| Ant maiting |
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Preparation for the mating flight |
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When the mating flight is approaching, workers busily move in and out of the nest entrance. The head of a male appears, but because it is too early for mating, he is pulled back into the nest with his leg held by the mouth of a worker ant.
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A nest of Camponotus japonicus from which the young female and young male appear |
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Flying away from a height |
The young male has finally flown away from the nest entrance as if he could not be restrained any more. However, a young female with a large abdomen cannot fly easily because she is heavy. She climbs up a grass tem in order to make the flight from a height.
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A yound Camponotus japonicus (female) ant flying away from a leaf
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The young female loses her wings and makes a nest
A male that died after the mating flight |
After 1 hour or so, the female that has completed mating returns to the ground and her wings fall off in readiness for the change to becoming a mother (Queen). The male dies sooner or later after the mating and becomes food for other ants and small birds. |
A female that has returned to the ground and whose wings have fallen off
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