In Alabama, termites cause millions of dollars of damage each year to homes and businesses. It’s important to have your home inspected for termites so you can avoid the expensive issues they cause. People tend to worry about termites only when they see them swarming—at that point you already have a problem. Swarming termites are often confused with winged ants. They look similar, but there are a few key differences that can help in identification. If you look at the wings on a flying ant versus an eastern subterranean termite swarmer, the ant has a larger set of front wings, and a smaller set of hind wings. With the subterranean termite swarmer, all four wings – front and back – are the same size. Also, if you look closely at the antennae, a termite will have a straight antennae, and winged ants will have an elbow, or crook in their antennae.
In Northern Alabama the Eastern Subterranean Termite is most prevalent. A new type of Subterranean Termite is working its way up north towards us. It is called the Formosan Termite. Formosan Termite Swarmers look different from the Eastern Subterranean Termite Swarmers. Formosan Termites are a milky white to a yellowish color, whereas Eastern Subterranean Termite Swarmers are usually very dark brown or black. If you think you may have Formosan Termites, they need to be treated as soon as possible! These termites can form extremely large colonies, can have aerial nests, and can do serious damage to a home in a very short amount of time when compared to the traditional termites in our area. Formosan Termite Treatments also require extra steps to ensure control over what is usually done with a traditional termite service.