Why Do Some Ants Have Wings?

Homeowners are often concerned to find ants flying around the home, usually in mid-spring. Nearly every species of ants have at least a few members of the colony that can fly. Typically, it is the queen and the drone, a male, that develop wings. They use them to fly so they can find a mate and start a new colony. As such, anyone that sees a flying ant around their home can assume the ants are trying to add to their population. Once ants have found a mate, they will set up a new colony and shed their wings.