In the royal chamber, the queen has yet to restart her normal duties.
Before her journey, she stopped egg production
in order to slim down and make travelling easier.
Now, like a virgin queen,
she produces a special scent
that attracts winged male ants who fly in from other nests.
The male is also enormous,
on a similar scale to the queen.
The scent she produces are irresistible.
Just a few molecules will grab a male's attention.
He searches for a way into the nest.
But a guard patrol has found him.
And at first, the other ants see him as food.
He is actually in mortal danger.
The army smothers him as if he were prey. But their intentions falter.
He also produces scents to demonstrate his fitness to be consort.
If he passes muster, he'll be accepted.
If he doesn't, he'll be for the chop.
They try to clip his wings so he'll fit through the nest entrance.
But he cooperates.
Using spikes at the end of his abdomen, he pulls one off himself.
Nothing is wasted.
Even a wing has some nutritional value.
The rest of the workers take him into the nest.
He has their support, at least for the time being.
He's on probation.
Until he actually mates with the queen, he could still be attacked.
Another wing is removed.
He'll soon be presentable for his audience with the queen.
It's day five in the new territory
There's no nuptial flight.
Instead, the queen's new consort is guided directly to the royal chamber.
He's not the first consort to the queen, and he probably won't be the last.
Driver ant queens are, for ants, unusually promiscuous.
He'll be one of many suitors she'll entertain during her lifetime.
His job done, he retires from the royal chamber and dies.
A short but productive life,
for he'll father several million new ants with hungry mouths.