Most ants are wingless and known as workers. They gather most of the food, rear young and defend the colony. Eggs are produced by the large queens, who have wings until they mate. The males are the smaller winged ants in the colonies. However, termites have a broad waist and antennae that look like a string of small beads.
Worker ants are similar in shape and color, but often are smaller and lack wings.
After they grow and molt over a period of a few weeks they pupate. The pupae do not feed and are immobile, soft and white. Pupae often are seen when ant colonies are exposed by turning over a rock or log. The adult ants later emerge from the pupa. New colonies are founded by mated queens.