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Polygynous Colonies

polygyny veromessor pergandei

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#1 Offline EcoAnt - Posted March 5 2020 - 4:12 PM

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Hello Fellow Anters,

 

I was out in the Colorado Desert last weekend and came across a newly dug in group of Veromessor pergandei queens.  V. pergandei is generally polygynous and this new colony had many queens.  I collected 8 of them and saw several others that I left behind.  I am currently working on test tubes for them, but wondered whether any of you have started polygynous colonies?  If so, how may queens do you usually group together?  I was thinking of trying 2 or 3 per tube.  If there any downsides to captive polygynous colonies?  Will it grow too big/fast?

 

I appreciate any advice you can give me.



#2 Offline AntsDakota - Posted March 5 2020 - 4:18 PM

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Polygynous queens usually take egg laying shifts, so therefore colonies don't grow much faster. They just get more nanitics from the start.


"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


#3 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted April 2 2020 - 12:23 AM

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Polygynous queens usually take egg laying shifts, so therefore colonies don't grow much faster. They just get more nanitics from the start.

This is not always true. While they do take breaks and trade off, queens in monogynous colonies also take breaks or lay eggs in batches, so the overall egg output is still significantly higher, especially with more than 2 queens.

Also, I know I'm late, but afaik Veromessor pergandei are pleometrophic, and will fight after getting nanitics. Might be a regional thing, but most data supports pleometrosis. Might want to split up those queens sooner than later.


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