The sight of ants scurrying across the ground is common, yet sometimes, a different kind of ant appears: one with wings, taking to the skies. Not all ants possess the ability to fly; this winged stage is a specific, temporary phase in the life cycle of certain individuals within an ant colony.
Who are the Flying Ants?
The ants observed with wings are not a separate species, but rather the reproductive members of an ant colony. These individuals are known as “alates” or “swarmers,” and they consist of virgin queens and male ants. Alates are specifically developed for reproduction.
It is common to confuse flying ants with termites, which also have a winged, reproductive stage. However, distinct physical differences can help tell them apart. Flying ants typically have bent or “elbowed” antennae, a constricted or “pinched” waist, and two pairs of wings where the front pair is noticeably larger than the hind pair. In contrast, winged termites have straight antennae, a broad waist, and four wings of equal size.
The Purpose of Their Aerial Journey
The primary reason these ants take to the air is for reproduction and the establishment of new colonies. This event is known as a “nuptial flight” or mating flight, a synchronized mass emergence of winged ants from various colonies. During this flight, virgin queens mate with males, often from different colonies, to promote genetic diversity. This widespread dispersal helps prevent inbreeding and allows the ant species to expand its range.
Nuptial flights are triggered by specific environmental conditions, such as warm temperatures and high humidity, often following a recent rainfall. These conditions make it easier for the ants to fly and soften the soil, which is beneficial for newly mated queens seeking to establish their nests. The synchronized emergence of many alates at once also serves as a strategy to overwhelm predators, increasing the chances of survival for some individuals.
The Briefness of Their Flight
The aerial journey of these winged ants is a temporary phase of their lives. After mating in the air, the male ants have fulfilled their biological purpose and die shortly thereafter, often within a day or two. The newly fertilized queen, now carrying enough sperm to lay eggs for her entire lifespan, then lands and sheds her wings. She removes her wings by breaking them off at a pre-determined weakness, a process known as dealation.
The queen uses the muscles that once powered her wings as a protein source, reabsorbing them to provide energy for her to survive without foraging and to lay her first batch of eggs. She then seeks a suitable location, a small crevice or an excavated chamber in the soil, to establish her new colony.