Myrmoteras indicum

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Biology
A mating swarm of these ants was observed by Kalesh Sadasivan in Karala, India. The queens would locate themselves on exposed shrubs in open sun. Hundreds of males would flock to these queens, forming a mating frenzy! The mating swarm was on everything in the vicinity, on vegetation, on cameras and camera flashs, on the hands and clothes of the photographer. The entire mountain range, on its sun-exposed side and within 2 -3 meters of the ground, was full of males and females! While the actual number was difficult to estimate, it may have been in the millions. Based on an informal sampling of one square meter of vegetation, the male:female ratio was around 50-100:1 or so.

Nomenclature

 *  indicum. Myrmoteras (Myagroteras) indicum Moffett, 1985b: 37, figs. 4, 7-10, 27, 30 (w.q.m.) INDIA.