Do pavement ants have wings?

“I saw a swarm of ants on my sidewalk, and some had wings. Do pavement ants have wings, or is this a different type of ant?”

Some pavement ants do grow wings, but only certain members of the colony, and only for a short time. 

Most of the pavement ants you'll see are wingless workers going about their business. Winged pavement ants are the colony's reproductive members, known as swarmers, and their job is to leave the nest, mate, and start new colonies. Pavement ant swarmers typically emerge in June and July. If a colony has settled indoors, though, the warmth of a building can sometimes trigger swarms outside of this usual window.

Male pavement ants and young queens make up the swarm, taking to the air together in a mating flight. Once mating is complete, males don't survive much longer, while mated queens land, shed their wings, and search for a new nesting spot to begin their own colony. So, if you notice discarded wings scattered nearby after a swarm, that's a sign the queens have settled in to start laying eggs.

What to do if you spot flying ants

Seeing flying pavement ants doesn't automatically mean you have an ant problem, but it can be a signal worth paying attention to, especially if the swarm is coming from your foundation, patio, or driveway. Since pavement ants nest in soil beneath concrete and pavement, a swarm nearby often means there's an established colony close to, or even underneath, your home.

If swarmers are appearing indoors, that's a clearer sign that a colony has already moved in. In these cases, it's best to have one of our technicians inspect the property, locate the nest, and recommend the right ant control treatment.