Thread: Ant ripping off it's wings...?

Earlier today I saw a red ant (I think it was an ant) taking it's wings off. It had four wings and took them all off, then just started walking around on the table like nothing happened. Does anyone know why it did this?

yes,

it's probably a female. they use their wings to travel to distant locations and when they traveled far enough they use their wings for food. as you know, walking is far more efficient travel than flying.

It didn't eat them though. That's what I though was the weirdest part. It just left them there and walked away. It seems like there's no benefit of using the energy to take your wings off and not even using them for food when there's no harm in keeping them.

Well keeping them would probably be extra weight that the ant no longere needed... and maybe she indended on coming back for the food? just a thought

I guess it makes sense that it was extra weight. Do ants leave food for later? I don't know if she was going to come back. They were there all night and this happened yesterday morning. The only reason they're not there now I think, is because it rained.

I've never seen an ant tear it's own wings off but I have seen ant wings lying around several times. Guess those ants weren't hungry either.

Maybe it was trying to escape from you. Have you ever tried sitting down for a tasty meal of wings with the Jolly Green Giant hovering over your shoulder?

I wasn't watching it like a hawk or anything. I was sitting a few feet away.
And after it left it's wings it walked around on the table, closer and further away from me. I don't think I scared it off.

And I hope I never will have to eat with the Jolly Green Giant hovering over me.