Large Black Ant Mittting Playing Alls Ant Royalty-Free Stock Image

There are three types of adult ants living in the colony: the queen, female ants, and male ants. Queen ants are the largest ants in the colony. They have wings and their purpose is to lay eggs. The queens can live up to 30 years. Depending on the ant species and the nest community size, there may be one or more queens in the colony.Female ants are smaller than the queen, wingless and sterile. Females result from fertilized eggs and can live up to three years. Known as workers or soldiers, female ants care for the eggs, tend to the larva, build and repair the nest, forage for food, and protect the colony.Male ants develop from unfertilized eggs. Also called drones, male ants have wings and are fertile to mate with the queen. Male ants are much smaller than females and have longer antennae. The males only emerge from the colony for one day in order to mate.