How Are New Ant Queens Born?
WouterAlmost all ant species are able to produce queens. Some species are biological-control agents, while others are considered pests. A queen can lay millions of eggs over a lifetime. These ants are important to the ecosystem as they disperse seeds and improve soil quality.
The life cycle of a queen is unique from the life cycle of other ant species. Unlike other ant species, queens don’t live on the surface of the earth. They spend their entire lives beneath the ground. They can live for as long as 30 years.
When a queen is born, she has wings. The wings help the queen to survive. However, when she burrows in the ground, her wings fall off. Afterwards, the queen will form her own nest.
The queen lays eggs which become the first larvae. The larvae then mature into workers. These workers care for the young ants. Depending on the species, the workers may live for only a few months, or they may live for a year.
After the workers die, the queen takes over the role of taking care of the young ants. The queen then concentrates on laying eggs for future queens.
The number of eggs produced by queens depends on several factors. The size of the eggs, the food available for larvae, and the age of the queen all determine the queen’s production. The queen may stay in the parental nest, or she may start a new colony.
