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Colonies with multiple queens

Started By Foogoo , Feb 18 2015 2:12 PM

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#1 Offline Foogoo - Posted February 18 2015 - 2:12 PM

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Are all the queens in colonies with more than one such as Pheidole or Linepithema typically fertile? Can they be separated and be able to sustain their own brood?

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#2 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted February 18 2015 - 2:13 PM

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Yes.

#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted February 18 2015 - 2:19 PM

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Linepithema humile mate in the nest. In other polygyn species, queens fly, and land. At this time they will be releasing pheromones for other queens of said polygynous species to come and help dig. That part is actually common in a lot of non polygyn ants too, such as Myrmecocystus sp. Anyway, they all dig together, and in non polygyn species,they all produce brood. One the colony gets some workers, usually from immedietly, but normally in the first year, the weak queens are sacrificed, or killed all the way until there is one left. That one queen is now the only queen in a colony that got a head start in population thanks to the sacrifice of other queens. In true polygyn species however, the number of queens are not culled by the workers, and they are all producing constantly.

#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 18 2015 - 2:40 PM

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I've seen some colonies where one or more "queens" weren't fertile.


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#5 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted February 18 2015 - 2:43 PM

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Yeah, but typically dealates in colonies are fertile.

#6 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted February 18 2015 - 6:09 PM

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When I was looking around I seen a beer bottle FULL of Formica queens and brood!


#7 Offline Foogoo - Posted February 18 2015 - 7:18 PM

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What kind of beer was it??
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Camponotus vicinus, Crematogaster 1, Crematogaster 2, Formica francoeuri, *, *, Myrmecocystus testaceus, Novomessor cockerelli, Pheidole hyatti, Pogonomyrmex californicus, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Solenopsis invicta

#8 Offline dermy - Posted February 19 2015 - 12:59 PM

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Haha the only question that needs to be answered!


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#9 Offline AntTeen804 - Posted February 26 2015 - 6:33 PM

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How many queens can you keep I'm one polygyny colony?


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#10 Offline Ants4fun - Posted February 26 2015 - 6:58 PM

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I would say it depends on the species. Argentine ants can have hundreds, but have hundreds Of thousands or even millions of workers... While others only have a couple at the most.

#11 Offline Alza - Posted February 26 2015 - 7:07 PM

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Argentine ants passed the hundred mark, i can tell you that. and I don't think they particularly have a limit, really. Maybe around 10, if there was one.


#12 Offline Chromerust - Posted February 26 2015 - 8:35 PM

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I have personally pulled 75 queens out of a colony on my back yard and barely made a dent

#13 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted February 26 2015 - 10:37 PM

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I know SMILEforAnts had a colony of Pheidole megacephala with what was it? 29 queens? And here is his current colony: 


Look at all the queens!!!


#14 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted February 28 2015 - 11:55 AM

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I know SMILEforAnts had a colony of Pheidole megacephala with what was it? 29 queens? And here is his current colony: 


Look at all the queens!!!

He has 47 queen now and he continues adding more also the colony has grown more. :)


Edited by Jonathan21700, February 28 2015 - 11:56 AM.

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