white ant

plural white ants

1. datedinformalA termite.

   1990 December 13, Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard), page D.3, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am happy to hear that the hon. Member appreciates the fact that white ants cause a lot [of] destruction in his area. There is very little we can do about white ants.

   4 more examples

   The most important point in the work of the white ant remains to be noted. I have already said that the white ant is never seen.

   1885 October, Henry Drummond, “The White Ant: A Theory”, in Popular Science Monthly, page 741

   The most voracious cable-muncher in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of Australia is the termite, or white ant, which eats through both lead and polythene sheathings.

   1971 June 3, “Technology Review: Spoiling the termite′s dinner”, in New Scientist, page 573

   White ants destroy living plants by removing the epidermal layers, effectively ‘ringbarking’ the subject.

   1995, Bill Sheat, Gerald Schofield, Complete Gardening in Southern Africa, page 424

   Our house was built on a hard ferruginous conglomerate, in order to be out of the way of the white ant, but they came in despite the precaution;[…].

   2010, David Livingstone, “15: Conversations on Rain-Making”, in Roy Richard Grinker, Stephen C. Lubkemann, Christopher B. Steiner, editors, Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History and Representation, page 246