Ants vs Termites

[Marcell1992]

Greetings,

For a while I thought I had an ant problem, but as I did some research, people say some termites look like ants too, so I'm in a pickle. How do I identify the difference between an ant and a termite?

I'm pretty sure it is an ant, but:
- I've mixed boric acid with sugar, but the trail is not interested in the mixture and just runs around it.
- There is a noticeable trail running from my one neighbor's house all the way to the other neighbor's house, this is what makes me think it is ants and not termites, but due to point 1 I'm not sure. This trail also breaks off towards my front door (wood) and back fence (wood) and garage door (wood), and not sure if it runs further as I'm unable to trace the trail any further.
- I once saw one of them carrying something, I tried to pick it up but it was too small, but it was black in color.
- Just because I can, I mixed mince fat with boric acid, and surprisingly it acted as a minor repellent.
- They practically solely come out when it is hot outside, the hotter it is the more there are of them.

This is all in Cape Town.
My camera is too crap to take a decent picture of them.

 

[Lupus]

Termites don't look like ants, flying termites are often mistaken for flying ants though. At those wooden places do you see little sand nests?

 

[Marcell1992]

Termites don't look like ants, flying termites are often mistaken for flying ants though. At those wooden places do you see little sand nests?

Hard to see because there is always wind blowing. So if they don't have wings it's definitely ants? So how would I go about getting rid of the ants if boric acid and sugar don't work?

 

[Lupus]

Hard to see because there is always wind blowing. So if they don't have wings it's definitely ants? So how would I go about getting rid of the ants if boric acid and sugar don't work?

Nope you do get flying ants , but the ants will be smaller, while termites are a bit bigger and have massive heads.
Also their bodies seem to be less segmented.

 

[Tabac]

Cypermethrin. This stuff gives a schit if it's an ant or a termite.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Cypermethrin. This stuff gives a schit if it's an ant or a termite.

100% this..

Find your nearest agricultural distributor, get a good sized bottle of the stuff and then be VERY liberal with it... just keep your pets out of the area for a day or so afterwards.

 

[Gaz{M}]

100% this..

Find your nearest agricultural distributor, get a good sized bottle of the stuff and then be VERY liberal with it... just keep your pets out of the area for a day or so afterwards.

I bought a bottle. How do I mix it and apply it? Just fill buckets and drench around my house and garden?

 

[ToxicBunny]

I bought a bottle. How do I mix it and apply it? Just fill buckets and drench around my house and garden?

Read the label... it will tell you..

Either trench it next to the house or spray liberally, but the booklet will have the details.

 

[Venomous]

Greetings,

For a while I thought I had an ant problem, but as I did some research, people say some termites look like ants too, so I'm in a pickle. How do I identify the difference between an ant and a termite?

I'm pretty sure it is an ant, but:
- I've mixed boric acid with sugar, but the trail is not interested in the mixture and just runs around it.
- There is a noticeable trail running from my one neighbor's house all the way to the other neighbor's house, this is what makes me think it is ants and not termites, but due to point 1 I'm not sure. This trail also breaks off towards my front door (wood) and back fence (wood) and garage door (wood), and not sure if it runs further as I'm unable to trace the trail any further.
- I once saw one of them carrying something, I tried to pick it up but it was too small, but it was black in color.
- Just because I can, I mixed mince fat with boric acid, and surprisingly it acted as a minor repellent.
- They practically solely come out when it is hot outside, the hotter it is the more there are of them.

This is all in Cape Town.
My camera is too crap to take a decent picture of them.

It might very well be black subterranean termites...

http://www.epestsupply.com/termite_identification.php#.XHZt61PRY0M


Very nasty and they can even harm foundations.

 

[Tabac]

I bought a bottle. How do I mix it and apply it? Just fill buckets and drench around my house and garden?

For ants - 5ml per 10liter. Pour into their holes. Or use a spraycan. I spray around my house - keeps the flies away.

 

[Marcell1992]

For ants - 5ml per 10liter. Pour into their holes. Or use a spraycan. I spray around my house - keeps the flies away.

I can only, sort of identify one hole and I'm unable to pour the mixture in there as it's a horizontal pipe, if there is more colonies, I can't find it as the trail dwindles. Basically the point I want to get at, will it wipe out the colony(ies) if I just spray it along their routes? That's why I went for the boric acid route as it sounded like they carry it to their nest, feed it to the queens and die.

 

[Tabac]

I can only, sort of identify one hole and I'm unable to pour the mixture in there as it's a horizontal pipe, if there is more colonies, I can't find it as the trail dwindles. Basically the point I want to get at, will it wipe out the colony(ies) if I just spray it along their routes? That's why I went for the boric acid route as it sounded like they carry it to their nest, feed it to the queens and die.

Morning. Get this:

Then spray inside that hole, and around your house, and where ever you think they walk.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

man.. this ants menace resurfaced during rainy days as they tried to move inside. Been spraying stuff in garden every 3 days whenever there is a bit of respite from rain but then rain washes it away. Vaccuming inside home every other day and filling gaps with polyfilla whereever I can find them. Behind wooden skirting seems quite a favorite place it seems.