Flying Ants or Termites? How to Tell Before You Panic
Found winged bugs in your house? Don't panic yet. Use the 'Waist Test' to see if it's harmless flying ants or house-eating termites.
It happens every spring. You walk into the kitchen and see hundreds of winged insects crawling on the window. Your stomach drops. Are they ants? Or is your house about to collapse?
I get this call constantly. Here is the good news: 9 times out of 10, it's just flying ants.
But you have to be sure.
Grab one. Seriously, catch it in a cup or kill it and look closely. You don't need a microscope, just look at the waist.
The Waist Test
- Ants: Have a pinched waist. It looks like they are wearing a tight belt. They have three distinct body segments.
- Termites: Have a thick, straight waist. They look like a little grain of rice with wings. No curves.
The Wings (If you want to be nerdy)
Look at the wings. An ant has front wings that are longer than its back wings. A termite? All four wings are the exact same length. They look like long, delicate paddles.
Why are they swarming?
Both species swarm to mate. It means there is a mature colony nearby.
If it's ants? Annoying, but they usually live outside and just got lost. Vacuum them up.
If it's termites? That's bad. It means there is a massive colony underneath your concrete slab that has been growing for at least 3-5 years. You need a pro inspection immediately. Do not ignore swarming termites inside the house.