Physical Appearance: Spot the Difference

One of the easiest ways to tell carpenter ants from termites is by looking at their physical characteristics.

Carpenter Ants:

• • Body: Carpenter ants have three distinct body segments with a narrow, pinched waist. Their body appears almost divided into separate sections.
  • Color: Typically black or dark brown, though some carpenter ants can be reddish.
  • Antennae: Carpenter ants have bent or elbowed antennae.
  • Wings: Reproductive carpenter ants have two pairs of wings, with the front wings longer than the hind wings. The wings are not equal in length.

Termites:

• • Body Shape: Termites have a straight, tube-like body without a distinct waist.
  • Color: Worker termites are usually pale or creamy white, while reproductive termites (swarmers) are darker, often brown or black.
  • Antennae: Termites have straight, beaded antennae.
  • Wings: Swarming termites also have two pairs of wings, but all four wings are the same length.

Behavior and Habitat

Understanding the behavioral differences between carpenter ants and termites can help determine which pest is causing trouble in your home.

Carpenter Ants:

• • Feeding Habits: Carpenter ants do not eat wood. Instead, they chew through wood to create tunnels and nesting areas. They often prefer moist or decaying wood to make their nests.
  • Signs of Damage: The wood damage caused by carpenter ants is clean and smooth, as if sanded down. They create galleries in wood, pushing out debris like wood shavings, called “frass.”
  • Nesting: Carpenter ants prefer moist environments, so you might find them in wood that has been exposed to moisture, such as around leaky pipes or near windows.

Termites:

• • Feeding Habits: Termites consume wood and other materials containing cellulose. They digest wood, using it as their main food source.
  • Signs of Damage: Termite damage often appears rough and ragged because they eat wood from the inside out, leaving a hollowed-out structure. Mud tubes on walls or foundations are also a sign of termite activity.
  • Nesting: Termites build nests either underground or inside wood. Subterranean termites create mud tubes to connect their nests to a food source, while drywood termites establish colonies directly within the wood they infest.

Damage Potential

Both carpenter ants and termites can cause significant structural damage, but the extent and type of damage differ.

• • Carpenter Ant Damage: Carpenter ants can weaken the structure of wood by hollowing it out for nesting. Their preference for moist, decaying wood means they often target areas of the home that are already compromised, such as water-damaged beams.
  • Termite Damage: Termites are more dangerous in terms of long-term structural integrity. Because they consume wood as food, they can cause extensive damage to any part of a wooden structure, often without immediate visible signs. By the time damage is noticeable, it may already be severe.

How to Tell If You Have an Infestation

Carpenter Ant Infestation Signs:

Presence of frass (wood shavings) near wooden structures.

• • Rustling sounds in walls, especially at night.
  • Large black ants appearing inside your home, particularly during spring.

Termite Infestation Signs:

• • Mud tubes on the foundation or walls.
  • Hollow-sounding wood when tapped.
  • Winged termites (swarmers) around windows or doors, particularly in spring.
  • Discarded wings near windowsills or other entry points.

Prevention Tips

To prevent both carpenter ants and termites, keep an eye on areas of your home that might attract them:

• • Reduce Moisture: Both pests are attracted to moisture, so fix any leaks in pipes, roofs, or other areas. Ensure gutters are functioning properly, and divert water away from your home.
  • Store Firewood Away: Keep firewood and other wood debris away from your house, as it can attract both carpenter ants and termites.
  • Seal Entry Points: Seal cracks and crevices around your home’s foundation, windows, and doors to prevent pests from entering.
  • Keep Wood Off the Ground: Ensure that wooden parts of your home are not in direct contact with soil, which can make it easier for termites to enter.

Treatment Options

Carpenter Ant Treatment:

• • Locate the Nest: Finding and treating the nest is key. Baits, sprays, or dust insecticides can be used to eliminate the colony.
  • Use Bait: Carpenter ants forage for food and can be lured using bait. Once they carry the poisoned bait back to the nest, the colony can be destroyed.

Termite Treatment:

• • Barrier Treatments: Termiticides can be applied around the perimeter of the home to create a protective barrier.
  • Bait Stations: Termite bait stations can be used to attract termites and poison the colony.
  • Professional Help: Given the extensive nature of termite colonies, professional pest control is often the most effective solution.

As wonderful as it is to travel, when you stay in a hotel or rental (or even a family member’s home) it is wise to take precautions. Our bed bug experts have put together this list of tips to use to avoid getting bed bugs. Nothing will ruin your travel more than realizing you unwittingly brought home bed bugs from your vacation!

Tips to protect yourself against getting bed bugs while traveling.

Luggage

• • Use hard luggage versus soft upholstered luggage. A hard-case suitcase is much less appealing to bed bugs than a soft-sided suitcase or canvas bag. They are also easier to clean.
  • Don’t bring your luggage inside until you’ve inspected the hotel room or rental.

Inspection

• • Always inspect the room/space before bringing in your belongings and unpacking. Look at the sheets, mattress, and box spring, especially in the corners and crevices. Check behind the headboard and picture frames, and don’t forget to look in the drawers and check the upholstery. If you see dark spots, blood spots, or actual bed bugs, leave the room immediately and report it to the management.

Unpacking

• • Keep your clothes in the suitcase or hang them in the closet. Avoid using the drawers or furniture, as those are more likely to hide bed bugs than the closet.
  • Put your suitcase on a hard surface. Do not put it on the floor, against the wall, on the bed, or on anything with fabric. If a hard surface is not available, you can use the tub or shower. Hotels clean the bathrooms more frequently and thoroughly than they clean the mattress, and the hard tub is less likely to attract bed bugs.
  • Store your luggage in a sealed plastic bag. This will keep your suitcase safe from any wandering pests, including spiders and roaches.

If you do have to move rooms

• • Do not stay in the rooms above, below, or next to the infected space. If you are able, you may want to get a refund and go elsewhere!

Avoid using shared laundry facilities

• • With other peoples’ sheets, clothing, and towels being washed, you should avoid using public facilities. If you can’t avoid it, make sure you first clean out the lint trap. If you see evidence of bugs, go elsewhere. If not, then make sure to dry everything for at least 30 minutes on high.