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Can queens fly after mated?

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7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Formicoidea - Posted November 21 2019 - 5:19 AM

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Hi all.
So I just had a nuptial flight and i caught a bunch of queens. (Expect an ID on them soon becuase i am really not sure what they are).

Anyway, tonight i used a method to try to determine if they had mated or not.

I know the queens removing their wings is unreliable so i wanted to find something that would make it not a complete guess. I though i could test if they still had control of their wing muscles by dropping them and seeing if they "fly".

I assumed that after fertilisation they lost control of their wing muscles, however all the queens i caught tonight could "fly". (Lets hope its not what we were all thinking).

Do the queens actually loose the ability to fly or do they just land to search out a nesting spot?
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Current Queens/Colonies:

- Iridomyrmex Bicknelli                          - Iridomyrmex Sp. (x2)

- Camponotus Consobrinus                - Camponotus Sp.

- Myrmecia Sp.                                        - Rhytidoponera Metallica

- Rhytidoponera victoriae                       - Notoncus Sp. (x2)

- Anonychomyrma Cf. Froggatti (x6)


#2 Offline Manitobant - Posted November 21 2019 - 8:40 AM

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Most queens mate and then fly to a suitable place to start a nest, so no

#3 Offline Formicoidea - Posted November 21 2019 - 3:29 PM

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Most queens mate and then fly to a suitable place to start a nest, so no

 

so would you say the test i did is a suitable way to determine if they were fertilized?


Current Queens/Colonies:

- Iridomyrmex Bicknelli                          - Iridomyrmex Sp. (x2)

- Camponotus Consobrinus                - Camponotus Sp.

- Myrmecia Sp.                                        - Rhytidoponera Metallica

- Rhytidoponera victoriae                       - Notoncus Sp. (x2)

- Anonychomyrma Cf. Froggatti (x6)


#4 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 21 2019 - 3:41 PM

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They can fly as long as they have not metabolized their wing muscles. So they can until they attempt to found a colony. Keep in mind that even queens that have not mated can and usually will try to found a colony.
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#5 Offline Formicoidea - Posted November 21 2019 - 3:47 PM

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They can fly as long as they have not metabolized their wing muscles. So they can until they attempt to found a colony. Keep in mind that even queens that have not mated can and usually will try to found a colony.

 

which means it is well and truly, a lucky dip. :ugone2far:


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Current Queens/Colonies:

- Iridomyrmex Bicknelli                          - Iridomyrmex Sp. (x2)

- Camponotus Consobrinus                - Camponotus Sp.

- Myrmecia Sp.                                        - Rhytidoponera Metallica

- Rhytidoponera victoriae                       - Notoncus Sp. (x2)

- Anonychomyrma Cf. Froggatti (x6)


#6 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 21 2019 - 4:01 PM

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Most of the queens I have successfully raised colonies from have been caught from mid flight.
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#7 Offline AntsDakota - Posted November 21 2019 - 4:38 PM

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And since queens can mate multiple times, they still would fly around after fertilization looking for more mates.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#8 Offline SuperFrank - Posted November 25 2019 - 11:46 AM

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I can't say for all species, but I have seen C floridanus queens land, take off, fly a short distance, land, and repeat several times. I have also collected mated queens that were definitely able to fly but were dazzled/trapped by the UV light I was using (taking off repeatedly but just smashing back into the blacklight)

Edited by SuperFrank, November 25 2019 - 11:47 AM.

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