Do Ants Need a Queen to Survive?
WouterWhether you’ve ever wondered “Do ants need a queen to survive?” or “How long can an ant colony survive without a queen?” you’ve come to the right place.
An ant colony is a superorganism. It’s composed of a queen ant, male drones, worker ants, larvae, and other ants. The lifespan of an ant colony depends on the number of workers, food, and room conditions. A colony can last as long as several months, or even years.
When a colony has several queens, it can last longer. A queen can live up to 10 years. Queens are programmed to create new colonies as early as birth.
If a queen dies, the colony will die. The colony will still search for food and build a nest underground. It will die slowly. The new queen steps up when the old one dies. It will also build a new nest, which will continue to grow until it dies.
The number of queens in a colony is based on the species. Some species have several queens, and others have just one. Having more queens can lead to a faster colony expansion.
If a colony has fewer workers, it will have fewer queens. This can lead to a less powerful queen. It also means less ants in the super colony.
A colony can also survive for several months without a queen. The colony will still search for food, and the new workers will feed the queen. The queen will then lay eggs and produce larvae. The larvae will then become new workers.
