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Termites vs Ants
Termites aren’t native to the UK. The only colony ever recorded here, found under two bungalows in Saunton, north Devon, in 1994, was declared eradicated in 2021. So winged insects swarming around a British home in summer are almost certainly flying ants, which have elbowed antennae and a narrow waist.
Are there termites in the UK?
Termites aren’t native to the UK. The only colony ever recorded on UK soil was found in 1994 under two bungalows in Saunton, north Devon, after a homeowner reported a “white ant” damaging her conservatory. It was a colony of western subterranean termites (Reticulitermes grassei), a species native to parts of France, Spain and Portugal. After a 27-year eradication programme, it was declared eradicated in 2021, and no other colony has been recorded here. Subterranean termites are found in southern Europe, so BRE still monitors for them.
What do termites look like?
The first step in identifying your insect infestation is to determine what do termites look like. A termite’s nest or a termite colony could be very damaging to your home and you need to identify their appearance first to know the best way to deal with these insects.
Termites can look like pale ants, but they have straight antennae and a thick waist with no clear “pinch”. The winged adults that leave a colony to swarm have four wings of equal size.
When it comes to breeding, they have queens that lay eggs and kings that fertilise them. What’s more, is that they have a worker caste that does most of the work and a soldier caste that defends the nest.
What do flying ants look like?
If you think that ants are only the black or brown little creatures that crawl over the ground looking for food to take to their queen, you’d be slightly incorrect as there are many varieties of this species.
Also small in size like termites, flying ants differ from termites in several ways. Firstly, their wings are not of equal length, their waist is pinched-in making it narrower than that of a termite and finally, they have antennae that are usually angled and not straight. Ants also have nests or colonies and regarding breeding, they are very much like termites with a queen that lays eggs and kings that fertilise them. They also have a worker caste that does more of the work in getting food to the others.
Check also: How To Get Rid Of Flying Ants
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Termites vs ants difference
It’s quite easy to confuse termites with ants, as they can be similar in colour and size. However, when it comes to flying ants vs termites, there is an important termite vs ants difference. In fact, termites are closer to the cockroach family rather than ants. So it’s important to identify the differences between them.
The quickest way to tell them apart is to look at one insect closely, ideally in a photo next to a coin.
| Feature | Flying ant | Termite |
|---|---|---|
| Antennae | Bent, with a sharp elbow | Straight |
| Waist | Very narrow, clearly pinched in | Thick, no clear waist |
| Wings (swarming adults) | Two pairs | Four wings of equal size |
| Colour | Brown-black; flying adults are browner than workers | Pale, like pale ants |
| In the UK? | Common; swarm for a few days in July or August | Not native; the only colony ever found, in Devon, was eradicated in 2021 |
Termites vs flying ants difference
In the UK, the easiest clue is where and when you see them. Flying ants come out of cracks in paving, lawns and walls, usually for a few days in July or August, and they don’t eat timber. Termites feed on wood, but the only UK colony ever recorded, in Devon, has been eradicated. So winged insects swarming from the ground in summer are flying ants.
Termites vs ants damage
In much of the world termites are a serious timber pest, but they aren’t part of UK wildlife. If you find small holes, dust or crumbling timber in a British home, it’s much more likely to be woodworm, the larvae of wood-boring beetles. See our woodworm treatment page for what to look for.
Please note that we only aim to provide some useful information about how to identify termites.
