This is because certain conditions must exist in order for the winged ants to get the message that it’s time to leave home. Most ant colonies swarm around the same time each year, like clockwork.

Swarming helps keep predators away (strength in numbers), and it’s why ants that fly are commonly referred to as ‟swarmers.” Why do you see multiple swarms at the same time? This flight is commonly referred to as a ‟nuptial flight” or ‟dispersal.” You might know it by a different name, based on the ants’ tendency to gather in large clusters during this mass exodus: a swarm. Mature male and female ants fly out of their colonies with one purpose in mind: to mate. When the ant colony is naturally ready to expand, the winged ants get ready to take the stage. These are the ‟reproductives” of the colony, created by the ‟queen” and fed by the ‟workers.” The reproductives go through their immature stages developing inside of the colony.

Flying ants, or ‟alates,” as entomologists refer to them, are simply ants that are sexually mature. Winged ants become even more imposing when they swarm during mating periods, gathering at specific landmarks in a behavior called ‟hilltopping.” These swarms are an impressive sight to behold, but do you really need to fear them? Why are there flying ants in the first place?Īnts that fly aren’t some kind of genetic mutation. Ants are typically seen crawling on the ground, so it’s shocking when ants with wings start buzzing around. Insects that fly are frightening enough, but flying ants might be even scarier.

Wings of fire storm of sands