Flying Ants or Flying Termites?

Flying ants are often confused for flying termites. It's an easy mistake to make if you are unsure of what to look for. It can also be helpful in knowing how to treat the problem since nobody wants flying, breeding bugs around the house! Both bug species grow wings in order to breed and are referred to as a "swarmer" but thankfully their anatomy differs quite a bit from each other allowing the distinction easier to identify.

For starters, ant antennae are bent as opposed to termite antennae, which is straight. An ant swarmer's body has a pinched, defined waist as opposed to the thick, straight waist of a termite swarmer. The wings of the ant are often uneven in length, white in color and stacked when spread open. A termite's wings, however, are typically even in length, yellowish in color and separated when spread open. 

If ever you find yourself in a situation where you are unsure of your type of swarmer, give us a call and we will do a complimentary evaluation for you. Make sure to keep a few swarmers or fallen wings in a small, lunch baggy so the inspector can see what your seeing to allow him to make further recommendations.

For additional questions about knowing the difference between flying ants and flying termites, feel free to give us a call at (951) 694-8100.

Termite Week

March 13th through the 19th is officially Termite Awareness Week.

Here are some Termite Fun Facts:

• Termite colonies eat non-stop for 24hrs 7 days a week.
• Termites are helpful decomposers as they are vital in the health of our forests.
• Termites shed their wings once they have found a place to build their nest.
• Drywood and subterranean termites eat wood, wallpaper, fabrics and plastics made from plants.
• Termite workers and soldiers are almost always blind.
• When termites detect a threat they tap a warning signal to the rest of the colony.
• Termites lived 130 million years ago and descended from a cockroach-like ancestor.  

I save the best for last.

• The total weight of all the termites in the world is more than the weight of humans in the world.

There are so many things that we do not know about these little pests. Never under estimate Termites no matter how small they may be.