My friend found three of these ladies clung onto some grass above what can only really be described as a slaughter field of their own kind. She said there were about twenty or thirty of the same species, all alates, scattered around below and killed by a species of red ant with a black abdomen. She said the killers had stung (and it apparently hurt quite a bit) so I can only assume they were fire ants.
Since they were found so close to so many dead alates on the ground, I informed her they were likely hangers on and had only just emerged from their nest when the fire ants raided them, and thus had not yet participated in the nuptial flight. Still, I told her I'd try to figure out what species it is.
She says they're about a quarter of an inch long, and hasn't really told me about any other behaviors if she's observed them, besides doing their best to not be killed by fire ants.
Any ideas?