3 replies to this topic

[ForestDragon]

Have you guys noticed how some queens will lay as many eggs as they can but once some develop into larvae the queen eats some/most and then uses that to feed the larvae? i had several Camponotus queens lay around 30 eggs but is only at 4-9 pupae by the end of development and iv'e noticed this habit in other species as well such as pheidole, tetramorium and a few others. I have no pictures due to a flip phone that I cannot send pics to anyone

[Silq]

Seems to be a normal thing I hear about on this forum. People attribute it to stress. I like to think of it like other like the queen will support only the strongest or will kill off the weakest so that the rest can be supported without problems like in mammals such as dogs and cats but that is a totally unsupported thought.

[Nawor3565]

Seems to be a normal thing I hear about on this forum. People attribute it to stress. I like to think of it like other like the queen will support only the strongest or will kill off the weakest so that the rest can be supported without problems like in mammals such as dogs and cats but that is a totally unsupported thought.

Honestly, I wonder if it might just have to do with them not having enough food. If the queen lays more eggs but feeds most of them to her workers, than it could be a good way to get excess energy from the queen to the workers, with the hopes that they'll use that energy to find more food. I'm just talking out of my rear end here though.

[BeginnerAntKeeper]

They may just be tropic eggs which mere existence is only to feed the larvae.