What are the differences between ants and termites?

Ants and termites are sometimes mistaken for each other, however they are very different insect groups.

Antennae

• Ants: Elbowed.
• Termites: Simple string of bead-like segments.

Eyes

• Ants: Compound eyes present.
• Termites: No eyes.

Waist (called a pedicel, found between thorax and abdomen)

• Ants: Present.
• Termites: Absent.

Abdomen

• Ants: Pointed at end.
• Termites: Blunt at end.

Castes

Both ants and termites can be divided up into several ‘castes’, which depend upon their roles in the colony.

Workers

• Ants: Sexually undeveloped females.
• Termites: Sexually undeveloped males and females.

Soldiers

• Ants: Are workers and may have dual role.
• Termites: Sexually undeveloped males and females. There are two possible body forms: mandibulate (jawed) and nasute (long-nosed), depending on species.

Reproductives (winged)

• Both ants and termites can have a winged stage in their reproductive cycle.
• Ants: Fore/hind wings unequal, strongly veined
• Termites: Fore/hind wings equal, no obvious veins

Life cycle

• Ants: Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult
• Termites: Incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, adult (no pupal stage)

Diet

• Ants: ants are scavengers, with different species foraging for different foods. Some ants live within damp/decaying wood, but do not actually eat the wood.
• Termites: termites are plant tissue specialists, feeding on wood and grasses, and some species can cause extensive damage to buildings and trees through their feeding and nesting habits.

Scientific classification

• Ants: Order Hymenoptera, Family Formicidae
• Termites: Order Isoptera, several families