It's the time when all the flying ants in every nest form themselves into little ant squadrons and take off for the wide blue yonder. Except for the ones who mistake the swimming pool for the w.b.y but that's natural selection for you I guess.
Nobody knows when or why* but I have my theories.
I think there is an older Queen Mother type ant somewhere in the area whose job it is to choose the moment. When she decides the time is right she begins stamping on the ground. Soon all her minions are stamping too and the vibrations travel through the ground across the area. It's a signal to the flying ants to get ready. Then, when she stops ... take off!
Then it's rather like a medieval tournament where all the little warrior ants fly off and the one who is deemed to have performed the most daring deeds returns as champion and is granted the title of Sir Ant.
Meanwhile the left-behinds - or slow learners - struggle to earn their wings. I watched several end up on their backs numerous times while their squires hurry around them, checking their wings and legs for damage before urging on to 'try again, master!'
That's my theory anyway.
*Of course someone does.
6 comments:
As in bee colonies, the workers in an ant colony are female. Per www.orkin.com, "The majority of queen ants' eggs grow up to become wingless, sterile female ants, or workers. Occasionally, winged male and female ants are produced to mate. After mating, males die and, in many species, females shed their wings, going on to establish new colonies." Of course, one could not know this from various movies and comic strips.
Cop Car
My bad, Liz. I missed seeing your footnote. Well noted!
CC
It does seem rather a thankless task… then you look at each ant and try to work out what each one would achieve on its own.
Interesting to find out though, CopCar.
Watching them rushing around randomly I wonder what they achieve anyway, Sonata!
Flying ants? Yikes. I don't think we have those in Canada. At least, I've never seen any.
Not many ants here but my goodness, the garden is absolutely teeming with woodlice. Every time I do some weeding, dozens more start scurrying around Where do they all come from?
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