Flying Ants

Many people dont believe there is any such thing as flying ants. This is because they only live in certain parts of the world. They arent very common either so you wont see them most of the time unless you go out of your way to look for them. They are the most prominent in the summer months due to the hot temperatures. Some people dont realize the insects flying around them though are actually a type of ant.

Where you see one flying ant though you are sure to see a whole swarm of them. They are very social insects and they work well with each other. The ants you see with wings are the younger members of the colony though. As they get older the wings fall off and they will be resigned to staying on the ground.

Flying ants wont hurt you though and they definitely wont bite. Some people think they are very large mosquitoes but they are truly ants. They can be fascinating to observe though once you know what it is that you are looking at. There is a rumor out there that having flying ants around means you have termites. Yet there is no real evidence to support this accusation.

In order to be able to fly, these types of ants have very small but strong wings. If you can get close enough to look at them you will find they arent the same length. This allows them to successfully use the wind to help them move with the least amount of effort. They also have antennas that are slightly bent to allow them to be more receptive. They also have three distinct parts of the body the head, the thorax, and the abdomen.

Of course what you see in your home as flying ants may turn out to be termites though. They too have breeds that have wings. It is in your best interest to capture one and to really examine it. If you still arent sure ask your local exterminator to look at it for you as well. You dont want to deal with the amount of damage that termites can do to your home. Hopefully what you discover is nothing more than flying ants as they wont harm your home.