You Found White Ants! What Are They, and What Do You Do Now?
If you’re like most folks, the first time you stumble across a colony of white ants, you’re probably a little creeped out, but also confused. Ants are black or red, right? Why are those ants white? And why haven’t you seen them before?
The truth is that those aren’t white ants, and you have cause to be concerned. This guide will explain exactly what those white ants are, what they do, and what you should (and shouldn’t) do about them.
What Are White Ants?
Aside from a very specific type of sugar ant found in Florida, there are no white ants. Those white ants you’ve stumbled upon are actually subterranean termites, and your home and other structures could be in danger of a white ant or termite infestation.
Subterranean termites, or white ants, are a type of wood-destroying insect, and the white ones are actually the termite workers or soldiers of the termite infestation. The worker termites are smaller, almost all white, and have very small mandibles or jaws. Soldier termites are longer, have white bodies with brown heads, and have large mandibles to help the termite attack intruders and defend the termite colony.
White ants get their creamy white color because, as their official name would suggest, they spend the majority of their lives underground or moving from place to place through mud tubes. They don’t experience sunlight, so they take on a pale white color.
Termites VS Black Ants
Not all of the termites in subterranean termite colonies are white, so it can be hard to tell the difference between the other termites and black ants. Luckily, there are some helpful indicators that might help homeowners identify termites:
- Black ants have thin “pinched” waists while white ants or termites are relatively thicker.
- Black ants’ heads are small while white ants or termites have large heads.
- Ants have bent antennae while white ants or termites have straight antennae.
Both species destroy wood and cause lots of major structural damage each year. For this reason, it’s important to be able to identify white ants and termites to handle a termite infestation or black ant infestation right away.
What Are the Signs of White Ants in a Home?
It’s hard to tell what goes on behind the drywall, we know. But there are some signs that termites do leave behind that could be an indicator that there is a problem.
Noise
If you’re hearing a clicking sound behind the drywall, this may be an indication that there is a termite infestation. When the soldier termites detect danger, they bang their heads against the walls and wood in their termite colonies to warn other termites. This sound can be hard to hear, and it’s usually not until a homeowner notices a cat or dog listening to the wall that they realize something is going on.
Piles of Wings
When white ants in a colony grow too large in numbers, reproductive termites with wings begin to look for an opportunity to mate. These pests look like flying ants, but their wings are all the same size (they have four, as do ants), while ants have two sets of different-sized wings.
This typically happens after a good springtime rain, but these flying white ants will leave their nests and fly around in a cloud of other flying termites to look for a mate. This is often inside the home in front of a large window or sliding door, as they look for light.
After the termite swarmers mate, they land, break their wings off, and attempt to start a new colony elsewhere. The strange thing is that these termites break their wings off in piles, and they’re usually near windows or doors. If a homeowner comes home to a pile of long, tan wings by a window sill, it’s a surefire indication that there are termites in the walls.
Frass
Another way to determine whether there is a termite problem is to look for frass. Frass is essentially poop made from wood destroying insects like white ants, and it looks like small, oval-shaped pellets with rounded ends, and it may be mixed with sawdust.
Frass is usually found along window sills, doors, baseboards, and sometimes along cabinets. Typically, this means the termite colony is nearby, as termites actually clean their nests and remove waste, which results in piles of frass near their entrance holes.
Note: Frass looks much different than other insects’ waste, such as stink bug poop, which is oily and liquid.
Hollow Sounding Wood
If there are any wood surfaces within the home that sound hollow when tapped, they could be a sign that there are white ants or termite activity. These pests feed on the wood and bore deeper and deeper into it until there isn’t much left but tunnels of pulpy wood.
Mud Tubes
When subterranean termites, or white ants, emerge from the ground underneath a wood structure, they build tubes from dirt and wood. They use these tubes like ladders, allowing them to move back and forth from the nest to the wood source without exposing themselves to predators. Any signs of mud tubes between surfaces is a strong indication of white ants activity.
Tunnels in Wood
Folks performing DIY projects often find old termite damage by removing wood full of holes and tunnels. These tunnels were created by white ants or other wood-destroying insects, and while they may not be present at the time of the renovation, the damage they left behind is just important to deal with.
What You Should (or Should Not) Do About White Ants
If you see white ants, you might be considering taking action. We don’t blame you. Here are some things you should and should not do if you find white ants.
Do: Try Termite Bait
If you’ve seen white ants around your property but not in your home yet, you can try a termite bait station. These stations are installed in the ground and attract termites. White ants eat the slow-acting insecticide and bring it back to the nest where they share it with other termites. These insecticides alter the termites’ nervous system and prevent them from successfully molting. As a result, they die within a few weeks.
Don’t: Spray Large Colonies of White Ants With Ant Spray
It may be tempting to spray termites with ant spray, but we’d suggest against this. In many cases, the colony is just too large, and spraying them will only kill a few termites. The others may scatter and head to sheltered parts of the home to start new colonies, resuming their wood-destroying business.
Instead, use a variety of do-it-yourself products meant specifically for termites.
Do: Call a Termite Exterminator
If you’re noticing termite signs or white ants inside the house, it’s time to call an exterminator or pest control company to help. These pros will assess the home, perform a WDI inspection, and help the homeowner come up with a plan to remove the termites and assess the damage.
Professional pest control companies have the experience and ability to handle major termite infestations and prevent further damage from these destructive white ants. They may even offer termite warranties or bonds to offer further peace of mind.
What is a WDI Inspection?
A WDI inspection is a Wood Destroying Insect inspection, and many home buyers purchase them when buying a home. During the inspection, the inspector will look at all visible areas of the home, including the basement or crawl space, to look for signs of termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and powderpost beetles.
After the inspection, the inspector will supply the homeowner with a document. This document explains the inspector’s findings as well as some suggestions as to what the homeowner can do to reduce the risk of white ants or other termites causing damage.
While this is common, homeowners can request a similar inspection to tell them if their white ant problem is serious, as well as remove them when the time comes.
FAQS
That’s a lot of information on white ants or termites, but there may be some additional questions swarming around your brain. The following are some of the most commonly asked questions about white ants and termites.
What do I do if I find white ants?
The best thing to do if you find white ants is to call a pest control company to handle it. These bugs create an estimated $30 billion in damage every single year and leaving them in your home while you try DIY methods might not be the best solution.
What are those white ants?
Those white ants are actually subterranean termites, and they’re very destructive pests that can cause billions of dollars in damage every year.
Are white ants and termites the same?
Yes, white ants and termites are the same. With the exception of a small white sugar ant in the Southern US, white ants and termites are the same things.
Are white ants a problem?
Yes, white ants are actually termites, and they do more than chew clothing like a carpet beetle—they cause billions of dollars in damage every single year. If you have them in your home, you should call an exterminator right away. They can cause major structural damage to wood relatively quickly.
