What are flying ants exactly?

[Velvetee]

Recently, I posted about ants in my bathroom. I now have ants outside the bathroom, they are turning into flying ants.

What I want to know is, do all ants have the ability to turn into flying ants or are they a completely different species of ant?

[China Doll]

No, not all ants and they're not a different species either.

The big flying ants are queens and the smaller ones are the kings. In order to get as far away from the nest they come from they've got wings which last 1-3 days (I think, you might need to check that). The wings come off after this and they find themselves a new nest.

[shylock73]

The Queen ants fly with the drones to mate and when done they fall to earth and find a place to start all over again. The males soon die if not eaten by birds.

[shylock73]

If interested in ants go to Google and type Ants, verrrrry interesting. Scroll down to the `mating` part.

[Velvetee]

So how many Queens live in one nest? I thought it was only one.

Some of these flyers are big and some are small and weak. Does anyone know if they sting or bite?

[China Doll]

There's only one actual queen in a nest. When the others reach maturity they get their wings and get kicked out in to the big wide world to reproduce and keep the species going.

The bigger ones are the females. As far as I recall (and again this is off the top of my head so may need checking) the black ants in this country don't bite but the red ants do.

[Velvetee]

Ok many thanks everyone. My insight into ants has been widened.

[China Doll]

And I've realised that I really should get a life so thank you too!

[Theland1]

Will we see them any day now?

[China Doll]

Erm... I've seen a couple but I always thought they came out when it was hotter (and possibly more humid). I always thought they came out around August time but I often get my dates in a muddle!

[Theland1]

Your dates? That's why you stood me up?

[China Doll]

Erm... The flying ants came out and I'm scared of them (seriously) so I had to stay indoors.

[welshlibranr]

I have them in my garden every year!! they normally fly around mid to late June, they are quite large, there are hundreds of them and they have tiny one riding on their backs, anyone else noticed this? they give me the creeeeeeeps!!! but thankfully they only seem to be around for a few hours, but thats tooooooooooooooo long for me!!