Are you finding mystery bugs in your home? Termites are a menace to homeowners; they also look a lot like their close relatives, the ants. At first glance, it can be difficult to tell the difference between winged ants and termites. On closer inspection, though, these insects have a few unique points which make them very easy to tell apart. Here are four things the concerned homeowner should look for before raising the alarm.
1. Antennae: Ant antennae are bent sharply at right angles, like an elbow joint. The antennae of termites are straight lines, which can also have a “beaded” look, like pearls on a string.
2. Wings: Both winged ants and termites have two sets of wings. On ants, the set of wings nearer the head is wider and longer than the smaller, more slender back wings. Termite wings are all the same width, length, and shape. In addition, termite wings are generally longer and more slender than ant wings, and have rounded tips, where ant wings come to something of a point.
3. Waists: Ants have very narrow waists, and their abdomen (the lower part of their body) is bigger than their thorax (the upper part). A termite’s body is roughly the same thickness all the way down, with no distinct waist. Also, ants’ thin waists make them more flexible; this enables them to curl up in balls when they die. Dead termites are almost always found lying straight and stiff.
4. Segmentation: The thorax of a termite has many more segments than that of an ant; the whole lower half of a termite’s body has a “ribbed” look. The thorax of an ant looks smooth by comparison.
Termites and ants may look similar they still have differences that could help you identify termites from ants. You just need to be observant enough.