Winged Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.) - Hercules ants - Winged Termites - Monsoon

The Hercules ants, also known as black carpenter ants (Camponotus herculeanus), with wings, are most likely reproductive ants (alates) emerging for their nuptial flight, a mating ritual, and they are leaving the nest to find a mate and establish new colonies. The swarming of these winged ants is occurring during the warmer months following rainfall and periods of high humidity. Carpenter ants are omnivores, consuming both plants and animals. These ants are biting with their strong mandibles. Here, a house gecko is hunting the remaining termites, avoiding the winged ants in fear. They are often foraging for dead insects, but some species are also hunting live prey, including other insects and their larvae. Here, during the monsoon rains at night, winged termites attracted by LED lights are being hunted and eaten by Carpenter Ants in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 17, 2025