Pavement ants, common inhabitants of urban and suburban environments, often draw attention when they appear in large numbers. Some pavement ants do develop wings, but this occurs only during a specific phase of their life cycle, directly related to their reproductive process and dispersal.
The Ants with Wings
Only reproductive castes, known as alates or swarmers (future queen ants and male ants), develop wings. Worker ants, the most commonly observed foraging individuals, are wingless and constitute the majority of the colony. Winged pavement ants are typically larger than their worker counterparts, with queens measuring about 6 mm long and males around 4 to 4.5 mm. Their bodies are usually dark brown to black, often with paler antennae and legs. Their head and thorax may appear ridged with parallel lines.
Why Pavement Ants Fly
Pavement ants develop wings for reproduction and colony expansion. Winged reproductives emerge from mature colonies to participate in nuptial flights or mating swarms. During these flights, male and female alates mate, allowing genetic exchange between different colonies. The wings facilitate dispersal, enabling future queens to travel some distance from their original nest to establish new colonies, thereby expanding the species’ range. These mating flights often occur on warm, humid days, typically in late spring or early summer (June and July), but can happen at any time of year if conditions are favorable.
Winged Ants or Termites?
Winged pavement ants are frequently mistaken for termites, particularly during their swarming periods, but key physical characteristics can help distinguish them. Pavement ants have distinctly elbowed antennae, while termites possess straight, bead-like antennae. Another differentiating feature is the waist: ants have a narrow, pinched waist separating their thorax and abdomen, giving them a three-segmented appearance, whereas termites have a broad, uniform waist. Winged ants have two pairs of wings where the forewings are noticeably larger than the hindwings; conversely, winged termites have two pairs of wings that are roughly equal in size and length. Accurate identification is important because it guides appropriate management strategies.
What Happens After the Flight
Once the mating flight is complete, the fate of the winged pavement ants differs for males and queens. Male ants typically die shortly after mating, having fulfilled their reproductive purpose. Fertilized future queen ants embark on the next phase of their life: establishing a new colony, shedding their wings as they no longer need them for flight. The wingless queen then seeks a suitable location, such as a crack in pavement, under a stone, or in the soil, to dig a small chamber. She seals herself inside and begins to lay eggs, nurturing the first brood of worker ants who will then take over the colony’s daily tasks, storing sperm from her mating flight to fertilize eggs throughout her lifetime.