2 replies to this topic

[Manitobant]

I have a camponotus novaeboracensis colony with alates and I'm noticing that some have been either ripping off their wings or the workers are ripping off their wings. What is going on and could this mean my supposedly fertile queen had her wings ripped off before I caught her?

[Acutus]

I've heard that Alates in captivity that can't be released will turn into workers. Your Queen had to have wings to mate as they mate in the air.

[dermy]

I've found queen alates usually just turn into as Acutus said bigger workers. The males are usually just eaten/recycled because of how useless they are to the colony. If your queen was collected far away from any nests there is a good chance she was mated. Wings aren't always a sign of infertility either so if you find some queens during a nuptial flight running around on the sidewalk it doesn't mean they haven't mated. Chances are in a few days they'll shed their wings, or if for whatever reason don't they will have their first workers remove them for them assuming they haven't done so by the time they get nanitics.