White ants are termites: the short answer
White ants are termites. “White ants” is the everyday Australian name for termites, which CSIRO says comes from their similar appearance to ants and their pale colour. Termites are not ants at all. The Queensland Government notes that termites only look a little like ants and are in fact more closely related to cockroaches.
The difference matters for your home. According to CSIRO, termites feed on plant material, including timber, while the diets of adult ants range from predators and scavengers to seed eaters, fungus feeders and honeydew feeders. Termites can cause extensive damage to buildings if they go undetected or are not properly managed.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) says termites are a problem in most parts of Australia and are particularly active in hot, wet areas such as coastal Queensland.
Why Australians call them white ants
Australians call termites white ants because termites look like pale ants. The Queensland Government describes the likeness as a superficial resemblance only.
The likeness goes a little further than looks. Like ants, termites live in colonies with castes that have set roles: a queen, a king, soldiers and workers. Even so, ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera, with bees and wasps, and CSIRO’s entomology guide says termites are very different from that group. The name is a handy local label, not a description of the insect.
How to tell a termite from an ant
To tell a termite from an ant, check the waist, the antennae and, on winged insects, the wings. CSIRO and Queensland Government guides give these features:
| Feature | Termite (white ant) | True ant |
|---|---|---|
| Body and waist | Pale, elongate body; subterranean termites are generally pale brown or brown | A distinct, pinched waist between the first segments of the abdomen |
| Antennae | Straight, about as long as the head | Elbowed (bent) |
| Wing shape | Only alates, the winged breeding males and females, have wings: two pairs of equal length | Front wings larger than the hind wings; worker ants have no wings |
| Where you usually see them | Hidden inside timber, soil, galleries and mud tubes, away from sunlight, which dries out their soft outer skin (cuticle) | Out in soil, leaf litter and plants |
Start with the waist and antennae. A pinched waist and elbowed antennae mean a true ant, and the guide to sugar ants in the house is the better next read. Other insects get mistaken for termites too; see 6 bugs that are commonly mistaken as termites.
Do white ants have wings?
White ant workers and soldiers have no wings. Only the breeding males and females, called alates, have wings, and they use them to leave the nest and start new colonies.
Winged ants look similar at a glance, which is why people ask what kind of ants have white wings. CSIRO says flying termites can be told from flying ants by two things: their antennae are straight rather than elbowed, and they shed their wings readily on landing or when handled. For swarms and flying ant season, see why flying ants day happens.
What you saw and what it means
What a sighting means depends on where the termites were. Live termites in or on the house point to activity that needs a termite inspection. A swarm or a nest in the yard means termites are nearby. CSIRO notes that this does not necessarily mean they will enter the house, and that not all termite species are structural pests. The termite details in the table below also come from CSIRO’s termite guide.
| What you saw | Likely insect | What it means for the house | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pale, soft insects in timber or behind a skirting board | Termite workers or soldiers | Active termites in the house | Leave them alone and book a termite inspection |
| Mud tubes on stumps, walls or slab edges, or mud-packed gaps in timber | Subterranean termites | Termites build mud tubes to cross concrete and brick, and pack small gaps with the same mud | Do not break the tubes; book a termite inspection |
| Small piles of gritty pellets under tiny holes in timber | Possibly drywood termites | Gritty droppings (frass) under holes as small as 1 mm suggest drywood termites | Photograph the pellets and holes; book a termite inspection |
| Discarded wings on a windowsill or in a room corner | Termite alates that have landed | Winged termites were nearby. If they flew from inside, the launch site is worth finding. | Photograph the wings and note the room |
| A swarm of winged insects at a light on a warm, humid evening | Termite alates or flying ants | A swarm is how new colonies start. The nest may be outside, many metres away. | Check the wings and antennae; note the date and place |
| Small dark ants trailing to food | True ants | Not termites | See the sugar ants guide |
| A mound or nest in a tree or stump in the yard | Termites, possibly a species that does not attack buildings | Termites are nearby. They usually forage within 30 m of the nest, occasionally 100 m or more. | Mention it at your next inspection; see what termite nests look like |
Which white ants damage houses in south-east Queensland
Only a small share of termite species damage houses. CSIRO counts more than 350 termite species in Australia, with only about 20 causing significant damage to buildings. In Queensland, around 10 native subterranean species damage timber. The Queensland Government lists these timber pests with ranges that include south-east Queensland:
| Termite | Type | Where in Queensland | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coptotermes acinaciformis | Subterranean | Throughout Queensland | Coptotermes are the most economically important and widespread subterranean termites. Their soldiers release a milky substance when disturbed. |
| Schedorhinotermes | Subterranean | Throughout Queensland | Listed with Coptotermes acinaciformis among the most damaging subterranean species |
| West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis) | Drywood | Established in Maryborough and Brisbane suburbs | Introduced; an extremely destructive pest of structural timber that is difficult to detect |
| Native drywood termite (Cryptotermes primus) | Drywood | Throughout Queensland | Named among the damaging termites in Queensland |
The Queensland Government names the giant northern termite (Mastotermes darwiniensis) as the most destructive subterranean termite, but lists its range as tropical northern Queensland and northern Australia. Naming a species needs skill and at least tenfold magnification, the same source says. For the full list, see the species of termites found in Australia.
What to do if you think you have white ants
If you think you have white ants, leave them undisturbed and book a termite inspection. CSIRO advises not disturbing termites once found, because several control options rely on finding them active.
- Leave them where they are. Do not break open mud tubes, damaged timber or nests.
- Do not spray them. Termite products bought by home owners need care, as they can disturb termites and drive them away for a while. Successful control usually needs a licensed pest manager.
- Take photos. The Queensland Government notes that clear photos of termites, droppings and damage can help identify West Indian drywood termites.
- Note where and when. Write down the room, the timber and, for a swarm, the date.
- Book a termite inspection. QBCC recommends inspections by a contractor with the appropriate termite management licence, at least every 12 months, or more often in high-risk areas.
To check for white ants, CSIRO lists methods used to find termites, including searching stumps, ant caps and the edges of concrete slabs for shelter tubes, searching skirting boards and door and window frames for damaged wood, and tapping timber to listen for a dull, hollow sound that suggests cavities. The guide on what to do if you find termites covers each step in more detail. For the warning signs to look for, see how to know you have a termite problem.
Next steps
If you are not sure whether what you saw is termites, an inspection is the way to find out. To see what an inspection involves and what shapes its cost, read what affects the cost of a termite inspection. To book, our residential termite inspections cover homes across south-east Queensland, including Brisbane and the Redlands.
Common questions
What colour are termites in Australia?
Termites are generally pale, which is how they came to be called white ants, according to CSIRO. The Queensland Government describes subterranean termites as usually 3 to 7 mm long and pale brown or brown. Colour also differs by caste and species. West Indian drywood termite soldiers, for example, have white bodies and dark heads, while their winged alates have medium-brown bodies. Colour alone will not confirm a termite, so check the waist and antennae as well.
How long does it take white ants to damage a house?
The CSIRO and Queensland Government guides listed in the sources give no fixed timeline for how long termites take to damage a house. CSIRO does say termites can cause extensive damage to buildings if left undetected, and that one colony may hold over a million termites. Damaged timber can keep a wafer-thin outer skin, so the damage is easy to miss. QBCC recommends termite inspections at least every 12 months, or more often in high-risk areas, so termite activity is picked up early.
Do black ants eat white ants?
Ants are natural enemies of termites. The Queensland Government says subterranean termites stay inside closed, dark galleries and tunnels partly to protect themselves from enemies such as ants. CSIRO notes that termite soldiers defend the galleries from predators such as ants. That does not make ants a form of protection for a house. Seeing ants in the yard does not mean termites are absent, so rely on a termite inspection rather than on ants.
Do white ants fly?
Only some white ants fly: the winged breeding termites, called alates. CSIRO says swarms of alates leave the nest to start new colonies during humid periods in the warmer months, often at dusk. In Queensland, the introduced West Indian drywood termite is established in Brisbane suburbs. The Queensland Government says a share of its alates leave a mature colony over several weeks each spring or autumn, fly between dusk and dawn, and are attracted to lights.
Who can check a Brisbane home for white ants?
A termite inspector with the right licence. QBCC says regular termite inspections should be done by a QBCC-licensed contractor with the appropriate termite management licence, so ask any inspector for their QBCC licence details. Bob Gunn Termite Solutions does residential termite inspections across south-east Queensland, including Brisbane. Quotes are free, and booking dates you choose online are preferences until Bob Gunn confirms them. Phone (07) 3286 9877. The business's QBCC licence number is 894337.
Sources
- Managing Termites: Understanding termites and reducing their risk to buildings, CSIRO. Accessed 7 November 2026
- Subterranean and drywood termites, Business Queensland, Queensland Government. Accessed 7 November 2026
- West Indian drywood termite, Business Queensland, Queensland Government. Accessed 7 November 2026
- Termite Management Systems: Advisory notes for builders and homeowners (April 2024), Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). Accessed 7 November 2026
- Isoptera: termites, CSIRO Entomology. Accessed 7 November 2026
- Hymenoptera: ants, bees and wasps, CSIRO Entomology. Accessed 7 November 2026
