What are Ant Swarmers?

Ant swarmers refer to the winged reproductive ants in a colony, often known as drones. Their primary role is to participate in mating flights to establish new colonies. During certain times of the year, typically in warmer months, these swarmers emerge from the nest in large numbers to mate with queens from different colonies.

After mating, the males usually die shortly thereafter, while fertilized queens will land, shed their wings, and search for a suitable location to establish a new colony. Understanding the existence and function of swarmers is essential for pest management, particularly since their presence signifies the potential for new ant colonies forming in the environment.

The other options describe different castes and roles within the ant colony that do not pertain to swarmers specifically. Young ants in the larvae stage do not have wings and are not involved in reproduction. Scout ants are focused on locating food and resources, while worker ants have the responsibility of nest building and maintenance, neither of which involves participating in mating or establishing new colonies.