How Long Do Ants Live Without a Queen?
WouterDepending on the species of ants, they can live as long as fifteen years or as short as a week. The lifespan of an ant colony is dependent on many factors, including food availability, the number of workers, and the gender of the ants.
A colony of ants needs a queen to reproduce. Without a queen, the ants cannot produce offspring and the colony will die.
The ant queen is the only egg-layer in an ant colony. She uses energy from fat stores, redundant flight muscles, and sperm from her nuptial flight to fertilize the eggs. Almost half of her body is made up of her thorax. The colony also needs workers to keep her clean. When the queen dies, the workers will die as well.
The average life of an ant is between three and seven weeks. If the ant colony is repopulated, the ants will continue to bring back resources to the settlement. The ants’ lifespan depends on the species of ants, the amount of food in the colony, and the room conditions. A super colony can have as many as one million ants co-existing.
There are several species of ants that live longer than seven years, including the harvester ant. The Indian jumping ant also has a queen replacement system. The colony has been known to survive for up to 28 3/4 years in captivity. Other species of ants, such as paper wasps, have a different queen system.
