WHY DOES THE TANAJURA Pluck ITS WINGS?

Why do tanajuras pull out their wings? Have you ever seen a tanajura, those large, winged ants, pull out its own wings? Many people think it's strange, but in fact, it's one of nature's most fascinating behaviors. Tanajuras are the reproductive females of leafcutter ants. They are born with wings for one purpose only: to fly during the so-called "nuptial flight," an event in which males and females leave the anthill to mate. This flight usually occurs on hot, humid days, after the first rains—that's when thousands of tanajuras appear in the air. After mating, the female searches for a suitable spot on the ground to start a new colony. And that's where the curious part comes in: she pulls out her own wings. This isn't an act of suffering, but rather a sign of transition. The wings are no longer useful, and the ant's body even reabsorbs some of the nutrients from the base of the wings, transforming this energy into reserves for the first days of the new colony. Without its wings, the tanajura lives only on the ground, protected, and begins digging a chamber where it will lay its first eggs. From then on, it becomes the queen of a new anthill—and will never fly again. In other words, plucking its wings is a natural ritual of transformation, the moment when the tanajura ceases to be a winged reproductive ant and assumes the role of mother to an entire colony.