4 replies to this topic

[AntaholicAnonymous]

On this picture you see a female alate who's been in the worker force for many months now.
As far as I know she's the only one of her kind (I recognize her by the way her wings are ripped at the tips).
She's gathering food, is hunting, constructing nest and in this pic just scouting along with other ants.
From her behavior not distinguishable between the workers.

Has anyone of you ever had something like this in your own colony?
They are semi claustral maybe she wants to practice for a future founding stage?
I haven't observed this in the wild so she might not fully be aware what she was born as but since she can't have a mating flight she's living her life to the fullest potential as a worker.

[SYUTEO]

Queen alates in captivity usually act like workers since there usually isn't a nuptial flight in captivity.

[Manitobant]

This is normal. If a colony gets alates and fails to have a nuptial flight, the virgin queens will shed their wings and become workers. Males will still die, however.

[Chickalo]

I believe in most/some species if they fail to mate they either get rejected or become workers, no second chances in the ant world.  I think this is why I've found Camponotus queens in late fall, rejects/worker alates who didn't make it this years nuptial flights.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

Very interesting thank you.
I'm surprised I never heared of it if it's that common.

I assumed they'd just wait in the nest for a flight that'll never come. I'm glad they are still useful to the colony.
I bet semi claustral queens are a lot more useful as workers than fully claustral ones. Manica queens don't differ much from the largest workers so they fit right in.