Featured
The Ultimate Guide to Rodent Control
Call Us
Licensed Technician
Seeing flying ants in your home can be alarming. I’m a licensed technician with Better Termite & Pest Control since 2015. I’ve handled dozens of spring swarms in the DC metro, including Virginia and Maryland.
Most homeowners first spot a sudden swarm of flying ants near a window or light fixture. This is a clear sign a colony is mature. Sometimes homeowners confuse flying ants and termites, leading to the wrong DIY steps.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to identify flying ant species, seal entry points, and get rid of flying ants in house. You’ll learn DIY tips and when to call our team for professional ant control.
Winged ants, or alates, are the male and female ants sent out to mate. They have two pairs of wings, with front wings larger than the hind wings. After mating, queens shed their wings and start a new ant nest.
You’ll often see these ants flying around light fixtures, especially on warm nights. Like other flying insects, flying ants are attracted to heat and humidity. Spotting them indoors usually means an ant colony is nearby.
Mid-Atlantic homes often get several ant species that produce winged forms. For more details on regional ant species, see Kinds of Ants: Identifying Different Types in DC Metro.
Carpenter ants are large (workers 6–12 mm, queens up to 19 mm) and usually black. They nest in wood, carving galleries that weaken structures. You’ll find sawdust-like frass near windows or floor joists.
Flying carpenter ants swarm May–July. According to the Virginia Tech Carpenter Ants guide, these ants are a major structural pest. An indoor swarm often means a mature nest inside your walls.
Odorous house ants are small (3 mm) and brown to black. When crushed, they emit a rotten coconut smell. These ants form large, multi-queen colonies in wall voids and under mulch.
They swarm May–July in search of sweets and water. The PSU guide notes they can expand by budding, creating new colonies without flying ants (source).
Pavement ants measure 2–3 mm and nest under sidewalks, patios, or slabs. You’ll spot tiny dirt mounds at their entrances. Winged pavement ants swarm in late spring, often emerging through foundation cracks.
NC State reports these ants will eat sweets, grease, and dead insects (source). Seal cracks and crevices to keep them from entering.
Both can nest inside wall voids or under insulation. Follow their trails to find nests.
Citronella ants are yellowish and smell like lemon when crushed. They swarm in spring (April) and fall (September). Homeowners often confuse their alates with termites.
The Virginia Tech Yellow Ant guide explains they don’t damage wood. Watch for swarmers emerging through basement slab cracks.
Confusing flying ants and termites can hide a serious termite colony. Learn more at Termites vs Flying Ants: How to Tell the Difference.
Flying ants have a narrow, pinched waist and elbowed antennae. Their front wings are larger than their rear wings. These features distinguish them from winged termite swarmers.
Termites have a broad waist and straight, beaded antennae. Both wings are equal in size. After swarming, termites shed wings, often leaving silvery piles on windowsills.
Most ant flights occur May through July, while termite swarms pop up in March and April. Noting the time of year can help you avoid confusing flying ants and termites.
A mature ant colony produces male and female ants to mate, called a nuptial flight. When ants fly, they mate mid-air. Mated queens shed wings and search for a spot to establish new colonies.
Carpenter ants are attracted to damp or rotted wood. Leaky plumbing, clogged gutters, or wet insulation can invite them. Inspect your home for moisture and fix leaks to avoid a carpenter ant infestation.
Flying ants are attracted to light and humidity. Warm, calm days after rain often trigger swarms. They fly toward windows and porch lights, where you might see them fluttering.
Ants slip through tiny cracks in foundations and slab floors. Pavement ants and citronella ants often exploit expansion gaps. Seal these cracks to block entry points.
Open doors, torn screens, attic vents, and gaps around pipes and wires let ants inside. Seal gaps with silicone caulk and install weatherstripping on doors.
Branches touching your roof or siding act like bridges. Trim limbs at least a foot from walls. This cuts off routes for ants flying around or crawling inside.
After mating, queens lose their wings. Piles of wings or dead swarmers near light fixtures mark their exit or mating spot.
Carpenter ants push out wood shavings called frass. Look for small piles of sawdust under windows, floor joists, or in basements.
Worker ants leave a pheromone trail to food sources. Spotting lines of ants helps you backtrack to entry points or nest sites.
Clean spills, crumbs, and pet bowls. Store sweets in airtight containers. According to Penn State IPM, good sanitation is the first step (source).
Seal cracks, crevices, and gaps around doors, windows, and foundations. Use silicone caulk and install door sweeps to prevent flying ants from entering.
Vacuum swarms or spray ants with soapy water to kill flying ants on contact. This removes visible insects but won’t eliminate the colony.
Place ant baits near trails and nest entrances. Different ants will eat sugar or protein baits. Ants will carry the bait back to the nest and kill the queen.
Apply non-repellent sprays or boric acid dust in wall voids and cracks. These products kill ants slowly, reducing the risk of them relocating nests.
Treat a 2–3 foot band around your foundation with a residual insecticide. This barrier stops many ants from entering but needs reapplication after heavy rain.
If ants keep returning after DIY steps or if you see flying carpenter ants inside, it’s time to call an exterminator. Don’t let a small ant problem grow.
Our licensed technicians perform a detailed 78-point home inspection. They check entry points, moisture issues, and ant trails before crafting a treatment plan.
A pro can inject dust or foam into hidden nests. They also use non-repellent sprays that ants don’t detect, ensuring they carry poison back to the colony.
At Better Termite & Pest Control, we cut nine harsh chemicals from our program. You get unlimited callbacks, no binding contract, and ongoing ant control support. Learn more on our Northern Virginia Pest Control or College Park Pest Control pages.
Regularly inspect for leaks and high humidity. Use a dehumidifier in damp basements. Moisture management makes your home less attractive to ants.
Keep mulch and soil at least 6 inches from foundations. Store firewood away from your home. Trim tree limbs to block ant highways.
Our seasonal plans include quarterly visits timed for peak ant activity. If you see ants between visits, call our ant control experts at no extra cost.
Dealing with flying ants in the house gets easier when you know what to look for. Start with identification, seal entry points, and try DIY baits. If ants persist, our licensed technicians can help.
For questions or a free estimate, call us at 703-683-2000 or email [email protected]. Visit our Ants page for more tips.
Flying ants in your house signal a mature nest nearby. Colonies produce winged males and female ants for mating. A sudden nuptial flight often means you have an established ant colony inside or near your walls.
To get rid of flying ants, clean up food and water sources, seal entry points, and place ant baits along trails. Vacuum or spray swarmers with soapy water for instant relief. For stubborn infestations, use non-repellent sprays or call a pro.
Flying ants are attracted to food, moisture, and light. Sweet spills, leaking pipes, and bright lamps draw swarmers. Fix leaks, clean surfaces, and turn off lights near entry points during swarms.
Not always. Flying ants have pinched waists and bent antennae, while termites have straight antennae and equal wings. Timing helps too: ants swarm late spring, termites swarm early spring.
Prevent flying ants from entering by sealing cracks and crevices, repairing screens, and installing door sweeps. Trim branches away from your house and keep mulch away from foundations.
All the products we use are EPA approved and passed our internal research review. We choose baits and dusts we’d use in our own homes. Bait stations are enclosed and placed out of the way, so you can use them comfortably indoors.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that’s been protecting homes for over 57 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area. Read his bio.
