Can You Buy Queen Ants in the US?
WouterBuying queen ants in the US is not legal. The United States Department of Agriculture prohibits the sale of queen ants. It is also illegal to ship live queen ants across state lines.
In Europe, there are no regulations on the sale of queen ants. However, you can legally purchase exotic species of ants. You can find them on websites such as Etsy and Ebay. However, the sale of queen ants in Canada and Mexico is illegal.
Queens are larger than the worker ants in an ant colony. They have wings, a large thorax, and an enlarged abdomen. The abdomen contains the eggs of the queen. Most queens will shed their wings after mating.
Queens can live for many years, but the lifespan depends on the species. Some queens can lay millions of eggs in their lifetime. When a queen dies, the worker ants will die as well.
Some species of queen ants are known to live for up to 30 years in a laboratory. Other species are known to live for just a few months. Queens can also live for as long as 15 years in the wild.
Most queens will lay a group of eggs before leaving the colony. If the queen is disturbed too much, she may eat the eggs.
When queens are born, they are programmed to build new colonies. The first workers in a colony are known as nanitics. Their bodies are weak due to the shortage of food in the colony. They must find a new home and start laying eggs. This will allow the colony to grow quickly.
