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Both carpenter ants vs termites can do damage to your furniture and home. Identifying which is which however is important for you to get the right help and treatment.

Subterranean Termites

Not everyone knows what a subterranean termite looks like but it is important to know exactly what they look like because they can cause serious damage to your home. There are many different species of termites that may further muddle your idea of how a termite looks like.

Subterranean termites, however, are the most common species found in homes. They usually feed on wood and paper-based products and to the unaware, every termite looks like it can harm your precious library or furniture. Your major concern, however, should be the worker termites.

A termite colony can be composed of several groups: soldier termites, swarmers or reproductives and worker termites. Not every termite looks like a grain of rice but a lot of them do.

Soldiers, however, have mandibles while reproductives have wings. The worker termite looks like a reproductive but is smaller and has no wings. They are the most numerous in a colony and are the main wood eaters.

Swarmer Ants and Termites

The presence of swarmer termites is usually one of the first signs that there may be a termite infestation in your home. This is because swarmers are the ones who propagate termite colonies. Some think that a swarmer termite looks like a flying ant. The truth is that there are major differences.

An ant’s body is composed of a head, a slim abdomen, and a thorax. A termite looks like it only has a head and a straight body.

As far as looks are concerned, both termites and ants share the same number of wings: four. Ants, however, have longer front than rear wings and have apparent vein marks. Termites have four wings of equal length that are far longer than the body and do not have vein marks.

Ants also have slightly bent antennae that may end in some sort of a small club. Termites, on the other hand, have beaded antennae that do not bend and have no club-like ends and point away from the body.

Where Swarmers Stay

There is no need for much concern if you find swarmers outside your house. These swarmers may just possibly be blown with the wind. Swarmers are also not the main termite wood eaters.

You should be a little concerned though if you notice a number of swarmer ants flying away from your house and from cracks, windows and woodwork. You may have some form of termite infestation.

Getting Help

Termites are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Extensive infestations may not be effectively and safely treated by just gas or ordinary insect spray.

You may have to ask for some expert help. Experts may use chemical treatment in which termiticide is applied on wood and other house areas to prevent termites from invading the house structure.

The baiting technique may also be used in which chemicals are spread throughout the colony through wood baits carrying chemicals.