Which Fire Ants Have Wings?
WouterUnless you’ve witnessed a fire ant swarming, you might be wondering, “Which fire ants have wings?” Among the 450 species of ants found in North America, some of them have wings, and some of them don’t. Wings are particularly useful in some ant species, because they help them spread their range.
Some species have wings, but only during certain times of the year. For example, fire ants have wings to swarm, but the wings are not used for flight.
They also have a special venom that paralyzes their competitors. When they sting, these venomous ants release a substance that recruits sister ants. In some species, the wings are cut off after mating.
Other ant species can fly, but only during certain times of the year. They feed on seeds, insects, and food debris. They can swarm thousands of ants at once.
Winged ants have wings, but they can also have antennae. The antennae on termites are twice as long as their bodies. On the other hand, the antennae on ants are almost straight, but they are very segmented.
A female winged reproductive ant is an ant that mates with a male. The ant then releases a pheromone trail that attracts other winged ants.
These are usually nocturnal, but they can also be seen during the day. They create mating aggregations around chimneys, trees, and other structures. Their swarming can last up to a year, though.
Ants are social insects, and they have a number of different castes. These castes are males, females, and workers. The workers are smaller than the queens and males.
