Every year, usually around spring and summer, we receive dozens of calls from our customers who report the appearance of swarming, winged insects. Sometimes customers will even send an image of the pests to help us figure out what they’re dealing with. Their primary concern is usually that these are winged termites infesting their homes, but more often then not, they’re actually dealing with winged ants. Now, don’t get us wrong, we love hearing from our customers and seeing your insect pictures, but we thought it might be a good idea to share the key differences between these two winged insects. We think this information is important because their treatment plans can be so different and because usually it’s a relief to hear that you’re only dealing with ants instead of termites.
There are 3 questions that you need to ask about the winged insect you’ve spotted:
- Are its wings the same length or a different length? You should notice 2 pairs of wings (that’s 4 wings total), a front pair and a back pair. Termites’ pairs are the same length, whereas the back pair of wings on an ant are significantly shorter then the pair in the front.
- Does it have a straight or bent antennae? The antennae of a termite is straight while the ant’s is noticeably bent.
- Does it have a distinctively segmented body or a more uniform width? This one is a little bit more difficult to tell on such a small insect because they all have three body regions. An ant’s body noticeably has these three distinct regions though, while a termite’s body has a somewhat uniform thickness.
No matter what swarming pest you’re dealing with, if you see either kind of winged creature near your home or business, then give us a call! If you’re in the Tulsa area (including Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs, and more) call us at 918-663-0613. If you’re in the Oklahoma City or Stillwater area then please call 405-634-4088. We would still love to see any images of pests that you find and you’re always welcome to share those with us on Facebook or on Google+.
At Emtec Pest Control, we are committed to safe and responsible pest control. We understand that your family’s safety is your number one priority, so we make it our priority, too. If you have any other questions about any of these pests or pest control for your home or business, contact your Oklahoma pest control experts at Emtec Pest Control by calling us or by filling out our online contact form. Our service areas in Northeast Oklahoma include Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Owasso, Jenks, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Stillwater, Tulsa and the surrounding areas. In Central Oklahoma, we service Edmond, Moore, Oklahoma City, Yukon and the surrounding areas. You can also connect with us on social media for more helpful pest control tips and information. We are on Facebook.-
Posted In:
Tags:
Recent Articles
May 26, 2023
