2005.11.25 Is there a way to tell an unfertilized queen ant (princess) and a male ant (prince or drone) apart?

Within each species, the male is usually smaller, and differs consistently in proportions, namely:

• Antennas long, but with a short first segment
• Head relatively small, but with huge eyes
• Thorax the thickest body part (big wing muscles)
• Gaster slender and with paired plier- or mitten-like clapsers (used for holding on during mating) at the tip

Rarely, males are workerlike (ergatoid) in appearance, most readily distinguishable from conspecific workers by their

visible genital claspers. Examples: certain undescribed Paratrechina, and some species of Cardiocondyla, Hypoponera.

Photos of several species of ant males from Myrmecos.net --Dr. Ant