Flying Ants

Flying ants are very common. The ant nest will create kings and queens who are winged. These winged bugs will fly, sometimes into our homes, to create a new colony. Their sole purpose is to mate and spread their nest.

Ants, such as Carpenter Ants, will take flight as described above. At times, these ants with wings may be your first sighting of these bugs. Many reasons cause flying ants. Heavy rain is one reason they swarm. If their nest is disturbed, the ants will swarm. They will also swarm just to spread to a new area.

Flying ants are attracted to lights. As a result, a possibility exists that there is not an active infestation. Your home just may have been the brightest area closest to the area where the ants originated. In some states, Carpenter Ants damage wood. If you live in one of these states and have Carpenter Ants, it’s advised that you seek help from a professional exterminator. In Florida, and Tampa Bay, Carpenter Ants, are not considered wood destroying organisms.

Now keep in mind carpenter ants and termites both swarm. Frequently, these flying bugs can be misidentified by a homeowner. An improper pest identification can result in severe damage to your home. When in doubt, contact a local exterminator for assistance. Remember, when a termite swarms that is an indication of an established colony. It takes approximately three to five years before a colony is mature enough to create the kings and queens, who swarm. Once they leave the nest, they mate in flight. Then, the queen attempts to create a new colony somewhere else inside your house.

Some differences between flying termites and flying ants are as follows:

1. Ants have elbowed antennae where termites have straight antennae.
2. Ants have two pairs of wings that are of different sizes. Termites also have two pairs of wings that are of similar length.
3. Ants have a tapered waist. Termites have a waist that is the same width as the rest of the body.

Now, never just count on a blog post to properly identify whether you have flying termites or flying ants. Instead,  contact a local pest control company to assist. Better safe than sorry. If you live in Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater, or anywhere else in Central Florida, give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website www.insectfree.com. We are Earth’s Best Natural Pest Management, and we are here to help.