55 replies to this topic

[Crystals]

I am hoping to create a list of true polygyne ants, the ones that are truely polygynous and won't kill each other after the first few months. 

If known, also add if they accept new queens once the colony is established.  I only know a few, but I am sure there are others out there.

 

I will keep updating this list.

 

Formica cinerea

Formica balcanina

Formica lugubris

Formica sanguinea

Formica ulkei

Lasius flavus

Linepithema humile

Monomorium ergatogyna

Monomorium pharaonis - new queens easily accepted.

Myrmica  (some species, like rubra)

Nylanderia spp.

Pheidole megacephala

Solenopsis molesta - new queens will readily group together, older colonies will not merge.

Tapinoma melanocephalum

Tapinoma sessile - new and old queens are easily accepted in another mature colony

 

Any others?

[wook]

Formica cinerea, Formica balcanina, Formica lugubris, Formica sanguinea, Lasius flavus...
I will try to think about more...

[dspdrew]

I'm no expert, but I am pretty sure these are polygyne species:

 

linepithema humile

Monomorium ergatogyna

Tapinoma sessile

[Crystals]

Formica cinerea, Formica balcanina, Formica lugubris, Formica sanguinea, Lasius flavus...
I will try to think about more...

I thought Lasius flavus queens only cooperated until the colony was established, then fought  until only one queen was left?

[Mercutia]

Myrmicas!

[wook]

I thought Lasius flavus queens only cooperated until the colony was established, then fought  until only one queen was left?

There's report of about 20 queens in colonies. I have not evidenced on my own, though.

You can also add Formica rufa to the list.

[Crystals]

Myrmicas!

Only some Myrmicas, I know I tried a few times to combine queens who hadn't even laid eggs yet and they wanted nothing to do with it.  Even if two were convinced to co-exist I am not sure how long it would last.  Do you know of any examples where the queens lived together more than 2 years?

[Mercutia]

Only some Myrmicas, I know I tried a few times to combine queens who hadn't even laid eggs yet and they wanted nothing to do with it.  Even if two were convinced to co-exist I am not sure how long it would last.  Do you know of any examples where the queens lived together more than 2 years?

Were you absolutely sure they were the same species of Myrmica when you paired them? I was told that it is difficult to distinguish Myrmica species without DNA testing which is why the classifications for them are so messy. When I had Myrmicas, I had 5. They split into two groups, one with two queens, the other with three queens and stayed separated in the enclosure. And I have seen Myrmica colonies where the queens cooperated for more than a year on youtube.

[Crystals]

They may have been different species, but I have/had no way of telling. I know some like Myrmica rubra are polygynous, but with the ones I have locally I have only ever seen one queen per nest.

[nepenthes]

Mericutia,

I was talking to a graduate student working with Myrmica in Washington State, she said that there are little things to note like what angle the antennae project, and how they project, slight curves, and how many hairs may be in certain crevices on the exoskeleton. I will talk to her and see if I can work up a key for Western North American Myrmica species.

[Myrmicinae]

Some more polygynous species that are common in parts of North America would be Tapinoma melanocephalum, Nylanderia spp., Pheidole megacephala, Monomorium minimum, some Temnothorax and Leptothorax spp., Dorymyrmex spp., and some populations of Pogonomyrmex californicus.  The first three do not partake in mating flights and instead found new colonies through budding.   I believe all of the others are more typical in their founding strategies. 

 

I'll add more as I think of them.  

Edited by Myrmicinae, September 23 2013 - 8:17 AM.

[Gregory2455]

Solenopsis invicta? Or no?

        Sorry for bringing back all these old topics.  I have a bad habit of doing that...

Edited by Gregory2455, September 2 2014 - 5:08 PM.

[Jelly]

I know this is an old topic, but rather than start a new one with a similar theme i figured id ask my question here.

 

Does anyone know a large size species in California that is a polygynous species?

The ones listed are such tinnie tiny ants.

[Bracchymyrmex]

I've heard Brachymyrmex can be polygynous (though I need to test that theory) as well as Prenolepis thus far, two of my Prenolepis queens have cooperated extremely well together.

[Subverted]

I know this is an old topic, but rather than start a new one with a similar theme i figured id ask my question here.
 
Does anyone know a large size species in California that is a polygynous species?
The ones listed are such tinnie tiny ants.

I have seen polygynous Camponotus colonies out in the mountains but I would not say that it is a common occurrence.

[Alabama Anter]

Myrmecocystus ​can be polygynous.

[klawfran3]

I'd say some types of Myrmica, not too sure if they're found all over california or if the ones there are polygynous but the ones here in Wyo can be

[ctantkeeper]

add Monomorium emarginatum!

[Batspiderfish]

Polygyny is not often a species-wide trait, but an evolutionary one. Tapinoma sessile, for example, will be monogynous or polygynous.

[AntswerMe]

Only some Solenopsis invicta are polygynous. The vast majority of them are monogynous.