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Ants moving queen alates around?


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#1 Offline Membrayne - Posted June 29 2021 - 12:34 PM

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So I was walking around my normal anting trail today and as luck would have it,I spotted 2 nests of Tetramorium Immigrans with workers escorting their queen alates around. I wouldn't mention this if something wasn't up, however. The weird part is that it's near 90 degrees outside and this was around 12-1 pm, while Tetramorium are usually morning fliers. I also found no wandering queen de-alates or grounded fliers
and saw no ants actually flying. Most alates at the nests got out of my view before I could see them take off, and there also weren't very many of them, I never saw more than 3 at once.

So I guess my question is, am I just getting unlucky? Or is it somewhat common for ants to move their queen alates around a day before flying? Maybe I'm just catching the very end of their flight?

Image attached for proof of alates

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Edited by Membrayne, June 29 2021 - 12:35 PM.


#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 29 2021 - 1:19 PM

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Workers actively try to stop alates from flying if it’s not the right conditions or timing. That’s what you observed.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline Membrayne - Posted June 29 2021 - 1:21 PM

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Ah, so it was too hot for them to fly and workers stopped em? That actually explains a kot, thanks




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