Can Ants Live Without a Queen?
WouterWhether a colony can survive without a queen depends on the species of ants in the colony, the lifespan of the ants, the food available and the amount of space available. In some cases, the colony can survive without a queen for several years. During this time, ants will continue to reproduce and bring resources back to the settlement.
In ant colonies, most ants are female. Most ants are sterile females, but there are some species of ants that have a female queen that lives for many years.
Queens of ant colonies are stored in chambers underground. These chambers are designed to keep predators away from the queen. The chambers also help the queen keep her body temperature warm.
Queens are large and usually have wings. They are also capable of laying eggs. They are most often bigger than other ants in the colony. They need to have extra bulk to support their wings. The queen lays millions of eggs and can live for decades.
The queen’s role is to control the colony. She directs the colony through chemical pheromone communication. She also produces more queens to expand the population.
The life of the worker ants is shorter than the life of the queen. The worker ants can live for as little as a month, but some species can live up to seven years. The workers are the ants that perform the work in the colony.
When the queen dies, the colony can die out or become vulnerable to attack. Colonies can survive without a queen for a while, but eventually they will die out. This process may take weeks, months or even years.
