Post #4130437
2026-07-26 23:07 UTC
@eleanor@chaosfem.tw
Those ants with wings are young queens. These look like Messor harvester ants. Do they often collect seeds?
This is a special event for the colony. They are sending the young wing'd queens and males out to start new colonies. It's like ant graduation but also an ant wedding?
It's a big deal!
Replies (1)
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@futurebird@sauropods.win 2026-07-27 00:05
@eleanor@chaosfem.tw One thing I really love about the way that ants do nuptial flights is how the whole colony (except the current queen and youngest ants) are involved. It could be just the new queens and males... but, no, all of the workers come out of the nest too. They are there for protection, but also for moral support. Young ants are often scared to leave the nest for the first time, so her older sisters are with her. Then they mill about working up the nerve to take off and fly.