Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A young Solenopsis xyloni queen prepares to take flight.

Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, California, USA
A young Lasius (Acanthomyops) interjectus queen climbs vegetation to help launch herself on a mating flight. This species is a social parasite, and following her flight this queen will infiltrate the nest of another Lasius species and attempt to usurp the resident queen.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A young Lasius (Acanthomyops) interjectus queen climbs vegetation to help launch herself on a mating flight. This species is a social parasite, and following her flight this queen will infiltrate the nest of another Lasius species and attempt to usurp the resident queen.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A male harvester ant (Aphaenogaster albisetosa) launches himself on a morning mating flight.

Green Valley, Arizona, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013