Flying Termites vs Flying Ants: How to Tell Them Apart

If you have just walked into a room full of flying insects, or found a pile of shed wings on a windowsill, you want a fast answer, not a lecture. Here is how to tell flying termites and flying ants apart, using the three things you can actually see in a few seconds: the wings, the antennae, and the waist.

Check the wings first

Flying termites, properly called alates, have two pairs of wings that are the same length as each other and roughly the same length as their body, sometimes a little longer. The wings look plain and papery.

Flying ants have two pairs of wings too, but the front pair is noticeably longer than the back pair. If you can see a clear size difference between the front and back wings, you are looking at an ant.

Check the antennae

Termite antennae are straight, or gently curved, like a short strand of beads. Ant antennae are elbowed, they bend sharply partway along, almost like a bent arm. This is one of the fastest ways to tell them apart if you can get close enough to see it, even through a phone camera zoomed in on a photo.

Check the waist

This is the most reliable difference if the insect is sitting still long enough to look. A termite has a thick, straight waist, the body reads as one broad shape from the middle section back. A flying ant has a pinched, narrow waist, a clear nip between the middle and rear sections of the body, like a figure eight.

Shed wings on the sill are a sign either way

Both termite and ant swarmers shed their wings once they land and pair off, so a scatter of small, uniform wings on a windowsill or floor near a window is common to both. What matters is what the wings themselves look like once they are off the body. Equal-length, plain wings lying in a small pile point to termites. Unequal pairs lying together point to ants. Either way, wings on the sill mean a swarm happened nearby recently, so it is worth checking where it came from.

Why the difference actually matters

A flying ant swarm in the house is a nuisance. A flying termite swarm is often a sign of a mature colony nearby, sometimes inside a wall, roof void, or the subfloor, that has reached the point of sending out reproductives to start new colonies. Termite swarms happen for a reason, and that reason is usually already established activity somewhere on or near the property.

What to do if you think they were termites

If you are not confident after checking wings, antennae, and waist, or if you found more than a couple of insects, it is worth getting it looked at rather than guessing. I inspect using a thermal imaging camera and a moisture meter, which finds activity you cannot see from where the swarmers turned up. I write the report on-site and hand it to you before I leave, so you know what is actually going on then and there, not days later.

Book a termite inspection.

Common questions

I only found wings, no live insects. Does that still count?
Yes. Shed wings mean a swarm already happened, even if you did not see it. Check the wing shape (equal vs unequal length) to work out which insect it was, then get it checked if they look like termite wings.

Are flying termites dangerous to be near?
No, they do not bite or sting people. The concern is what their presence tells you about activity nearby, not any direct risk from the swarmers themselves.

What time of year do termite swarms usually happen?
Swarms are weather-triggered, often after rain and warm, humid conditions, and can happen across the warmer months in Sydney. Exact timing varies year to year.

If it turns out to be ants, do I still need to call you?
No, flying ants are a general pest matter, not a termite one. If you are unsure which one you are looking at, send me a photo and I will tell you.

Found a swarm and not sure what you are looking at? Call me on 0405 790 927 and I will help you work it out.