How Do I Know if I have Termites, Carpenter Ants of an Infestation of Both in Washington Township, NJ?

There are certain pests that most homeowners wouldn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. Carpenter ants and termites are certainly two of them. These pests can cause a significant amount of damage to a home if they aren’t discovered quickly enough. As similar as these wood destroying insects are, there are some distinct differences between the two as well. Ross Environmental Solutions is here to talk about how you can tell if you have carpenter ants or termites in your home.

Physical Characteristics of Carpenter Ants & Termites

When you first look at carpenter ants and termites, you will possibly confuse one with the other. They look similar in lots of ways from a distance. However, when you look closer, you will see that they are actually quite different in appearance. Following is what you should look for.
– Body Shape: The shape of their bodies is quite different. Carpenter ants will have a pinches waist, while termites will have a straight body and no waist at all.
– Antennae: Another distinct difference between these two insects is their antennae. A Carpenter ant will have bent or elbowed antennae. Termites have straight, beaded antennae.
– Wings: While termites only have wings for a short period of time in the spring, their wings are another difference in the way they look. Termites have two sets of wings that are exactly the same size. Carpenter ants have two sets of wings as well, but one set is larger while the other is smaller in size. If you see wings that have been shed and are near a small hole in the wall, you are more than likely dealing with termites as they shed their wings in the spring, once they have found a place to establish a colony.
– Color: The color of the insects is quite different as well. Carpenter ants are usually dark in color. They are either brown, red or black in color. Termites have almost a translucent body that is creamy and white.

Carpenter Ant VS Termite Behavior

The way that carpenter ants and termites behave is drastically different from one another as well. Termites are much more destructive in a short period of time than carpenter ants are. Termites actually feed on the wood of your home. Carpenter ants will hollow out wooden structures for a place to build their nests, but they will be foraging for food outside of that nest. This is why you will frequently see the ants crawling around your home. Termites will build their nest outside of the home and travel to your house to eat every day.

Pest Inspections & Management

Unfortunately, it is not unheard of for both carpenter ants and termites to exist within the same home. A pest management professional needs to rely on physical evidence of these pests before diagnosis. If you are concerned that you have carpenter ants and/or termites in your home, you can turn to Ross Environmental Solutions to help you get rid of them. We have the training and expertise needed to make sure these destructive pests aren’t causing damage to your property. Call us today!