Swarmer Ants

Swarmer Ants

Many ant species exist and you may have them around your home making mounds in the lawn or dirt piles on your driveway. As part of their seasonal activity, ants will produce a swarm of winged flying ants, known as swarmer ants. Swarming is also known as reproductive flight, as the ants are out to start new colonies. It is important to be able to tell a swarmer ant from a termite, as the latter could represent a problem.

Swarm Season

Swarming is seasonal, often taking place in the spring, and can occur once to a few times a year. It typically lasts for one day and happens simultaneously for all colonies in an area, which increases the chance of a queen finding a mate from a different colony. Most ant species release swarmers in the late afternoon, typically after a shower of rain followed by sun. Pavement ants and carpenter ants often release as th sun is setting.

Recognizing Swarmer Ants

You can determine if a winged insect is a swarmer ant or a termite in a few different ways, though they are similar in size. Ants have a pinched-in waistline, antennae with a bend in the middle and two long and two short wings. Termites have fairly straight sides, antennae that are flexible along their entire length and appear either straight or slightly curved, and wings that are fairly equal in length. Swarmer ants are usually larger than the worker ants from their colony.