Termites Vs Ants: How To Tell The Difference
Let’s be honest – when you see little bugs crawling around your home, it can be a bit nerve-wracking. Are they ants? Termites? Or something else entirely? So, knowing how to tell the difference between termites vs ants is actually more crucial than you might think.
Ants are one thing, but termites can seriously damage the structure of your home. While the two pests may appear similar, at least at first glance, the way they act and the way to get rid of them is completely different.
What’s the Difference Between Ants and Termites?
Knowing the major differences between these two pests will help you safeguard your property. Let’s break it down.
Termite Basics
They termites are simply tiny, secretive pests that eat cellulose, the natural material in wood, paper, cardboard and plant stems. Which is why they’re so attracted to your home’s walls, beams and furniture.
Some termites (such as drywood termites) reside inside wood. Others, such as subterranean termites, enjoy the wet life underground. These termites create mud tunnels to avoid exposure as they forage for food and that means you may not even be aware of them being there until significant damage has already occurred.
What Do Termites Look Like?
Pale or creamy in colour
Soft, straight-bodied with no defined waist
Straight antennae
Some have wings (swarmers), but all castes look similar in colour
If you notice:
Hollow-sounding wood
Mud tubes along walls or foundations
Discarded wings near window sills
Or even bubbling paint or warped floorboards
it could be termites. These are early warning signs of a bigger problem beneath the surface.
Inside a Termite Colony
Termites reside in colonies with distinct “castes” or roles:
Workers: They do the heavy lifting eating wood, feeding, tunnel building.
Soldiers: Colonists with big jaws that can’t feed themselves but can defend the colony.
Alates (swarmers): Winged termites that leave the nest to start new colonies. The presence of these indicates there is a mature nest in the vicinity.
Ant Basics
Most ants, for that matter, would rather eat a sugary snack or a leftover in your kitchen — rather than gnaw at the timber in your walls the way termites do. But don’t count them out: A few, such as carpenter ants, can wreak havoc on wood as well (more on that later).
Ants are easy to identify and many of the line marching ones you’ll see are hardworking females. They use scents known as pheromones to talk to each other, leading one another to food.
What Do Ants Look Like?
Dark colours (black, brown, red)
Well defined body with a waisted form
Antennae elbowed (genicular in the middle)
Frequently make their nests in soil, under rocks or in wall voids
If you spot:
A visible trail of ants
Piles of soil near paving or garden beds
Or a stream of ants flowing out a tiny hole...
Inside an Ant Colony
Like termites, ants have different castes that do different jobs:
Worker Ants: Collect food, rear young, and tend to the nest.
Large Ant Soldiers: Larger and stronger, these ants have powerful jaws to defend themselves.
Queen Ants: Child-Birthing Machines That Have Stood the Test of Time Hercules ants can lift objects 5,000 times their own weight.
Drones (Male Ants) Are born just to mate and die relatively quickly.
What About Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants are mistaken for termites because they bore into wood. But here’s the massive distinction: they rarely eat it. What they do is hollow out wood to use for nesting – usually in moist or rotten wood.
If you notice wood shavings or frass (a sawdust-like material) around small holes in wood, it’s probably carpenter ants, not termites. Termites consume wood from the inside out, making no mess.
Protect Your Home from Both
With termite season on the horizon, being proactive is increasingly important. Ants can be easier to spot and treat, but termites can quietly eat a hole in your home from the inside.
If you’re not sure whether you’re more likely to be experiencing ants or termites – or if you just want to know for sure – our dedicated team can assist you. Provide free termite inspections, complete inspections, and personalized treatments for you.
Termishield Termite Treatment Midvale offers all pest control services in Midvale and surroundings. Feel free to contact us at (08) 6275 6571 or visit our website:
