How Fast Do Ants Reproduce?

Several species of ants can reproduce hundreds of thousands of offspring in six to twelve months. Depending on the species, the life span of a queen is between two and twenty years. The size of a colony can range from a few inches to two meters. A mature colony of ants can contain more than 200,000 individuals.

When a virgin queen lays an egg, it is fertilized by sperm in the queen’s pouch. The queen decides whether or not the egg will become a wingless female worker ant.

The worker ants of an ant colony help keep the queen clean and tend to the hatchling larvae until they turn into young adults. They then feed the larvae and tend to the nest.

A virgin queen lays thousands of eggs to start a new colony. If the colony is threatened, the queen may leave the nest. When the colony has grown to be strong enough, the queen makes her own nest.

Once the queen dies, the workers continue to produce offspring. This is due to the hormones of the queen. The queen can mate with many male ants during her lifetime. The remaining sperm are used to inseminate the eggs.

The eggs are laid in underground chambers. Once the larvae hatch, they grow into pupae. These pupae are cream colored with folded antennae. The pupae resemble an adult ant. The larvae are dependent on the adults for food.

The workers of the colony also tend to the eggs. When the eggs hatch, the worker ants move the fertilized eggs to hatch chambers. These chambers are special chambers where the larvae can develop. The worker ants also help to enlarge the nest.