We received this email yesterday from a local Austin resident-

“I found a few winged insects in my home tonight and I am unsure if it is a flying ant or termites.” -Cain C., Austin, TX

Great question Cain. How can you tell if it’s a winged termite or a winged ant?

The winged termite and winged ant look similar. They can both be dark in color and have very long wings. Termites, however have rounder bodies and shorter legs, for the most part. Ants are usually larger and have a bend in their antenna. But the biggest give away is that ants will have a “waist” between the upper body and lower body. The ant’s abdomen essentially looks like a big butt. Here is a perfect photo to show the difference:

The difference between a winged ant and a winged termite

My guess without seeing the insect would be that its an ant, as it is ant season right now and those reproductive ants are out looking to establish new colonies. But being either an ant or a termite a winged insect means that they are reproductives so get rid of it and then you better start looking for the main colony.

To watch a video on ant colonies visit: http://antguru.com/2009/antcontrol/ant-guru-video/