What is a monogynous ant queen?
A monogynous ant queen is an ant queen that mates and reproduces with only one male (called "drone"). This is in contrast to a polygynous ant queen, which mates with several males. In monogynous ant species there is usually only one fertile queen per colony, while in polygynous ant species there may be several fertile queens living in the same colony. Having only one queen per colony contributes to stability and cohesion in the colony, as there is less rivalry between the queens and less aggression between the workers.
What happens if you put together several monogynous ant queens?
If you put several monogynous ant queens together, they will likely fight each other to determine dominance. This is because each queen wants to be in charge of the colony and produce her own offspring. The battle between the queens can lead to a weakening of the colony and sometimes to the death of one or more queens.
However, in some ant species it is possible to combine several monogynous queens, provided this is done at the right time and under the right conditions. This is called "founding queens association" and occurs, for example, in some species of ants from the genus Lasius. The queens then work together to start up the colony and produce offspring together. Over time, one queen may become dominant and kill or drive off the other queens, taking control of the colony.
Which popular ant species are monogynous?
There are several popular ant species that form monogynous colonies. Below I mention a few:
1. Lasius niger: This is a common ant species in Europe and North America. The colonies are monogynous and usually consist of one queen and several thousand workers.
2. Camponotus pennsylvanicus: This is a large ant species found in North America. The colonies are monogynous and consist of one queen and several hundred to thousands of workers.
3. Pheidole megacephala: This is a tropical ant species found in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The colonies are monogynous and consist of one queen and several hundred to thousands of workers.
4. Solenopsis invicta: This is an aggressive ant species that can be found in South America and now also in parts of North America and Asia. The colonies are monogynous and consist of one queen and several thousand workers.
It is important to know that not all individuals of an ant species in every colony display the same behavior. There may be variations in behavior and traits between colonies of the same species depending on various factors such as environment and food sources.