Arid environments are characterized by extreme surface temperatures and low annual precipitation that limit ecosystem productivity. In most desert ecosystems, ants are responsible for much of the biological activity, representing a key energy link between the primary producers and secondary consumers. Accordingly, most species are highly sensitive to abrupt abiotic changes, such as heavy rainfall events, where a common response involves the initiation of nuptial flights. Here, our study site in the Mojave Desert ecoregion had not received measurable rainfall for over a year. Winged ants were sampled using synchronized black light pan traps programmed to collect for 1 hour each night for three consecutive nights over the following three time periods: 2 weeks before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after the rainfall event. Over the nine trap nights, the following winged ants from six species were identified: Camponotus fragilis, Camponotus sayi, Crematogaster depilis, Dorymyrmex sp. nr. bicolor, Brachymyrmex depilis, and Formica gnava. A total of 11 winged ants were collected 2 weeks before the rainfall event. Immediately after the rain event, 8,074 winged ants were collected, and this resulted in a significant increase in the availability of prey items. The number of winged ants in the traps dropped to five at 2 weeks after the rain. Four species of ants were collected as workers in the pan traps. Three of the species (Linepithema humile, Pheidole hyatti, and Solenopsis xyloni) did not yield alates, which indicated a variable response to environmental conditions among the sampled community of ants. Given the uncertainty of future North American monsoons in the southwest, the episodic availability of alate prey items driven by abiotic changes and species-specific cues related to nuptial flights may be further compounded by climate change.