It’s that time of year. We’re already getting calls about termites in the area. Both flying ants and termites are swarming now that the weather has warmed up. But, how can you know if what you are seeing is a flying ant colony or termites? The best thing to do if you see a swarm is to call a professional. Termites can be very costly if you allow them time to form a colony in your home. But if you want to try your hand at identifying them first, here are a few tips.
- Look at the wings – Both have 4 wings, but ant wings are larger in the front and smaller in the back. Termite wings are more uniform and are tinted brown.
- Body size- Ants have a thin waist that makes it look like they are segmented, whereas a termite body is more uniform from front to back.
- Antennae shape- Termite antennae are straight and ant antennae are bent in a “L” shape.
Facts About Termites
- Termite queens have the longest known lifespan of any insect, with some queens reportedly living up to 30 to 50 years.
- The queen only lays 10–20 eggs in the very early stages of the colony, but lays as many as 1,000 a day when the colony is several years old.
- The damage caused by termites costs the southwestern United States approximately $1.5 billion each year in wood structure damage, but the true cost of damage worldwide cannot be determined.
- Their colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous societies with several million individuals.
- Termites were once classified in a separate order from cockroaches, but recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from cockroaches, as they are deeply nested within the group, and the sister group to wood eating cockroaches of the genus Cryptocercus. Previous estimates suggested the divergence took place during the Jurassic or Triassic.
If you have any suspicions about a swarm of flying insects, give us a call today! At Romans Pest Management, we know that people tend to wait until they have exhausted all options before resorting to a professional. We get it! But, like most other professions, we’ll be the first to say, don’t wait! Instead of wasting time and money on over-the-counter products that are ineffective or wrong for the job, just give us a call to get it done right the first time. We’ll come out and do a FREE no-pressure inspection. If you’re not happy with the estimated amount, we’ll leave, no harm done.
Conveniently located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Romans Pest Management serves the whole Tri-State area, including Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana. Give us a call today for your free inspection and a quote on an affordable treatment plan.