How Do You Tell a Girl Ant from a Boy?
People often ask us how to tell if an ant is male or female. Here’s how to do it. Pick up your ant and drop it in a glass of water. If it sinks, it’s a girl ant. However, if it floats, it’s buoyant.
But seriously, folks. Just a little bit of pest control humor there.
Five Amazing Facts About Male and Female Ants
In reality, male and female ants have many differences and serve completely different roles in the colony. Here are five facts that can help you determine how to tell the difference between male and female ants:
- Female ants are usually larger. Their jobs within the colony are usually worker, soldier, or queen. Almost all male ants are drones.
- It’s rare to see male ants wandering around. When you see ants marching around in your home, those are typically female worker ants.
- Male ants are much more likely to have wings than female ants. Queen ants may be the only female ants within a colony to grow wings.
- Queen ants lay all of the eggs in a colony. The male drones fertilize most of the eggs and die shortly thereafter. Male ants often only live for a few weeks, while a queen ant can live for as long as thirty years!
- Even the unfertilized eggs will hatch. The fertilized eggs will hatch into female larvae while the unfertilized eggs will become males.
Do You Have an Ant Colony in Your Home?
If you’ve been noticing more and more ants, it’s likely you have a thriving ant colony located somewhere within your structure. These ants may not go away on their own. If they’ve found a reliable source of food and water, they will continue multiplying until they’re eliminated.
Don’t wait — take care of the problem ASAP by enlisting the help of a trusted St. Louis area ant exterminator.
Call Bug Out today to get started!
