22 replies to this topic

[dean_k]

If you could, please share the links to such mentions?

[NorthEdge]

I could be wrong.  It wouldn't be the first time.

 

When I first got into ants I asked for a list of polygynous species in North America on several forums.  The only Formica that were ever mentioned were Formica subsericea.  No other Formica were ever mentioned.

 

I have tried a few times to put 2 Formica founding queens together. I ended up separating them within 20 min. They may accept additional queens later when the colony is larger and more spread out.

 

Yeah, the book Ants of North America lists polygyny  as common in the fusca group, neogagates group, rufa group, and exsecta group. It makes no mention of it for the sanguinea group or microgyna group. I've also personally witnessed it in Formica pallidefulva and Formica incerta. I believe for most species it's a case of accepting newly mated queens into mature colonies and not polygyny coming from pleometrosis (queens founding together). 

 

 

Formica subsericea is polygyny?!

 

Yes, at least mature colonies commonly are. I've seen mature colonies gently collect newly mated queens and bring them into their nests. I'm not sure if young/small colonies would be as accepting of new queens. 

[dean_k]

 

Yes, at least mature colonies commonly are. I've seen mature colonies gently collect newly mated queens and bring them into their nests. I'm not sure if young/small colonies would be as accepting of new queens. 

 

 

Very interesting, thanks.

 

I am not surprised by the fact that mature colonies take new queens in. I am surprised by the fact that queens of their size allow this because my observation of polygyny species has been that polygyny queens were rather small and feature less impressive physique. F. subsericea queens are big.