Species: Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes); Black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)
Side by side
| Winged termite | Winged carpenter ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Antennae | Straight | Elbowed |
| Waist | Uniformly thickened | Constricted |
| Wings | Two pairs of equal size; shed wings about 1/4 inch, 6 mm | Forewings longer than the hind wings |
| Worker size | About 1/4 inch, 6 mm, cream colored and eyeless | 1/4 to 1/2 inch, 6 to 13 mm, dark; reproductives up to 3/4 inch, 19 mm |
| Relationship to wood | Eats it. Galleries are hollowed along the grain and lined with dried mud or soil | Nests in it without eating it. Galleries look sandpaper smooth and clean |
What to look for
- Antennae, which are the fastest check. Straight on a termite, elbowed on an ant.
- Waist. Uniformly thickened on a termite, constricted on an ant.
- Wings. A termite's two pairs are equal in size, while an ant's forewings are longer than its hind wings. Maryland notes that shed termite wings are silvery and membranous and all about 1/4 inch (6 mm) long.
- Worker size and color. Maryland gives termite workers as typically 1/4 inch (6 mm), cream colored and eyeless, and carpenter ant workers as 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 to 13 mm), with winged reproductives up to 3/4 inch (19 mm), the largest ants in Maryland.
- What is on the foundation. Kentucky describes earthen mud tubes on foundation walls, piers, sill plates and floor joists, typically about the diameter of a pencil. Maryland gives those shelter tubes as typically about 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide.
- What the damaged wood looks like. Termite galleries are hollowed along the grain and lined with bits of dried mud or soil. Carpenter ant galleries look sandpaper smooth and clean, with coarse frass like pencil shavings pushed out.
Where and when
Kentucky reports that spring is when large numbers of winged termites emerge indoors, triggered by warmer temperatures and rainfall, and that swarmers appearing next to a foundation or an abutting porch or patio suggest the home is infested as well. Maryland says carpenter ants often enter homes as weather warms in spring and cools in fall, and that winged ants indoors suggest a nest in the house.
Does it matter?
Kentucky says termites feed primarily on wood and also damage paper, books and insulation, and that discovering winged termites indoors almost always indicates an infestation warranting treatment, which it calls a job for professionals. Maryland says carpenter ants do not consume wood but nest in it, do not sting, and are usually a sign of a water problem. Both point homeowners to a professional inspection.
Related guides
- Water bug vs cockroach: Water bug is a nickname, not a species.
- Carpet beetle: Carpet beetles are small oval beetles, 1/16 to 1/8 inch long, that Kentucky extension describes as black or mottled with white, brown, yellow and orange.
- Earwig: An earwig is the flat, dark reddish brown insect with a pair of claw-like pincers at the rear.