Carpenter ant swarm. Males swarm first followed by females. Photo: Jeff Hahn, Univ. of Minn. Extension |
Could they be termites?
Some people worry that these winged insects could be termites. Fortunately, termite colonies are very uncommon in Minnesota, only occurring in the southern 1/3 of the state.
Seeing winged termites in Minnesota is rare.
You can distinguish between them as carpenter ants have a noticeable waist, elbowed antennae and two pairs of wings that are different lengths; termites do not have a visible waist, have straight antennae and four equal sized wings.
Swarms inside your home
Finding a swarm indoors means that a nest is also inside the home. The swarm also give you an idea where the nest is located, usually nearby. Make sure the ants are correctly identified as there are other ants than swarm in spring.
Carpenter ants commonly nest in wood and can potentially damage buildings. Their damage occurs relatively slowly but don’t ignore them. Controlling nests is challenging because of the hidden nature of their nests and the complexities of their biology. A professional pest management company is best able to eliminate a nest.
A winged and wingless carpenter ant queen. Finding one or two of them walking around is not a sign of a nest. Caption: Jeff Hahn, UMN Extension |
Sometimes a single winged or wingless carpenter ant queen is found. Her presence in your home is not an indication of indoor nest. It means she swarmed somewhere close by and is now searching for a place to start her own nest.
After a queen lands, her wings break off and she becomes wingless for the rest of her life. Because she is still searching for a favorable site, you know there is no nest there. Once she starts a new nest, she does not leave it. The only necessary control when finding an individual queen is physical removal.
For more information, see Carpenter ants.
Author: Jeffrey Hahn, Extension Entomologist