Identifying termites vs. flying ants. Who is here today?
Many residents of the East End look forward to the arrival of warmer temperatures each spring. After cold winter, homeowners are ready to return to their yards, pools, and beaches. With the many blessing of spring also comes the inevitable return of insects, with ants and termite swarms among them. Wondering whether you have termites vs. flying ants? Read on to learn more.
How do you tell a flying ant from a termite?
It is easy to confuse flying ants and termites. Several species of ants also reproduce through swarmer (carpenter ants are the most common example on the East End). As with all pest management, proper identification is the most crucial step in control an infestation.
Luckily there are a three easily identifiable distinctions between winged flying termites and winged ants. A termite swarmer has
- Antenna that are straight and “beaded”
- Two pairs of wings equal in length
- No constriction at the abdomen
After proper identification has been made a thorough inspection and treatment plan with follow. There are a variety of treatment plans. Picking the best plan depends on individual conditions and construction methods found on any property.
Will a termite colony swarm every year?
Termite colonies rarely swarm annually. For a home to experience a swarm every year, conditions must be perfect.
Perfect conditions include these elements.
- Sufficient moisture. Moisture is THE most important condition support termite activity.
- Established, stable colony (a colony will not swarm for first 4 years of queen’s life at least)
- Warm winter temperatures
- Plentiful food sources,
- Predator-free environment
With all the damage they cause, why do termites even exist?
Termites are an essential part of the global ecosystem; they are the only organism that can breakdown cellulose! Termites have been around for over 350 million years. They are likely to be a part of our world for the foreseeable future. A pest management professional’s job is to protect the man-made structures we utilize from structural damage.
More facts about termite colonies
Eastern Subterranean termite colonies can consist of up to 250,000 termites! Termites are social insects distributed into the primary castes of worker, soldier, queen and reproductive. Workers are the most important caste in a termite colony.
- They are 95-96% of colony population and can be male or female.
- Workers are sterile, have no eyes, but have an impeccable sense of smell and touch.
- They feed the colony; a small percentage actually feed on food, others. taste food for safety/preference. Worker termites are essentially doing all the parts of a restaurant (cook, clean, shop, taste, and serve.
Termites workers labor 8 to 10-hour shifts and then rest/sedentary.
- While resting, termites communicate with their pheromones,
- groom each other,
- build or move nests,
- protect and care for larvae,
- tend to king and queen, remove waste,
- tend to sick or dead colony members.
Workers live for 3 to 4 years.
- The soldier caste’s sole task is to defend the colony.
- They represent 1-2% of total colony population and “seal, block, and protect”.
The queen is charged with growing the colony
- She has a lifespan of 8 to 10 years.