What Ants Have Wings?
Table of Contents
The majority of the ants you see won’t have wings, no matter what species you’re looking at. Sometimes, some ants in a colony are winged, though. Winged ants are best known as alates, reproductives, or swarmers.
Interestingly, while some subsets of the ant population do have wings, many of them only appear for a short amount of time. Why? After reproducing, these ants usually drop their wings or die.
WHY DO SOME ANTS HAVE WINGS?
Winged ants are different from other ants because they are the only ones that can reproduce. Winged ants can be either male or female, with females being queens born with wings in most cases.
Once a queen mates with a male drone, the male ant tends to die within the next week or two. The winged queen, now fertilized, finds a place to nest and start a colony. Once she does, her wings will fall off, and she’ll use them for food as she works on creating her new colony.
ARE ANTS WITH WINGS ALWAYS TERMITES?
Winged ants aren’t the same as winged termite swarmers. Ants are a part of the order Hymenoptera and family Formicidae. Termites are a part of the order Blattodea, infraorder Isoptera, and epifamily Termitoidae. Interestingly, Isoptera means “equal wing,” which is one easy way to tell termites and ants apart (termites have wings of equal length, while ants have wings of unequal length).
Additional differences between winged ants and termites include the following:
| TYPE OF INSECT | ANTENNAE DIFFERENCES | WING DIFFERENCES | WAIST DIFFERENCES |
| Winged Ant
|
Ants’ antennae are bent.
|
Ants’ wings are paired up in two different sizes.
|
Winged ants have a pinched waist between the abdomen and thorax.
|
| Termite
|
Termites have straight antennae.
|
Termite wings are the same size.
|
Termites have a straight waist without a pinch in the middle.
|
Winged ants and termites can both be frustrating to deal with in your home, so it’s important to make a call to your local pest control company when you see them inside, even if you’re not sure which one you’ve seen.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINGED ANTS, TERMITES, AND CARPENTER ANTS?
“Winged ants” are ants of various species, including carpenter ants, that sprout wings as part of the colony’s reproduction cycle. Ants that cannot reproduce never get wings.
Knowing which of the pests is in your home will help determine how to best get rid of them. If you think you have one of these pests in your home, whether in an attic, basement, or windowsill, it’s important to take action before they multiply.
WINGED ANT
APPEARANCE
The appearance of a winged ant depends on the species. For example, a winged black ant may be very small and have a single set of wings, but carpenter ants are relatively large and have two sets of wings.
Winged ant alates can be black, red and black, striped, or a variety of those colors. Their sizes will vary based on the specific species of ant.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
Winged ants usually nest in wood or their own tunnels. However, they are sometimes seen out in the open. Winged ants (also called flying ants) tend to live in or around wet or damp wood, but some live in dry areas.
DOES IT HAVE WINGS?
Yes. The hind wings are smaller than the front wings.
TERMITE SWARMER
APPEARANCE
Termite swarmers are around ½ inch long. They have wings that extend past their bodies. Swarmers are often reddish brown, yellow, or tan, though some may look creamy, black, or dark brown.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
Termite swarmers usually come out of buildings near the base of the foundation.
DOES IT HAVE WINGS?
Yes. A termite has wings that look the same on both sides. They are also longer than the body.
CARPENTER ANT
APPEARANCE
A carpenter ant (Camponotus spp.) is often what someone is seeing when referring to a winged ant. Carpenter ants are black and may have some light banding on their abdomens. They get up to 25 mm in length.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
Carpenter ants like to live in moist, wet, or damp areas where wood has been damaged. They are most common in the northern parts of the United States.
DOES IT HAVE WINGS?
Carpenter ants sometimes have wings (if they’re queens or reproductive males).
HOW DO YOU GET RID OF WINGED ANTS?
CALL IN THE PROFESSIONALS
If you’ve noticed more than the occasional winged ant wandering by, then a call to our pest control experts is a great place to start. Winged ants could be living in the walls of your home or in the area around your home if there is wet or damp, damaged wood present, so a thorough inspection by a trained professional is a good idea.
SEAL UP CREVICES AND CRACKS
Ants often come indoors because of cracks or crevices that open up to your home’s exterior. Seal these openings with caulk, sealant, or insulation foam to help prevent ants (and other pests) from invading.
USE A DIY DISH SOAP SOLUTION
If you see a single, winged ant in the spring or summer, the likelihood is that it just got separated from its colony. You can get rid of it with a spritz of a mixture of two parts water and one part dish soap.
GET HELP WITH A WINGED ANT INFESTATION
Seeing a winged ant inside your home could be a sign that a colony has decided to move in. Fortunately, these pests can be removed with the help of a trained expert
Give us a call at Joshua’s Pest Control, and we’ll send one of our friendly professionals to inspect your home, determine the invading species, and help you get rid of them.
SOURCES
- https://extension.umn.edu/insects-infest-homes/carpenter-ants
- https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/ants/carpenter-ants/
- https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/termites/
- https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/termite-identification-how-to-spot-termites-in-your-home/
- https://ants.com/ants-with-wings/
- https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/how-to-get-rid-of-flying-ants
- https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/flying-ants-vs-termites/
- https://www.thespruce.com/questions-about-flying-ants-2656362
- https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/pest-control/get-rid-of-flying-ants/
- http://extension.msstate.edu/content/signs-termite-infestation
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/carpenter-ant-vs-black-ant/
AUTHOR BIO
Courtney Enzor has worked in the pest control industry for about a decade. From helping you build a fly trap to giving you the best tips for identifying various bugs, she loves answering all your pest-related questions and sharing her pest-related expertise through writing. At the end of the day, she hopes her content will help people avoid mishaps and keep families happy and healthy!
