When the option is termites, however, ants are a favorable resource. An Orkin exterminator came out to give a free inspection, and whatdyaknow? What I couldawoulda swore to be termites (long straight antennae, ugly little bods) crawling around the kitchen sink and upstairs bathtub are regular ants!
Phew!
What a relief. Yesterday, I was skeeved out. Today not so much. Especially when I eighty-sixed those bad boys with RAID. :)
Undoubtedly, the skeeve-feelings came from my previous encounter with a Terminex Termite inspector, who was about as friendly and trustworthy as a used car salesman. He was pretty sure we had termites, despite not finding mud tunnels or any other signs (other than a fleck of mud in a crack in the wall, which turned out to be, well, dirt in a crack in the wall.
The Orkin guy gave me pointers:
termites have two easily-by-eye distinguishable segments, ants have three
termites won't be found crawling around in the open, unless something weird has happened; they prefer to build mud tubes. Ants roam as they like.
Mud tubes crumble at the touch, while ant mounds are gritty and can break by blowing on them
termites in fall/winter are usually a tan color, soldiers have reddish heads; ants are blackish.
Thank you Orkin Man!
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