There is often confusion when attempting to identify the difference between ants and termites but when taking a closer look at them is actually quite easy to tell the difference not only by their physical features but also by their habits.
Physical features:
Antennae
- Ants: Elbowed (distinct bend in each antenna)
- Termites: They are almost straight and look like a string of bead-like segments.
Eyes
- Ants: Compound eyes present.
- Termites: No eyes.
Waist (pedicel)
- Ants: Present.
- Termites: Absent.
Wings (present during the reproductive phase)
· Ants: Two rear wings shorter that the two front wings. The veins are clearly visible.
Ant wings are strongly secured to their bodies.
· Termites: All four wings equal in length. The veins are not visible to the naked eye.
Termite wings break off their bodies very easily.
Body
· Ants: Very hard exo-skeleton.
· Termites: Very soft exo-skeleton and almost transparent.
Abdomen
- Ants: Slightly pointed.
- Termites: Rounded end.
Habits:
Life cycle
· Ants: Go from an egg, to a larvae, to a pupa and finally to the adult stage (Complete metamorphosis)
· Termites: Go from an egg, to a nymph and finally the adult stage (Incomplete metamorphosis)
Diet
- Ants: Ants have a very varied diet consisting of plant material such as leaves, grasses, other insects, arachnids and just about any food source left behind by humans.
- Termites: Termites feed on wood and other decomposing plant materials.
Outside activity:
· Ants: Ants are very active during the daytime and are often seen outside in sunlight.
· Termites: Termites have very thin exo-skeletons and rarely come out into direct sunlight.