Their entire destiny depends on the ensuing nuptial flight.

In fact, nearly all of these die after the nuptial flight.

The life of a carpenter ant begins with the nuptial flight.

They die anything from a few hours to a couple of days after the nuptial flight.

Their entire destiny depends on the ensuing nuptial flight.

Now, it goes to what the beekeepers called "the mating flight".

On day 20 a young queen emerged but was lost during the mating flight.

She has a sting, but before the mating flight she only uses it to kill rivals.

Shortly after she was born, she mated with several males (the drones) during the mating flight.

The winged ants are the female and male sexuals getting ready to go on their nuptial mating flight.

In the animal world, courtship behaviour in each species follows specific and predetermined patterns.

Little has been written about the courtship behavior of this bird.

In the animal world, the courtship process in each animal species proceeds according to a specific and predetermined pattern.

In the animal world, courtship behavior in each species follows specific and pre-determined patterns.

In breeding plumage, adults of both sexes have black legs.

The bill is pink with black base in breeding plumage.

It has two plumages: a winter plumage and brighter breeding plumage.

In breeding plumage, it is blue-black, with bluish-grey base.

Adults in breeding plumage are heavily barred underneath.