Termites Vs White Ants

Ants and termites are very similar in appearance – both are insect pests that provide annoyance to property owners, but at the same time, both are beneficial to the environment due to their role in nature. Because they look similar and serve different functions, it is important to understand what they’re all about. White Ant is just another name for a Termite. White ants are not the same as general ants and the treatment is very different. Termites/white ants are highly destructive pests that left undetected can cause major structural damage to your home and because installing a barrier can prevent termite attack, even the best insurance company does not cover termite damage. General ants are mostly annoying but can also cause some damage to your home, some species of ants also give a very painful bite. A general pest control treatment will help with eradicating ants inside your home however with some species this cannot be guaranteed, a specialised misting treatment to all vegetation and the external areas of your home is the only sure way to get rid of ant colonies.

 

Termites Vs White Ants

Introduction

In the world of pest control, some insects have always been a bit mysterious. Among the most common types of pests for homeowners to encounter are termites and white ants. While these two pests look similar, it’s important to understand that they are not related at all. Differences in appearance, behavior, and lifestyle help differentiate termites from white ants, but before we jump into that, let’s discuss their similarities:

Is this a termite or a white ant?

To tell if you have a termite or white ant infestation, look for the following:

• Termites are larger than white ants. They also have a narrow waist (the segment in between the thorax and abdomen). In contrast, white ants have a broad waist that is proportional to their body size.
• Termites have long, thin shaped bodies while those of white ants are short and thick.

Termites vs White Ants facts

Termites and white ants are both types of insects that can be found in homes. However, they are two completely different types of insects. If you see a bug flying around your house or crawling on the walls, chances are it is one of these two pests. Here are some ways to tell them apart:

• Termites have a narrow waist – this means that their abdomen and thorax (the middle part of an insect) join together as one unit. They also have round heads and broad heads with narrow waists while white ants have broad waists with rounded abdomens and heads that join together at their sides (instead of across the middle).
• White ants have longer bodies than termites do; this makes them look much bigger than termites when viewed from above or below depending on where they’re standing/lying down on your wall/floor etcetera!

Dry wood termites

Dry wood termites are a type of termite that can be identified by their diets. These destructive insects will eat almost any type of dry wood, as well as certain types of softwood and hardwood. Unlike damp-wood or decay-infesting species, these pests do not need water to survive and thrive in arid areas where other types may die off.

They have also been known to consume some non-organic materials such as cardboard boxes, paper products and even textiles like wool carpets or rugs!

Damp wood termites

Dampwood termites are a species of subterranean termite that can be found in the Pacific Northwest, the South Atlantic and the Southeast. They often build nests in damp wood, causing damage by disintegrating structural timbers and furniture.

Dampwood termites are often confused with dampwood termites, but they are actually different species. Though both have similar nesting habits, they have different physical features such as size or coloration patterns on their bodies.

Subterranean termites

Termites are social insects, which means they live in a colony with a queen, workers and soldiers. Termites are in the order Isoptera, which translates to “equal wings.” They have two sets of wings and three body sections: head, thorax and abdomen.

Termites are found all over the world except Antarctica. There are about 2,000 species of termites worldwide. The most common type found in North America is subterranean termite (Rhinotermitidae). These subterranean termites live underground near wood sources but build mud tunnels up to 60 feet long from their nests to get food (wood).

Formosan termites (aka super-termite)

Formosan termites are the most destructive of all termites, responsible for more damage to property and more deaths than any other species. They are also the most aggressive and destructive termite species in the United States.

Formosan termites were inadvertently introduced into Australia in rotten wood used as packaging material on ships arriving from Taiwan around 1910. The Formosan-infested wood was used as packing material on crates containing zirconium ore from Japan, Taiwan’s largest trading partner at that time. Today, Formosans have spread throughout much of eastern Australia and continue their westward march at an alarming rate of about 30 miles per year!

Powder post beetles

Description

Powder post beetles are small, hard-shelled beetles that feed on wood. They create galleries (tunnels) in the dead heartwood of trees and logs as they bore their way through to reach the sapwood. They also eat sound wood, especially old furniture that contains old dead branches. Powder post beetle infestations can cause serious damage when left untreated. The larvae tunnel into solid wood, creating tunnels throughout an area not just around the edge of a piece of furniture or other object. The larvae then pupate within these tunnels and become adults which will continue boring through more wood until they emerge from their tunnels as adults ready to mate and lay eggs in new areas that contain suitable food sources for them (dead heartwood).

The most common species are Anobium punctatum (common furniture beetle), A clavatum (nine-spotted chestnut borer), Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Asian longhorn beetle), Hylotrupes bajulus (May or June bug) , Lyctus brunneus brunneus & L scabricollis

Identification

Carpenter bees

Carpenter bees are a type of large, black bee with an orange abdomen. They are not aggressive and they do not pose a threat to humans or pets. Carpenter bees do not feed on human or animal blood, nor do they attack people or animals when disturbed. They only sting if handled roughly or stepped on (or crushed). A female carpenter bee will sting only to defend her nest; she doesn’t go out looking for trouble!

Carpenter bees do not burrow into wood like termites do–they create their nests by chewing through wood with their mandibles (mouthparts) instead.* The nests are typically found in dead trees, fence posts and other wooden structures such as decks, patio furniture, wooden window frames and eaves under roofs. Like termites, these insects use saliva to digest wood cellulose into food for themselves and their offspring but unlike termites which chew off tiny bits of wood at the end of each day over many years resulting in large amounts of damaged material – carpenter bees make one hole per cell where eggs are laid then sealed off with mud until pupation occurs which takes place within weeks from egg laying through emergence from tunnel entrance hole as mature adults ready to emerge during warm summer months when temperatures rise above 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 Celsius).

Takeaway:

Termites are not ants, but white ants are. White ants are also called winged termites or flying termites because they have wings and can fly, but all termites have wings and can fly. In fact, the only species of ant that can’t fly is the common pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum), which has lost its ability to fly over time due to adaptation.

So what’s the difference between white ants and other kinds of termites? Well…

Conclusion

Be careful about these mistakes, and if you ever find yourself ready to throw in the towel, give us a call. We are experts in termite control who have been fighting termites for 30 years. We can help you out with: