Flying ants vs Termites Pictures, Size, Identification

It is also like a colony when flying ants or termite swarmer's appear. You'll see both of these insects swirling around a neighboring streetlight or outside lighting in your home if the swarm occurs at sunset. They will also be attracted by illumination coming out of your window panes. This sensitivity to light is also why these two bugs can most often be found creeping on the inside of your doors. They're trying to get outside in the sunshine. 

When this occurs, you should also understand that this is a clear indicator that within your home, you have a developed ant or termite nest. If you see a lot of flying creatures, and you're not willing to get up close and personal, you can always tell which of these pests you're looking at by whether or not ants are creeping in their midst or surrounding. When swarmer's of ants and termites mate, they lose their feathers. But with winged termites, you're not going to see featherless termites roaming around. Within the wood, they'll be hidden away. That's why the appearance of ants is a symbol of the flying insects you're looking at. Winged termites are also very unlikely to be hiding out with wingless ants.

Flying ants vs Termites 

The form and color of their wings is another difference between these two species that can be seen from a distance. Although there are four wings for all insects, these wings come in all kinds of shapes and colors. Termite swarmer's wings are white and stack up on top of each other. This makes the bolder white color, and the wings look as if they are one. It may look like small wings flapping on the floor as they crawl around with each other. Carpenter ants have pale yellow wings, which are more clear in color. These wings do not mount precisely on top of each other, producing a cleft at the center.

Catching one and looking at it closely and individually is the right way to describe what insect you're looking at. The first thing you'll notice — if you look at a termite — is that the feathers are about 1⁄3 or 1⁄2 inch longer than the body and, as described before, fully rounded at the edges. If you're looking at a flying ant, you're likely to find that there's also an unequal length of the two wings on either side, and the end is more elevated than the termite feathers.

They will appear like ants because flying ants are ants. That is to say, the separate, pinched waist of an ant will be on them. This pinch at the waist is not open to Termites.

The antennas on termites and ants are very distinctive as well. They have an elbow in their antennae, and they have an attach-like quality. Termite antennas tend to be made of several small balls piled on top of one another, and they are flat.

Termite swarmer's are slightly smaller than swarmer's with carpenter ants. But, since you probably won't find both of these insects swarming at the same moment in your house, it's not likely that this reality will help you decide which bug you have. However, it's nice to know that a carpenter ant swarmer can be as long as 12 - 17 mm. You likely have termites if you find feathered insects that are much shorter than this one.

It is essential to do anything about it if you notice feathered insects around your house. Although carpenter ants are definitely far less of a danger than termites, if left untreated, they can still do a considerable amount of harm. Often, carpenter ants are a danger sign that water is damaging your house. In order to create their passages and nest openings, these insects love natural or decayed wood. It can be really bad for the value of your house if you have a damaged or blocked gutter system.