29 replies to this topic

[Antkeeper01]

maybe but the queens would die at some point

[antsandmore]

maybe but the queens would die at some point

yes. I meant that the colony would live on because even if the founding queens died, they would have mate inside the nest and inbreed to keep the colony going.

[Antkeeper01]

 

maybe but the queens would die at some point

yes. I meant that the colony would live on because even if the founding queens died, they would have mate inside the nest and inbreed to keep the colony going.

 

probably not

[KitsAntVa]

To much inbreeding would shorten the life span of the workers and queen resulting in total colony failure within months.

[CheetoLord02]

In-nest mating in ants will usually perpetuate the colony's lifespan by at least an extra several years. In Solenopsis the queens usually like around 5-7 years, and especially since they're starting with more than one queen, there's at least a bit of genetic diversity to prevent too much incest with the in-nest mating. Eventually it would probably get bad enough to the point where the colony would fizzle out, but likely not for several new generations of queens.

[ANTdrew]

Nothing last forever, even cold November rain.

[TennesseeAnts]

Nothing last forever, even cold November rain.

Axl would approve. 

[antsandmore]

Nothing last forever, even cold November rain.

except for those annoying argentine ants that keep coming. I mean not forever, but still a very long time

[Antkeeper01]

the only thing that lasts forever are tetras

[RushmoreAnts]

Perhaps if you can find new queens in nuptial flights the colony could be perpetuated that way. I've noticed that Solenopsis molesta often accept new dealates in to their colonies. I'm not sure how S. aurea would react to new queens, however I would polygynous Solenopsis would be pretty good with accepting queens. If you release the alates and introduce new queens instead, that would prevent inbreeding, or perhaps just add more genetic diversity.