Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

What do you do when your colony releases queens and alates?


  • Please log in to reply
15 replies to this topic

#1 Offline dean_k - Posted October 13 2014 - 7:30 AM

dean_k

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 845 posts
  • LocationWaterown, Ontario, Canada

That popped up in my mind.

 

From my google research, I read that an ant colony will release new queens and alates once a year.

 

So, what do you do when your indoor colony release them?  I don't suppose they are going to mate themselves. That'd be inbreeding, no?

 

Then what do you do?



#2 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted October 13 2014 - 7:35 AM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

Ant colonies will often produce alates in captivity, but they usually won't mate.  Inbreeding is actually very detrimental in most ant species, so they try to avoid it.  Of course, there are a few exceptions - Cardiocondyla spp., Plagiolepis spp., some Tapinoma sessile variants, many Monomorium spp., etc.


Edited by Myrmicinae, October 13 2014 - 9:04 AM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#3 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 13 2014 - 8:20 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I think most species don't produce very many alates until the colony is more mature, like somewhere around five years old or so is what I've read. Unfortunately, I don't think many people have colonies that last that long.



#4 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 9:20 AM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia
Most species do not produce alates within the first five or so years. If they do, which they will eventually, you can attempt to artificially breed them, but it may not work because of genetics (nestmates). If you leave them, the workers will kill the males, and the females will tear their wings off and act like workers, which is pretty cool actually, they can be like majors of a monomorphic species.

#5 Offline dean_k - Posted October 13 2014 - 9:46 AM

dean_k

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 845 posts
  • LocationWaterown, Ontario, Canada

So, if you have two colonies of the same sp, it is at least in theory possible to breed them, and if it is a species that accept more than one queen, it is then possible to keep a colony going until you die?



#6 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 10:56 AM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia
Probably, but you need certain factors to them to start breeding, which is close to impossible in captivity.

#7 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted October 13 2014 - 11:38 AM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

So, if you have two colonies of the same sp, it is at least in theory possible to breed them, and if it is a species that accept more than one queen, it is then possible to keep a colony going until you die?

 

Yes - theoretically, this would be possible.  However, there are a number of environmental conditions that trigger flights in nature and these would have to be somehow replicated in a captive setting.


Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#8 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 13 2014 - 12:09 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

It seems it's not as impossible as everyone thinks when it comes to species that mate on the ground outside the nest.

 

Retroman explains how he does it with Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus.

http://forum.formicu...11-2014/?p=5708



#9 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 12:16 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia
I know, and actually P.tenuispus fly. I believe that you can breed any ant on ground, you just have to get that trigger. I have seen Nylanderia mate on the ground, even though the majority of the reproductives fly.

#10 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 13 2014 - 5:07 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Mating on the ground doesn't mean they don't fly. Some ants fly to a spot, or mate just outside the nest and then fly away once finished. I've watched Pogonomyrmex do this as well as Acromyrmex.



#11 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 5:18 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

That is what was trying to say.



#12 Offline Alza - Posted October 13 2014 - 8:40 PM

Alza

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 864 posts
  • LocationThe Village

he said something completely different then you did 



#13 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 8:54 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

No, actually he didn't. The conclusion would be the same, we just worded it differently, and I was stressing a different aspect.



#14 Offline Alza - Posted October 13 2014 - 9:11 PM

Alza

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 864 posts
  • LocationThe Village

stressing a different aspect huh ? from my perspective you just contradicted yourself 



#15 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 13 2014 - 9:23 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

No, actually.



#16 Offline Alza - Posted October 13 2014 - 9:27 PM

Alza

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 864 posts
  • LocationThe Village

sure you didn't 






1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users