Termite swarmers or flying ants? A spring identification guide

Why swarms happen in spring

Both termites and ants send out winged reproductives to start new colonies, usually on warm days after rain. Termite swarms in Utah are most often noticed in spring, and they're frequently the first sign a homeowner ever sees of a termite problem.

Three quick checks

You can usually tell them apart with a phone camera and a close look.

• Waist: termites are straight and thick; ants are pinched in the middle
• Antennae: termites are straight and beaded; ants are bent at an elbow
• Wings: termites have four equal wings; ants have longer front wings
• Shed wings: piles of equal-sized wings on sills point to termites

Three kinds of termites occur in Utah: dampwood, drywood and subterranean. Subterranean termites are the ones most homeowners deal with; they need wood-to-soil contact and build mud tubes to reach it. USU Extension notes that an infestation can go unnoticed for one to eight years and that homeowners usually notice termites for the first time when winged swarmers appear in spring. That's why a swarm is worth taking seriously even if you've never seen other damage.

What a swarm indoors means

Swarmers inside mean a mature colony is close, often in or under the house. For termites, that's a reason to have the foundation, crawlspace and any wood near soil inspected. For ants, it may be a colony in a wall void or under a slab.

What to do right now

Don't panic and don't spray everything. Swarmers themselves don't eat wood and die quickly indoors.

• Save a few winged insects in a sealed bag
• Vacuum up the rest
• Look along the foundation for mud tubes
• Call for an inspection

Carpenter ants and other look-alikes

Large black winged ants in spring are often carpenter ants, which nest in damp or damaged wood. They're not termites, but they point to a moisture problem worth fixing, and their nests need treating too.

Sources

• extension.usu.edu
• extension.usu.edu