Termite Identification

Termites are very secretive pests, often living undetected in hollow doors and wall voids for years. Ehrlich can help you identify termites as all termite species have some common features.

The first clue to a termite problem may be small insects – termite swarmers - flying near your windows. 

Termite swarmers can look like flying ants, and they are often confused. 

Both Carpenter Ants and Fire Ants can look similar to termites, especially as their winged mating cycles are usually during the springtime – the same as termites.

Termites or Ants?

Winged ants are strong flyers and they do not shed their wings, whereas termite swarmers fly only a little and they shed their wings quickly. 

You can be fairly certain you have identified termites if you’ve found discarded wings around window sills or doorways.

There are some important differences in body shape of ants and termites, and this image should help you identify termites or winged ants:

• Waist – Termites have a straight waist, while ants have a pinched waist.
• Antenae – Termites have straight antennae while ants have bent antennae.
• Wing Length – Termites wings are the same length while ants have wings of different length.

Termite swarmers are about ¼ inch long – about the same size as a pencil eraser. The swarmers cause no damage but are one sign of a more serious termite problem – a hidden colony of white, soft-bodied termite workers who consume wood.

It’s important to get proper termite identification as early as possible, as the longer they’re hidden in your home the more damage they will do.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you have termites because they prefer to live hidden away. Use our termites pictures as a guide to identifying your termite problem.

Have you spotted termites in your home or workplace? As these insects are highly destructive you should get professional advice and termite control from Ehrlich right away. 

Identifying Termite Species