11 replies to this topic

[AdamL]

So back in the summer I saw saw 4 tetramorium queens drowning in my pool(that's how I collect most of my queens)so I decided I would put them in one test tube and see what would happen.
For 1 or 2 weeks they all were fine with each other, then they picked off the weakest queen out of the four and dragged it where I could remove it. In the end they passed the founding stage, I thought this is when the fight to 1 queen standing but for months they have lived in harrmony laying eggs and growing the colony. Is this rare? If so how special does this make the colony?

[RushmoreAnts]

Occasionally pleometrophic colonies will keep multiple queens, but it isn’t that common.

[AdamL]

Ok cool out of couriosity, I sold a 1 queen tetramorium colony for 40$, how much would this well for?

[Mettcollsuss]

I found a lot of my Tetras pleometroically. I had one colony a year or so back where I started them with the usual several queens, and as expected, began whittling down the numbers as the colony grew past the founding stage. But once they got down to just three queens, they stopped the killing. They ended up living with three queens for several months, then one day randomly decided to cull the extra two. So I would say yes, it is uncommon that they haven't killed each other yet but not unheard of. But I also would enjoy it while it lasts, because true polygyny in the caespitum group is extremely rare.

[AdamL]

Ok I will enjoy it and 3 times egg laying

[RushmoreAnts]

I believe the rotate egg laying shifts.

[AnthonyP163]

I had a colony go 9 months without killing some of their queens, but they eventually fought after hibernation.

[AdamL]

I have recently taken them out of 3 month hybernation I hope the Don't fight

Edited by AdamL, March 3 2020 - 12:22 PM.

[Mdrogun]

I had a colony go 9 months without killing some of their queens, but they eventually fought after hibernation.

This ^

I had a colony of my own get pretty far without killing off the other queens and got my hopes up. They will eventually get to it.

[Technomyrmex]

Has anyone ever seen mature colonies in the wild with multiple egg laying queens? Wonder if given more space would they behave differently?

[RushmoreAnts]

Probably. Although in EXTREMELY RARE cases they may keep their queens for a year +. Just expect the excess queens to die, though.

Edited by AntsDakota, March 3 2020 - 3:50 PM.

[RushmoreAnts]

deleted by author

Edited by AntsDakota, March 3 2020 - 3:51 PM.