When a home is being damaged by an insect infestation, it's important to identify the pest. Different pests are eradicated using different treatments, so finding out which insect is infesting your home is an important step in resolving the problem.
Unfortunately, termite and carpenter ant infestations can often be difficult to tell apart, and they require different treatment measures. The following is an overview of the differences between termite and carpenter ant infestations and control measures:
Appearance
Often, homeowners don't really get a look at the insects themselves when they have a pest problem, but rather become aware after observing the resulting damage. However, termites and carpenter ants have different appearances that reveal the nature of an infestation when homeowners or exterminators catch sight of them.
A termite has a more rectangular body than a carpenter ant does. The body of a carpenter ant has a distinguishable waist that the termite lacks. Antennae are also different. While termite antennae are straight, carpenter ant antennae feature a distinct bend.
Another difference in appearance is seen in the wings. Both termites and carpenter ants have wings. However, termite wings are all equal in size while carpenter ant hind wings are shorter than fore wings.
Behavior differences
While termites consume wood as food, carpenter ants will merely use wood to build nests. Therefore, carpenter ants will often leave wood shavings and frass around infested areas since they will remove parts of wood structures without eating them.
If infested areas are only found in moist wood, carpenter ants are probably the culprit. While termites will infest any kind of wood, carpenter ants only infest wood that is moist or damaged in some way.
Methods of eradicating termites
Once you determine that you have a termite infestation, you will need to call a professional exterminator. Termites will damage a home faster than carpenter ants. However, homeowners can protect their homes by taking precautions to prevent termite infestations.
Preventative measures include keeping structural wood parts of a home at least 6 inches from the ground. Also, excessive mulch use should be avoided and firewood should not be stored near the home.
Methods of eradicating carpenter ants
A carpenter ant infestation can often be handled without assistance from professional exterminators like Solutions Self Chem. Applying a liquid or granular insecticide around the perimeter of an affected area could bring a carpenter ant infestation under control.
Keeping branches and other vegetation from directly touching a home can help prevent the entry of carpenter ants. Any wire or cable openings can be caulked or sealed to prevent pest entry. Once a carpenter ant nest- or nests- is found, chemical insecticides can be applied directly to the area to get rid of the infestation.
Share30 October 2014
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