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Both carpenter ants and termites are bad news for your home. This is because both insects cause damage to wood structures. Most every home today has wood in its structure. So, obviously you want to keep these two insects as far away from your home as possible.
Many times, the layman can confuse a termite with a carpenter ant. This is a mistake that is counterproductive. When alleviating or repelling a certain insect, you must first know what it is.
In this article we will go over the differences between the two insects and ways that you can tell the difference between the two. This information wil help you identify your trouble-making insect and get it out of your home.
First, it is important to mention there is some similarity between the two pests. That is why we are writing this article. If you get a good look at the bug in question this primer will help you decipher which is which.
Antennae
Both of these damaging insects have antennae. But carpenter ant’s antennae have segmented sections. The termite has totally straight antennae.
Waist
Around the mid-section of these two critters holds our second clue. Carpenter ants a have a small rounded waist and termites have a rectangular shaped waist.
Wings
Both insects can have wings. But the carpenter ant has bigger wings in the front than the back and the termite has uniform sized wings.
Visibility
Carpenter ants are more visible around and away from the home. This is because they don’t eat wood to survive. They burrow through the wood for shelter. They will often forage around the home for food. Termites live on wood only so they are less likely to be seen wondering about. To find out what carpenter ants eat click here.
Conclusion
There are two types of insects that will attack and destroy the wood in your home structure. Identifying which one you have is important. It is also recommended that you call your local pest control agent to get rid of them for good and protect against them in the future.
