Ants are a diverse group of highly social insects, living in organized colonies that exhibit a division of labor. While most ants are wingless, specific reproductive individuals develop wings for a crucial purpose related to reproduction and colony establishment.
Identifying Winged Ants
Not all ants possess wings; only specific reproductive individuals develop them. These winged ants are known as “alates” or “swarmers,” and they include both future queen ants and male ants. Worker ants, which are sterile females, remain wingless throughout their lives, focusing on tasks like foraging and colony maintenance.
Why Ants Develop Wings
The development of wings in certain ants serves the purpose of reproduction and the establishment of new colonies. Winged ants emerge from their parent colonies for synchronized mating events, known as “nuptial flights” or “mating flights.” These flights facilitate genetic dispersal by allowing male and female alates from different colonies to meet and mate, which helps ensure the genetic health of the species. Environmental cues, such as warm, humid conditions often following rainfall, trigger these mass emergences.
Distinguishing Winged Ants from Termites
Winged ants are often confused with winged termites due to their similar appearance and the fact that both can swarm. However, several distinct physical characteristics allow for differentiation. Winged ants have antennae that are distinctly bent or elbowed, whereas winged termites possess straight, bead-like antennae.
Another clear difference lies in their body shape. Ants have a pinched, narrow waist, creating a segmented appearance between their thorax and abdomen. In contrast, termites have a broad, uniform waist, making their body appear more tube-like.
Furthermore, winged ants have two pairs of wings of unequal size, with the front wings being larger than the back wings. Termites, however, have four wings that are roughly equal in size and length.
The Lifecycle of Winged Ants
After the mating flight, the fate of winged ants diverges based on their sex. Male ants typically die shortly after mating, having fulfilled their reproductive role.
Female alates, which are future queens, will seek a suitable location to establish a new colony. Once a nesting site is found, the mated queen sheds her wings, often by breaking them off at a pre-determined joint. She then begins to lay eggs and single-handedly cares for her first brood, using stored fat reserves and reabsorbed wing muscles for nourishment until the first worker ants mature and can forage for the colony. This marks the beginning of a new ant colony.