What indicates that a carpenter ant colony is mature enough to produce winged ants?

A carpenter ant colony typically becomes mature enough to produce winged ants after it has reached a certain age and size. The correct choice emphasizes that colonies generally need to be at least three years old for this reproductive phase to occur.

During the first few years of a carpenter ant colony's life, the focus is on building the nest and growing the worker population. As the colony matures and expands, it can support the resources necessary to create winged ants for reproduction. This includes not only having an established queen but also sufficient worker ants to care for and nourish the developing reproductive individuals.

While the presence of a queen is essential for reproduction, it alone does not determine the colony's maturity; a young colony can have a queen but still lack the size and stability to produce winged ants. Similarly, while age can be a factor, specifying at least five years as a requirement is unnecessary since colonies can start producing winged ants by the third year. The size of the ant population is also a significant indicator, but it ties back to maturity and age rather than being a standalone criterion. Thus, three years is a more reliable marker for when a carpenter ant colony can reproduce winged ants successfully.