Household pests like carpenter ants and termites can cause significant problems for our homes. These little bugs might not seem like a big deal. But they can cause a lot of damage to the structures that keep us safe.

They might look and behave similarly. However, knowing the specific signs that make them different is essential.

This article will help you understand more about carpenter ants and termites and how to tell them apart. Keep reading to learn more about the signs of carpenter ants vs termites.

Physical Appearance

Carpenter ants and termites look different. Carpenter ants are more significant, about one-fourth to half an inch in size. They have a body with sections, bent antennas, and a thin middle part. They come in different colors like black, red, brown, or a mix of these colors.

Termites, on the other hand, are smaller and usually light or see-through in color. They have straight bodies and antennas.

Frass or Droppings

One way to tell these insects apart is by looking at their poop. Carpenter ants make something called “frass,” and it looks like wood shavings and sawdust. They push this stuff out of their homes, and you can find small piles near where they live.

Termites, though, make tiny poop pellets. People call this “termite frass,” you can find these little piles near where they’re causing problems.

Damage Patterns

Carpenter ants and termites harm wood but do it in different ways. Carpenter ants don’t eat wood; they dig through it to make their homes. This can make the wood look smooth and neat, but the damage might seem uneven.

Termites, on the other hand, eat the wood to get their food. They leave behind patterns that look like honeycombs, called “galleries.” These galleries often have mud-like stuff; you can see them in the damaged wood.

Wings and Swarming Behavior

When these insects are ready to make babies, they grow wings and fly around in groups. But something is interesting about how they look and act when flying.

For carpenter ants, you can quickly tell the difference in size between the flying ants that make babies (queens and males) and the ants that work. But with termites, the flying ones that make babies (called alates) look almost the same as the worker termites. When they fly, termite groups are usually bigger, like a cloud of bugs.

Location of Nests

Finding where these bugs live is essential. Carpenter ants like damp places, so they make their homes in wet crawl spaces and basements.

Termites, however, like spots that help them survive. They usually nest in the soil close to a building’s foundation. If you want to know more about getting rid of pests and finding their nests, you can check out https://www.terminix-triad.com.

Deciphering the Signs of Carpenter Ants vs Termites

To sum up, knowing how to tell apart signs of carpenter ants vs termites is vital to protecting your home from damage. You can figure out the difference by looking at how they look, their poop, how they harm wood, how they fly together, and where they like to live.

If you have a bug problem, talking to a pest control expert is a good idea. They can determine which bug it is and give you the right plan to eliminate them.

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