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So if I find wingless females in a solenopsis invicta nest that are not the queen...


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#1 Offline Saltynuts - Posted June 13 2017 - 12:41 PM

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I recently dug up a fire ant next and found the queen.  I know she is the queen because tons of other ants always made sure she was surrounded.  They didn't do this for any other ant.  That includes at least 9 or 10 other clearly female ants that had lost their wings.  They look identical to the queen of course.  The ants did not swarm these like they did the queen, or even pay them any particular attention.  So, what exactly is the deal with these?

 

I know fire ant colonies can have multiple queens.  But if these were also queens, wouldn't the worker ants protect them like they did the other queen?  

 

Might these simply be female ants that somehow had their wings ripped off, and thus not yet having mated?  I think the female ants only lose their wings after they've had their nuptial flights.  That would sure be a lot of accidental wing removals - I found 9 or 10 of these girls before I stopped looking because there were so many.

 

Might these have mated, but simply not started laying eggs because the queen is still alive and kicking?  Maybe fertile ants can have some kind of "hibernation" status whereby they don't start laying until the time is right, i.e. the death or other absence of the queen.  If I take one of these girls, and some associated worker ants, and put them in a separate enclosure apart from the rest of the colony, might these start laying eggs to make their own colony? 

 

Thanks!

 

Side, kind of unrelated question.  I have found some queen wondering on the sidewalk that I've kept in a water test tube enclosure.  Some are laying eggs, I'm so happy about it.  But some have not after at least a couple of weeks.  I assume they haven't mated.  If I stick a winged male ant in the tube with them from another next, any chance they would mate?  I worry the answer is no, I think someone said in another thread that fire ants only mate on their nuptial flights.  But I thought I would ask.

 

Thanks.



#2 Offline Kevin - Posted June 13 2017 - 1:23 PM

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On occasion, female alates will have their wings torn off by workers if they are not used in a flight, and they will act as workers in the nest.


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#3 Offline Saltynuts - Posted June 13 2017 - 2:33 PM

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When would that happen Kevin?  After the females didn't have their nuptial flights for some reason?  There sure were lots that missed their nuptial flights in that case!

 

And if that is the case, I assume they almost certainly haven't mated, and probably never will mate given that they can not have their nuptial flights?

 

Thanks!



#4 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted June 13 2017 - 5:37 PM

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I don't think your interpretation of the worker behavior means that these queens aren't fertilized.


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If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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#5 Offline drtrmiller - Posted June 13 2017 - 5:44 PM

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Indeed, the behavior of unfertilized queens shedding their wings and living as workers in the colony has not been documented with Solenopsis invicta. It is likely either a polygyne colony, or you are mistaking the largest majors for queens.




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#6 Offline AntsOnTheCoast - Posted June 14 2017 - 2:35 AM

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You dug up a fire ant nest? Are you hurt?


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#7 Offline 123LordOfAnts123 - Posted June 14 2017 - 4:00 AM

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As Drew stated, such a behavior although present in much of the Myrmicinae would be hard to miss in such a well studied (if not THE most well studied) ant such as Solenopsis invicta.

If what you observed were all queens, the favored one may simpley have had more active ovaries which may increase her attractiveness towards workers.




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