Years ago I began seeing ants with wings, something I was sure never existed when I was growing up. Were they mutants? Was there some kind of odd mating with flies creating winged ants? I began calling them flants, a mix of fly and ant. When I saw one again this spring, I decided to research the strange insect. Apparently they are normal and always have been. They are ants called alates. These winged alate ants fly in order for the queen to mate with males from different colonies. Then she creates nests in various places. Apparently, afterward mating, the queen will chew off her own wings. Something I'm sure she didn't sign up for.
So, since flants are ants, the question then is, do we need ants? And that answer would be yes, because:
- They improve soil aeration, redistributing nutrients and organic matter (dead insects, plants, debris), enriching the soil.
- Some ants collect seeds and carry them to their nests, where they can sprout.
- Ants prey on insects (termites, aphids, caterpillars) and other pests, helping control their populations and reducing crop damage.
- Ants provide food for birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. (Sorry ants, them's the breaks.)
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