Winged Ant

Description:

Most queens and the small number of drones in a colony (the male ants), have wings; queens shed the wings after the nuptial flight, leaving visible stubs, a distinguishing feature of queens.

Habitat:

Seen in my garden.

Notes:

Most ants are univoltine, producing a new generation each year. During the species-specific breeding period, new reproductives, females and winged males leave the colony in what is called a nuptial flight. Typically, the males take flight before the females. Males then use visual cues to find a common mating ground, for example, a landmark such as a pine tree to which other males in the area converge. Males secrete a mating pheromone that females follow. Mated females then seek a suitable place to begin a colony. There, they break off their wings and begin to lay and care for eggs.