Carpenter Ant vs Eastern Subterranean Termite
Carpenter Ants and eastern subterranean termites are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. A carpenter ant has large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax, while an eastern subterranean termite has creamy white, soft-bodied workers in soil and wood.
Side-by-side comparison
| Carpenter Ant | Eastern Subterranean Termite | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Ants | Termites |
| Scientific name | Camponotus pennsylvanicus | Reticulitermes flavipes |
| Size | 6–13 mm | 3–10 mm |
| Colors | Black and Red | White, Black and Tan |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | No | Yes |
| Bites or stings | Bites | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax | Creamy white, soft-bodied workers in soil and wood |
Key differences
- Group: Carpenter Ant belongs to ants, while eastern subterranean termite belongs to termites. Elbowed antennae and a pinched waist with one or two nodes.
- Size: Carpenter Ants are larger, reaching 13 mm, while eastern subterranean termites top out around 10 mm.
- Wings: Eastern Subterranean Termites have wings, while carpenter ants are usually seen without them.
- Color: Carpenter Ants are black and red; eastern subterranean termites are white, black and tan.
- Where found: look for carpenter ants indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages; eastern subterranean termites turn up indoors, in basements and garages and in woods and along trails.
- Signature feature: Carpenter Ants: large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax. Eastern Subterranean Termites: creamy white, soft-bodied workers in soil and wood.
How to identify carpenter ants
A large black ant that nests in moist or damaged wood, including window frames, decks and wall voids. It doesn't eat wood but excavates smooth galleries and pushes out sawdust-like debris.
- Large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax
- One node between the thorax and abdomen
- Piles of coarse sawdust and insect parts near nests
How to identify eastern subterranean termites
The most widespread termite in North America, living in underground colonies and reaching wood through mud tubes. Dark, winged swarmers emerge indoors on warm spring days.
- Creamy white, soft-bodied workers in soil and wood
- Black swarmers with two pairs of equal-length wings
- Pencil-width mud tubes on foundations and walls
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Carpenter ants can deliver a painful bite and weaken wood over time, but they do not carry disease. Termites don't bite people but can cause costly structural damage over time.
Where and when you'll see each
Carpenter Ants turn up indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages, mostly in spring and summer. Eastern Subterranean Termites turn up indoors, in basements and garages and in woods and along trails, mostly in spring.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Carpenter Ants: Follow trails at night to find the main nest and satellite colonies. Read the full removal guide for more.
Eastern Subterranean Termites: Schedule a professional inspection if you see swarmers or mud tubes. See the full profile for more.
Biology: ants and termites
Ants live in colonies ruled by one or more egg-laying queens. The workers you see are sterile females foraging for the rest of the colony, so killing visible ants rarely solves anything. Winged ants, called swarmers, appear when a mature colony sends out new kings and queens.
Termites live in colonies with a king, queen, workers and soldiers. Workers are pale, soft and rarely seen because they avoid light and dry air. Once a year, winged swarmers leave mature colonies to start new ones.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between carpenter ants and eastern subterranean termites?
Group: Carpenter Ant belongs to ants, while eastern subterranean termite belongs to termites. Elbowed antennae and a pinched waist with one or two nodes.
Which is bigger, a carpenter ant or an eastern subterranean termite?
Carpenter Ant: 6–13 mm. Eastern Subterranean Termite: 3–10 mm.
Do carpenter ants or eastern subterranean termites bite?
Carpenter Ants can bite. Eastern Subterranean Termites do not bite.
Where are they usually found?
Carpenter Ants: indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages. Eastern Subterranean Termites: indoors, in basements and garages and in woods and along trails.