There are ant colonies that have flying species of ant, like fire ants, carpenter ants, and pharaoh ants.Carpenter ants are one of the most invasive and destructive ant species in the United States. Carpenter ants can be very destructive and are a sign of damage around your house.Flying ants (alates) are nothing but species of ants. These insects are at a specific stage of life, particularly around the mating season. Ants are eusocial insects within the Formicidae family. They form colonies with a size range of about a few dozen predator insects in natural and small cavities or remarkably organized colonies, which might contain millions of ants in large territories. There are many wingless and sterile workers (ergates), females, soldiers (denigrates), more than one fertile female called the queen (gynes), and fertile males called drones. Ants work together to maintain a colony. Ants are found all across the Earth except in Antarctica and other inhospitable or remote islands. Ants’ success across so many environments is associated with their ability as a group to tap resources, alter habitats, and defend themselves. Their societies divide labor and can solve complicated problems. There are so many species of ants that can not only destroy agricultural crops but also bite or sting.If you enjoy reading these facts about do flying ants bite, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about how to get rid of sugar ants and what do ants eat here at Kidadl!Do flying ants bite or sting?Yes, some flying ants bite or sting and others are not quite so dangerous.Winged ants are sexually mature males and females and develop wings to fly around for mating. Winged ants or flying ants are only a few ant species. Also, in some ant species, only males develop wings. These two mature winged ants leave the colony and then swarm to mate. Swarms of flying ants usually occur in summer, which is their mating season. Coming out to mate in warm weather is called a nuptial flight. This ant species only finds a mate from another colony. Sometimes flying ants are mistaken for flying termites. After meeting with a number of males, a female will store the sperm for life, lose her wings and never fly again.If an ant species on the ground does not sting or bite, then the flying version of this species also does not do so. Fire ants are known to sting, and they will sting in their flying version too. This is the same with carpenter ants. However, any winged or flying ant only bites or stings when it feels threatened.What happens if a flying ant bites you?If a flying ant bites you, it will cause local reactions and systemic reactions.Flying ants (alates) are harmless because they are busy finding a mate in the mating season and also have no nest that they need to defend. So, a swarm of winged ants is quite peaceful in this period. The flying ants that roam around for food are usually female ants. They might bite you if you mess with them or if they are protecting their nest members. However, their bites are not a threat to your life. The pain of the bite can range from slight to intermediate, which will go away in a few hours. You may have a burning sensation around the area, which turns red after a while. The intensity of pain and swelling will depend on the species of ant that bit you. You will feel a mild sting from carpenter ants, whereas a bite from fire ants will be a lot more painful. Sometimes bites or stings will cause allergic reactions, which can be handled by a medical professional.Flying Ants Vs TermitesFlying ants and termites differ in wing size, body shape, and antennae shape.Termites have smooth bodies that are white or light pink in color, whereas flying ants have segmented bodies that are reddish-brown or black in color. Termites’ wings are longer than their bodies but are the same size through their length. The wings of flying ants are the same size as their bodies but get smaller towards the back. Termites feed on plants and wood while flying ants feed on insects and nectar. Termites live in dead trees, wood, timber, and other wood structures. Flying ants live in organized colonies, and their nests are made of natural elements like soil. This nest is built on soil mounds or tree trunks. Antennae of termites are straight while flying ants are bent.How can you keep them away from you?You can keep flying ants away from you by getting rid of food lying around, do not retain moisture around your house, and use pest control sprays and oils.Some ant species are more invasive than others and can get into your home too. There are, however, some ways to get rid of swarms of flying ants around you. If you come across a flying ant in your house, then you must look for their colony around your yard. To prevent infestation in your house, you will have to get rid of the colony. You can follow a flying ant through your house to find out where the colony is. You can make use of essential oils like cinnamon leaf oil or peppermint oil with water or dish liquid. You can also use lemon oil, tea tree oil, cedarwood, or lavender oil. Spraying vinegar and water also kills flying ants. You can use a vacuum cleaner to collect the swarm and get it as far away from your home as possible. You can use either baking soda and sugar or a boric acid and honey mixture to get rid of flying ant colonies. Sugar and honey attract flying ants, while baking soda and boric acid will kill them. Insecticides and pesticides are also effective. However, if none of these techniques work, then you will have to contact a professional pest control service.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for ‘Do flying ants bite?’, then why not take a look at ‘How much can an ant lift?’ or ‘Flying ant facts’?
There are ant colonies that have flying species of ant, like fire ants, carpenter ants, and pharaoh ants.
