Flying Ants – the Nuptial Flight

There is a lot of different ant species in Delta but the best known is the carpenter ant. Most people think flying ants are a unique species, but almost all species of ants send out winged breeders in mating season. This is what they call the nuptial flight, when the ants take to the skies to mate. Moisture content and atmospheric temperature need to be perfect before they fly; this is why we often see flying ants this time of summer every year. Each ant species has its own requirements before they take to the skies, so the same ant species in different areas will fly at different times. Ant colonies produce and send out both male and female ants with wings. Only colonies that are well established with plenty of food will produce the princess ants. Larger in size, the females are all considered young queens, each looking to start their own colony. The nuptial flight begins when the females fly up and away from the males, in a game of catch, only the fastest and most fit male will get to breed. It’s a game of numbers, as only one in a million females will likely start a new colony. Of course nature has a way of keeping the population in check, as birds and offer insects wait for the swarms of ants to make a quick meal.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flying-ants-nuptial-flight-randy-bilesky?published=t

•