
Ants Develop Wings in Preparation for Reproduction
In early to mid-spring, certain ants will develop wings. In rare situations, you might find them in fall, and sometimes in summer as well, but it’s a most common sight during spring. Both male and female ants will get those wings in preparation for reproduction. They will swarm with thousands of other ants to mate in flight. Many of those winged ants will not make it through the process. Some will be eaten by other bugs and birds, and others will die because they didn’t have enough to eat or drink. Of course, if the swarm tries to nest in your home, they’ll probably be eliminated through ant control services. The sole purpose of male ants is to reproduce so that there are future generations, so after reproduction, they die off. The females lose their wings, which they use as nutrition while they make their nests. If you see a swarm of flying ants, you can almost bet they are going to make a nest nearby. If you don’t want a new nest of thousands of ants in your home, it’s time to call the professionals at Truly Nolen.Winged Ants Could Be Confused for Termites
Any time you notice a swarm of flying ants, it’s important you are able to identify them. It’s possible they’re harmless, and they’re just going to create a colony in your yard where they can’t bother anybody. It’s also possible you’ve confused the winged ants for termites. They look quite similar, though there are some differences you can look for to know for sure:- Termites have straight antennae, while ants have bent antennae
- The waist of a termite is straight and wide, while the waist of an ant looks pinched
- Termite wings come in pairs of the exact same size, while ant wing pairs are differing sizes