks against other species.
Swarming termites and flying carpenter ants are often mistaken for each other, particularly in the spring and early summer when both have wings and have emerged in a swarm to mate and establish new colonies. Swarmer termites resemble flying black ants. Both pests are destructive to wood. Termites eat wood and carpenter ants excavate wood for their nests. It is important to correctly identify the pest for the most effective control treatment.
Flying carpenter ants have elbowed antennae and two pairs of wings, the rear wings are smaller than front wings. These wings have few, well-defined veins. They have skinny, pinched waists and long legs. Swarming termites have straight antennae and while they also have two pairs of wings the wings are the same size and shape. Swarmer termites have finer veins in their wings, creating a lace-like appearance. These flying termites have a broad waist and short legs.
Carpenter ants begin their nests in moist, decayed wood like trees, rotting logs, and stumps and later expand into solid, sound wood. While carpenter ants are important in the balance of nature because they burrow and nest in dead trees and speed the decay of dead wood, when a colony invades and damages the integrity of the wood within your home, they too must be controlled. Carpenter ants remove wood and leave behind a sawdust-like material, which they push from the nest and its galleries. This often results in a cone-shaped pile accumulating just below the nest entrance hole. This pile of sawdust may also include bits of soil, dead ants, and parts of insects and remnants of other food they consumed. You may even hear sounds produced as workers chew to remove wood to enlarge the nest. They enter buildings around door and window frames, eaves, along plumbing and utility lines, and over branches touching the structure. They forage at night feeding on plants, fruit juices, insects, meat, cakes, pet foods, and grease.
If you identify the swarmer as a termite, you should take action against this destructive pest. Usually you do not see any evidence of the termite destruction until their damage is extensive.

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Termites and carpenter ants have similar skills and behaviors. Both live in nests and are organized in castes of workers, soldiers, and queens. Once a year, queens and males leave their nests to mate and set up new nests, extending their territory. Workers and soldiers collect food, defend the nest and queen, and lead violent attacks against other species.
Swarming termites and flying carpenter ants are often mistaken for each other, particularly in the spring and early summer when both have wings and have emerged in a swarm to mate and establish new colonies. Swarmer termites resemble flying black ants. Both pests are destructive to wood. Termites eat wood and carpenter ants excavate wood for their nests. It is important to correctly identify the pest for the most effective control treatment.
Flying carpenter ants have elbowed antennae and two pairs of wings, the rear wings are smaller than front wings. These wings have few, well-defined veins. They have skinny, pinched waists and long legs. Swarming termites have straight antennae and while they also have two pairs of wings the wings are the same size and shape. Swarmer termites have finer veins in their wings, creating a lace-like appearance. These flying termites have a broad waist and short legs.
Carpenter ants begin their nests in moist, decayed wood like trees, rotting logs, and stumps and later expand into solid, sound wood. While carpenter ants are important in the balance of nature because they burrow and nest in dead trees and speed the decay of dead wood, when a colony invades and damages the integrity of the wood within your home, they too must be controlled. Carpenter ants remove wood and leave behind a sawdust-like material, which they push from the nest and its galleries. This often results in a cone-shaped pile accumulating just below the nest entrance hole. This pile of sawdust may also include bits of soil, dead ants, and parts of insects and remnants of other food they consumed. You may even hear sounds produced as workers chew to remove wood to enlarge the nest. They enter buildings around door and window frames, eaves, along plumbing and utility lines, and over branches touching the structure. They forage at night feeding on plants, fruit juices, insects, meat, cakes, pet foods, and grease.
If you identify the swarmer as a termite, you should take action against this destructive pest. Usually you do not see any evidence of the termite destruction until their damage is extensive.

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