Living in a home infested with wood-destroying insects is a lot like not reading the terms and conditions for a new program you just bought. The program itself may look amazing, but if you aren’t careful to spot the hidden text, you could accidentally agree to something you never saw coming. In the same way, if you do not carefully inspect your home, you may find yourself falling victim to the “hidden text” buried within.

Termites, Carpenter Ants, And The Problems They Bring

Finding termites or carpenter ants in your home can sometimes be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Though the damage they cause can be massive (over extended periods of time), finding the holes they entered through can be quite a task. Termites and carpenter ants are similar in that they both prefer water-damaged wood. But they differ in the signs they leave behind for us to spot. Termites, when ascending the exterior foundation of your home to access wood above the foundation, will build tiny mud tunnels. Carpenter ants will simply climb to get to where they need to be. When looking for signs of carpenter ants, look for fine sawdust stuck to walls or piled on the floor. The reason you won’t find sawdust around a termite's hole is due to the fact that they will eat the wood they are tunneling through for nutrients. Carpenter ants only tunnel to construct their home.

How To Tell Them Apart

Though similar in nature, each of these pests has its own unique identifying factors.

• Body: Though both termites and carpenter ants are classified as insects, only carpenter ants have three distinct segments to their bodies. This does not mean that termites do not have three but without close inspection, one might mistake their thorax and abdomen to be a single segment, making them appear to only have two segments.
• Wings: Termite wings are white and extremely long, extending well beyond their tail. Carpenter ant wings are much shorter, only slightly longer than their bodies and have a more yellowish tint to their color.
• Antennae: Both termites and carpenter ants have two antennae. How you can tell the two apart is in the bend and the texture. If you look closely, you will find that a carpenter ant's antennae are bent like the handlebars of a bike, whereas a termite's antennae are straight and look like a string of balls.

Action Pest Is Here To Help

Wood-destroying pests are a big problem this time of year, and it's no different here in Evansville. If you have taken the time to read the “terms and conditions” of your home, or would like us to read them for you, get Action involved. Our highly trained, licensed pest professionals are ready to put in place a plan of action that is designed just for you and your home. Let us handle the “hidden text” so you don’t have to. Take action, and give Action a call today for termite control or carpenter ant control!