2 replies to this topic

[EcoAnt]

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.

[RushmoreAnts]

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

[CheetoLord02]

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.