Tiny bodies, antennae, wings—ants and termites may look similar, but they’re very different. Learning the difference helps determine the proper method of pest control. Learn what to look for and which type of termite and ant control is best.

Ants vs. Termites

Of the tiny insects that could be infesting your home, some do a lot more damage than others. Hopefully, you see the signs before it’s too late. Whether you notice a parade of ants crawling across your countertops or wood dust from burrowing pests, you’ll want to take action right away. For best results, determine what pest you’re dealing with. Ants and termites may look the same, but there are obvious differences in appearance and damage.

Common ants. Narrow waist, bent antennae, notched thorax. Searches the house for food to take back to mound-shaped nests that could be outside or behind walls. Not afraid to be seen out in the open.

Carpenter ants. Rounded thorax, larger than a common ant, uneven wings. Dig into moist, damaged wood to make nests, so you’ll see small piles of wood shavings. Their tunnels are smooth and finished.

Termites. Broad waist, straight antennae, wings of equal size and shape. Eat healthy wood to make a nest, so you won’t see any shavings. Their tunnels are rough, ragged, and filled with soil and mud. Signs of mud tubes on the outside of walls are passageways of past or present travel. Termites avoid the light and are rarely noticed unless their nest is disturbed.

Termite and Ant Control

Since these pests are different, the method of controlling them is different as well. While there are several methods of ant control any homeowner can do on their own—such as keeping kitchen areas clean and setting out traps—termite damage often requires more professional control.

Since ants live in colonies, your control method needs to target the entire nest. Simply killing one ant or spraying a few stragglers is not going to be as effective. For help locating an ant nest, follow their trails. Ants leave a chemical pheromone along the routes to and from a food source so their colony can find it. You’ll usually see ants marching along the edge of carpets, doors, windows, and kitchen countertops. Place an ant trap somewhere along this route, and ants will collect the poison inside to take it back to their nests.

Targeting nocturnal carpenter ants is more effective at night. You may notice them emerging from damaged wood inside the house, or foraging woodpiles, rotting wood, and tree stumps outside. If you can follow the trail back to the nest directly, that’s where you’ll want to apply insecticide. Using a non-repellent spray is more effective since it’s less detectable, so ants are less likely to scatter and avoid treatment.

There are also prevention techniques you can use outdoors:

• Trim all trees and bushes so they don’t touch the house and create a hiding spot or bridge for pests.
• Fix leaky roofs and other moist outdoor areas that could attract pests.
• Replace any rotted wood structures.
• Remove dead tree stumps.
• Relocate wood piles off the ground and away from your house.

No matter what pest you have a problem with, there’s usually no one-and-done solution. It’s going to take multiple steps and ongoing attention to help keep them away. For common ants, you’ll want to keep kitchen and pantry areas clean and food securely stored. Any carpenter ant or termite damage needs to be removed and replaced, especially to prevent further structural damage. To help prevent future infestations, use detergent to remove the pheromone trail and seal any cracks and crevices to close off passages into the home. For larger, more invasive infestations, contact Cardinal Pest for professional pest removal and remediation services.