3 replies to this topic

[TheGamblingAnt]

Hey guys,

I'm like 99% sure these flying ants I'm seeing are Prenolepis imparis. I haven't seen any queens but saw 5 or 6 males flying around in my backyard this afternoon. Nice warm spring day, almost 70 degrees here in SE Wisconsin. Just curious how common it is, or if it even happens that males fly when queens don't?

[Ants_Dakota]

Hey guys,

I'm like 99% sure these flying ants I'm seeing are Prenolepis imparis. I haven't seen any queens but saw 5 or 6 males flying around in my backyard this afternoon. Nice warm spring day, almost 70 degrees here in SE Wisconsin. Just curious how common it is, or if it even happens that males fly when queens don't?

Good find! Right now is the perfect time to go looking for wandering queens. It is not uncommon for this to happen actually, although I believe it is never ONLY males, just a way higher percentage. I am sure someone more knowledgeable can tell you why, but it might have to do with the exact weather conditions, colonies not wanting to keep hungry males in the nest for too long, and the fact that queens mate with multiple males, meaning more males are needed.

[AntBoi3030]

This has happened to me many times before. This year it happened when it was about 70 but a little windy (~10mph). I found hundreds of males swarming, but not a single queen. Later in March, when it was warmer and less windy, I found a bunch of queens. Look for bushes and trees they are swarming on, and you can often find a queen landing and mating with a male. I have a hunch that the conditions are good enough for the female alates, so just the males fly. Since the queens are larger and bulkier, I think they might require better conditions. This is only a guess, however.

[TheGamblingAnt]

Makes sense to me, thanks guys. Didn't find any today! Maybe tomorrow will be better! High almost 80, supposed to rain in the morning. Afternoon might be good!