The workers are light-colored, have a broad waist and have straight antennae. This can be difficult to do because termites and ants do look very much alike, especially during the spring and fall when the winged cast members are starting to fly around to find grounds for a new nest. These pest seek protection from predators and the weather, as well as easy access to sources of food. Termites are very uncommon in Minnesota. Do carpenter ants bite humans. Carpenter ants will be larger than a dime. are large (0.3 to 1.0 in or 0.76 to 2.54 cm) ants indigenous to many forested parts of the world. Carpenter ants have dark-colored bodies, narrow waists, elbowed (bent) antennae and hind wings that are shorter than front wings (if wings are present). If you see carpenter ants with wings in your home, there are plenty of wingless ones nearby, and they may be causing damage to your house. However, they use their formidable mandibles to defend their nests when attacked. They will burrow into wood furniture in your home, such as desks or cabinets. Obviously, winged ants are larger than the “classic” ants that are part of the colony. If size isn't enough to tell these two insects from each other, there are a few more differences that are quite noticeable. The majority of ant species have at least one caste, or type, of ant that has wings. Ant species that do not swarm do not have winged members, and they increase their populations through budding. Carpenter ants are also drawn to the grease spills and pet food commonly found in many homes throughout Canada. The black carpenter ant is dark brownish-black all over. Within each colony, ants have different duties. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they do burrow in it. Their antennae are bent and in sections. Ant swarmers look like ants with wings. For one, the ants are larger than termites. The wingless worker caste helps maintain the colony and feed the young. Swarming termites (alates) have no segments on their bodies and two sets of equal sized wings. Ants are social insects, living in colonies of various sizes. Carpenter ants with wings are called swarmers, and like the rest of the ants in the colony, these winged carpenter ants have important jobs to keep their colony alive. Precisely because of having wings, moreover, carpenter ants are often confused with termites. Carpenter ants have pinched waists and two sets of different sized wings. Learn about carpenter ants, including if they have wings, and what makes them different from a wood-destroying pest like termites. Only reproductive ants have wings, and they will are winged and able to fly only during the breeding season. A carpenter ant's body is divided into three segments, with a very slim waist separating the upper body and lower body. Termite swarmers do not have the distinctive waist of an ant. Why do I have carpenter ants. An ant with wings is either an egg-laying queen or a male whose sole responsibility is to disperse and find a mate. These insects also have yellowish wings, while termites have white ones. Male and female adults have wings at … If you have a carpenter ant infestation, you may find piles of wood shavings just below wooden objects like desks. Most often, these are both the queens and males. The waists of ants and termites are also easy to spot since ants have distinctive waists that separate the abdomen and thorax. While most folks understand what an ant looks like they may have trouble distinguishing a carpenter ant from a drywood termite. However, while termites eat wood, carpenter ants merely make galleries in wooden areas for shelter. Carpenter Ant Identification. Do Carpenter Ants Have Wings by Siti | Posted on January 14, 2018 Carpenter ant identification treatment information what to do about flying ants in your home how to get rid of flying ants bob vila in most ant species males and young queens have wings how to tell the difference between flying ants … … When they have wings, carpenter ants have two pairs, one placed on the chest and a couple longer. Carpenter ants do not have stings therefore they do not sting people. Which, basically means, a queen and trailing reproductive males leave the nest and walk to another site to form a new colony. Carpenter ants are from 6 to 25 mm (.24 to 1 inch) long. Because carpenter ants cause damage to wooden areas where they nest, their presence can be mistaken for a termite infestation. Although certain carpenter ants have wings, you can distinguish them from termites. Carpenter ants nest in moist wood under decks, on porches, around windows, inside roofs, and in other areas which are exposed to the weather. This is because ants only fly - or even have wings - when they are getting ready to breed. Carpenter ants are common sights in the Americas, Europe and other parts of the world. Although, in general, males are smaller than females. [2] They build nests inside wood consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles, preferably in dead, damp wood. Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) Carpenter ants are no exception. Seeing flying ants in your home is never a good sign, but having these winged ants in your home in the winter is especially problematic.