Winged Invaders

Swarming Subterranean Termites — Buy Now

Close-up of swarming Southeastern Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes flavipes)
Melinda Fawver - stock.adobe.com

Buy Now

Close-up of swarming Southeastern Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes flavipes)
Melinda Fawver - stock.adobe.com

When the warm weather of spring arrives, everything seems to come forth with new life, including the amazing world of insects all around us – seen and unseen.

So much spring activity of buzzing, flying, crawling and, of course, eating. Many insects, specifically ants and termites, are starting to or will soon emerge out of the ground to gather into swarms in order to mate and set up new colonies. That’s normal for this time of year and thus isn’t much of a real concern; however, as a homeowner, it is important to know the difference between winged ants and winged termites if they are spotted.

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm!6C92AD J@F ?@E:46 2? 244F>F=2E:@? @7 5625 :?D64ED @? E96 7=@@C ?62C 2 H:?5@HD:== @C :?D64ED 7=FEE6C:?8 2=@?8 2 H:?5@HA2?6] u:?5:?8 3F8D :? E96 9@FD6[ C682C5=6DD @7 H96E96C E96J 2C6 5625 @C 2=:G6[ C6BF:C6D @?6’D 2EE6?E:@?] $A64:7:42==J[ <?@H:?8 E96 5:776C6?46 2?5 AC@A6C=J :56?E:7J:?8 H92E 2C6 92C>=6DD 2?ED 2?5 H92E 2C6 56DECF4E:G6 E6C>:E6D :D G6CJ :>A@CE2?E] xE 42? 36 BF:E6 5:77:4F=E E@ E6== H9:49 :D H9:49[ 3FE =62C?:?8 E96 5:776C6?46 >2J 62D6 J@FC >:?5]k^Am

kAm|@DE :>A@CE2?E=J[ 4@?D:56C H96C6 E96 DH2C>:?8 :?D64ED H6C6 7@F?5] x7 E96J 2C6 @FED:56[ E96? E92E :D EJA:42==J ?@E 2 3:8 :DDF6 2?5 ;FDE 2 4J4=6 @7 ?2EFC6] qFE H96? :E 4@>6D 5@H? E@ E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ E92E E6C>:E6D >:89E 36 :?[ ?62C @C 7665:?8 @? J@FC 9@FD6[ E96? E96C6 :D ?@ E:>6 @C C@@> 7@C 6CC@C] q6:?8 23=6 E@ :56?E:7J H96E96C :E :D 2 7=J:?8 2?E @C 7=J:?8 E6C>:E6 H:== 96=A :? E96 DE6AD E@ 4@?EC@= E96>]k^Am

kAm|@DE A6@A=6 92G6 D66? 2?5 <?@H H92E 2?ED 2?5 E6C>:E6D =@@< =:<6[ 6:E96C 7C@> <:4<:?8 @A6? 2 7:C6 2?E >@F?5 @C =@@<:?8 F?56C 2 E6C>:E6\:?76DE65 C@EE:?8 =@8] (@C<6C 2?ED 2C6 FDF2==J 3=24< @C 3C@H?[ 2?5 H@C<6C E6C>:E6D 2C6 A2=6 J6==@H :? 4@=@Cj 9@H6G6C[ 2E 7:CDE 8=:>AD6[ H:?865 5C@?6 W>2=6X 2?ED 2?5 H:?865 BF66? 2?ED =@@< 2H7F==J =:<6 H:?865 5C@?6 E6C>:E6D 2?5 H:?865 BF66? E6C>:E6D] %96 AC@3=6> :D E92E 3@E9 2C6 C6=2E:G6=J E96 D2>6 D:K6[ 3@E9 2C6 3=24< 2?5 3@E9 92G6 H:?8D] qFE 367@C6 @?6 92D 2 A2?:4 C624E:@? E@ E9:D 5:D4@G6CJ[ 36 DFC6 E@ 4@?7:C> H9:49 :?D64E :E :D]k^Am

kAmx7 J@F <?@H H92E E@ =@@< 7@C 2?5 =@@< 4=@D6=J[ E96 2G6C286 A6CD@? 42? E6== E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? H:?865 2?ED 2?5 H:?865 E6C>:E6D] xE :D 24EF2==J BF:E6 D:>A=6] k^Am

UK Entomology ant or termite.jpg — Wings and waists can help identify the difference between the two.
STOCK

Wings and waists can help identify the difference between the two.
STOCK

kAm(:?865 2?ED 2?5 H:?865 E6C>:E6D 2C6 D:>:=2C :? E92E E96J 3@E9 92G6 E9C66 3@5J D68>6?ED[ D:I =68D[ 2 A2:C @7 2?E6??26 2?5 EH@ A2:CD @7 H:?8D]k^Am

kAm~?6 ?@E:4623=6 5:776C6?46 36EH66? E96 EH@ :D E92E H:?865 2?ED 92G6 6=3@H65 W36?EX 2?E6??26[ 2?5 H:?865 E6C>:E6D 92G6 DEC2:89E[ 362565 2?E6??26]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C G6CJ 5:DE:?4E 5:776C6?46 :D E96:C H2:DE[ @C 2C62 36EH66? E96 E9@C2I 2?5 235@>6?] p== 2?ED 92G6 2 E9:?[ E9C625=:<6 H2:DE[ D:>:=2C E@ H2DAD[ D6A2C2E:?8 E96 E9@C2I 2?5 235@>6?] %6C>:E6D 5@ ?@E 92G6 E9:D H2:DE @C 2?J DF49 E9C625=:<6 DECF4EFC6 H92ED@6G6C 36EH66? D68>6?ED]k^Am

kAm%96 E9:C5 5:776C6?46 :D E@ =@@< 2E E96 H:?8D] p?ED 92G6 EH@ A2:CD @7 H:?8D F?6BF2= :? =6?8E9[ H9:=6 E6C>:E6D 92G6 7@FC H:?8D E92E 2C6 2== E96 D2>6 =6?8E9]k^Am

kAm~?46 J@F 4@?7:C> E96 5:776C6?46 – 2?ED @C E6C>:E6D – E96? J@F 42? AFCDF6 9@H E@ 4@?EC@= E96> :7 ?646DD2CJ] ~?46 ?6H 4@=@?:6D @7 2?ED 2?5 E6C>:E6D 92G6 366? 6DE23=:D965[ E96J 42? 364@>6 2 AC@3=6> @C ?F:D2?46 :? E96 7FEFC6] p?ED[ 6DA64:2==J 7:C6 2?ED[ 42? 36 2 >2;@C A6DE AC@3=6> :? E96 9@>6 =2H?[ 82C56? 2?5 A2DEFC6j 9@H6G6C[ E6C>:E6D 2C6 2 5:776C6?E DE@CJ[ 2D E96:C 56DECF4E:G6 A@E6?E:2= :D 8C62E6C 2?5 42? 36 G6CJ 6IA6?D:G6]k^Am

kAm%96 36DE AC@G6? >6E9@5D E@ 4@?EC@= 7:C6 2?ED 2C6 E9C@F89 >@F?5 EC62E>6?ED[ 3C@2542DE EC62E>6?ED @C 3@E9] |@F?5 EC62E>6?ED 2C6 5@?6 @?[ :? @C 2C@F?5 >@F?5D 2D :?76DE2E:@? @44FCD 2?5 7:C6 2?E >@F?5D 2AA62C] x?5:G:5F2= >@F?5 EC62E>6?ED 4@?E2:?:?8 4@?E24E :?D64E:4:56D AC@G:56 >F49 BF:4<6C 4@?EC@= E92? 32:E EC62E>6?ED[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 E96 36DE H2J E@ BF:4<=J 6=:>:?2E6 >@F?5D E92E 2C6 6DA64:2==J EC@F3=6D@>6] %96J 2C6 D@=5 2?5 2AA=:65 2D 5FDE[ 8C2?F=2C[ 32:E[ 5C6?49 @C :?;64E:@?]k^Am

kAmqC@2542DE EC62E>6?ED :?G@=G6 2AA=J:?8 2? :?D64E:4:56[ DF49 2D 2 32:E[ @G6C 2 =2C86 2C62] qC@2542DE EC62E>6?ED 96=A 4@?EC@= 6I:DE:?8 7:C6 2?E 4@=@?:6D[ 2D H6== 2D ?6H “J@F?8” 4@=@?:6D 367@C6 E96:C >@F?5D 2AA62C] ~?6 25G2?E286 :D E96J AC@G:56 2 >@C6 64@?@>:42= 2?5 =@?8\E6C> 4@?EC@= @7 7:C6 2?ED] |:5\ E@ =2E6\52J 2AA=:42E:@?D @7 32:ED :? E96 DAC:?8 2?5 282:? :? E96 DF>>6C 2C6 >@DE 67764E:G6 3642FD6 2?ED 2C6 FDF2==J 7@C28:?8 2E E92E E:>6]k^Am

Old rotten damaged deck rail that is falling apart, dangerous and needs repaired or replaced. — Buy Now

Termite damage can be costly.
JulieWestlind - stock.adobe.com

Buy Now

Termite damage can be costly.
JulieWestlind - stock.adobe.com

kAm%6C>:E6D 2C6 @?=J 2 C62= AC@3=6> :7 7@F?5 62E:?8 E96 H@@5 @7 3F:=5:?8D] $:?46 E96J 2C6 >F49 92C56C E@ =@42E6 2?5 42? 42FD6 =@ED @7 52>286[ E96 6IA6CE:D6 2?5 23:=:EJ @7 E96 2G6C286 9@>6@H?6C E@ 4@?EC@= E96> :D BF:E6 =:>:E65] p C6AFE23=6 A6DE 4@?EC@= @A6C2E@C :D >@DE @7E6? E96 36DE D@FC46 @7 67764E:G6=J =@42E:?8 2?5 4@?EC@==:?8 E6C>:E6D] k^Am

kAmw@>6@H?6CD 42? 2=D@ 5@ 2 76H E9:?8D E@ 96=A =:>:E E6C>:E6 :?76DE2E:@?D] z66A A=2?ED[ >F=49[ >F=4965 365D 2?5 82C56?D 2E =62DE `a :?496D 2H2J 7C@> E96 9@FD6’D 7@F?52E:@?] z66A 2?J H@@5\32D65 :E6>D[ DF49 2D 7:C6H@@5[ D4C2A =F>36C[ 76?4:?8 2?5 A=2?E6C 3@I6D[ 7C@> 4@>:?8 :? 4@?E24E H:E9 6IE6C:@C D:5:?8] s:G6CE DAC:?<=6C H2E6C[ 2:C 4@?5:E:@?6C 4@?56?D2E:@? 2?5 H2D9:?8 >249:?6 H2E6C 2H2J 7C@> 6IE6C:@C H2==D 2?5 7@F?52E:@?] !C@>AE=J C6A2:C 2?J H2E6C =62<D 2?5 >@:DEFC6 AC@3=6>D :? E96 C@@7[ 2EE:4[ H2==D[ 32E9C@@> 2?5 <:E496?] r=62? 8FEE6CD 2?5 5@H?DA@FED 2?5 <66A DA=2D9 3=@4<D :? A=246]k^Am

kAmx7 J@F H:E?6DD H:?865 2?ED @C H:?865 E6C>:E6D DH2C>:?8 2?5 E2<:?8 7=:89E E9:D DAC:?8[ E2<6 2 >@>6?E E@ @3D6CG6 E9:D F?:BF6 2??F2= 6G6?E :? ?2EFC6] s6A6?5:?8 @? H96C6 E96J 2C6 7@F?5[ E6C>:E6D 2?5 2?ED 42? 36 6:E96C 8@@5 @C 325j 3@E9 :?D64ED 92G6 A@D:E:G6 2?5 ?682E:G6 2EEC:3FE6D] z?@H:?8 E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? E96 EH@ H:== 8F:56 J@F E@ >2<6 2? 65F42E65 2?5 :?7@C>65 564:D:@? @? H96E96C E@ E2<6 :>>65:2E6 24E:@? @C ?@E] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 4@?E24E J@FC =@42= 4@F?EJ tIE6?D:@? @77:46 @C G:D:E k2 E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^246D]65FQm246D]65Fk^2m] k^Am

Winged Invaders

Ants vs. Termites

Tags

Other Publications

Services

Rate:
Begins:
Transaction ID:

Tags

Recommended for you

Other Publications

Services

Sign Up

You're all set!

Log In

Reset Password

Forgot Password

Email me a log in link

Promotional Offers

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

You're all set!

An error occurred